By suggesting that cooking for your dog is an act akin to cooking for your human loved ones in her cracking Jam Today, Tod Davies tricked me into finally reading M. F. K. Fisher. Davies excellent idea comes from Fisher's How to Cook A Wolf, in a chapter titled How To Stay Alive. Highly enjoyable reading.
After all, I thought, we eat well - very well. Why shouldn't Poppy? Fisher calls her dog-friendly concoction Sludge and it is, she says, as good for people in hard times as it is for dogs in good. I've taken to calling it Slop rather than Sludge for the onomatopoeic plop a few spoonfuls make as they hit her bowl, but Poppy adores it regardless and I get to feel like a proper dog mother as she licks the bowl clean. Marvellous all 'round.
What I like about the idea is that it is just that; an idea, not a recipe, one I can file away in my head.
There’s a cheerful economy to this that pleases me no end; leftovers are an important part of the deal, especially when you put your mind to getting creative, and I've found that looking out for cheap cuts of organic meat is enjoyable in a slightly creepy way. The above batch featured ginger, parsley stalks, beetroot and carrot, millet for the grain component and almost-out-of-date organic lamb. Cooked slowly in the quiet of a wet Melbourne afternoon, this combination has been her favourite yet.
Start by browning 1 lb of chopped meat in a bit of oil in a heavy, lidded casserole-type of dish. Chop 1 lb of dog-friendly vegetables* and add them next. Tip in 1/3 lb of brown rice (or millet, quinoa, barley - she's loving barley right now) stir well and pour in just enough water to cover. I add a bit of smoked trout skin and a crumble of seaweed because Davies makes an excellent case for the inclusion of both. Bring it all to a boil, reduce the heat, then cover and simmer until the rice is cooked. Long and slow, to be sure.
Keeps, refrigerated, for a few days. Please note that this is not a complete dog food, not by any means, so keep feeding your dog good quality dried biscuits and bones, all the usual things. Think on this as a kind of bonus. Which it most certainly is.
*NO alliums (onions, garlic, leeks...), legumes, or deadly nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant) - seriously, NO alliums, okay? - but anything else is fair game. Broccoli, daikon, radishes, carrots, celery are all good and even better if you save trimmings during the course of the week.
Im as busy as a headless chook (?) but ever so excited to see you here today and looking forward to more from the wonderful Lucy!
Posted by: sophie munns | June 24, 2010 at 01:51 PM
We enjoy cooking for our dog as well. Usually we cook about once a week for him. Usually we boil chicken or other types of meat and mixed with vegetables. On top of that we grind hard dog food and sprinkle that on top to ensure he gets all the nutrients he needs.
Posted by: Daniel@ The Food Addicts | June 24, 2010 at 02:49 PM
i used to cook and "uncook" for my dog and three cats (when i had that many dear ones living with me). they liked the cooked better, mostly because they were used to it...the raw was suggested to me by a holistic vet. their favorite raw is simply me sharing pieces of fresh raw fish, or other organic meat with them.
i should send you my dog biscuit recipe for poppy. you might enjoy it too, as they're awfully good!
i love this post, as i totally think that treating our animal friends as well as we treat ourselves, remaining mindful of the individual preferences and character traits of each, is just a sound practise, just a loving practise.
Posted by: ali | June 24, 2010 at 09:05 PM
oh I bet you are popular with meal time - wish I could send you all sylvia's leftovers for poppy - they are shameful - though I was surprised to hear no alliums which would make it harder to include leftovers
Posted by: Johanna | June 24, 2010 at 09:14 PM
Hello Lucy. Piper is curled up beside me as I read this on my laptop. He approves as he's been well nourished on homemade food for the past 6 years.
I love what Ali said about being mindful of our animal friends' preferences & traits. Yes.
I'd never heard of "Jam Today". Must check it out.
XO to you & Poppy.
Posted by: Elaine | June 26, 2010 at 11:50 PM
What a lucky puppers!
We just returned the most adorable little dog (Lucy is her name too) to her family after a week of pet-sitting. It's incredible how attached one becomes...
Perhaps when we acquire our own pup, I'll have a chance to try out your recipe.
Posted by: chelsea | June 29, 2010 at 03:19 AM
Ah, glad I'm not alone - there's something very lovely about foregoing all that packaged rubbish. Besides, I once met a woman who worked for a big pet food company and she described to me in great detail the horrible stuff that went in...ick.
Sophie: Lots of love to you, my friend.
Ali: I'd love that recipe. Seriously.
Elaine: I just knew Piper would be equally well-fed. A big kiss to him from me, please?
Chelsea: I keep meeting dogs called Lucy! Most amusing.
Posted by: Lucy | June 29, 2010 at 05:31 PM
I could say the same, Lucy - odd, isn't it?
Posted by: chelsea | June 29, 2010 at 10:23 PM
How did I miss this post? Marco would never have forgiven me. Shall be making this very soon. I've never cooked purely for him before.
Posted by: Wendy | July 10, 2010 at 04:54 PM
Wendy: Oh yes, Marco will love you for it! I've found making it slots in easily around other stovetop activities, bubbling away on its own.
Posted by: Lucy | July 11, 2010 at 11:05 AM