By Melony Carey
Just the opening chapter of “Resolution” alone was enough to make me keep reading the second of Robert B. Parker’s trilogy about the Old West.
The lead character Everett Hitch, West Point graduate turned hired gun, works for Amos Wolfson, owner of the Blackfoot Saloon in the town of Resolution. His military training has given him more than mere sharp-shooting ability; it has given him a conscience, and therefore a moral dilemma. After all, there are ethics involved in shooting people.
Everett and his friend, Virgil Cole, have shot a multitude of mean, lowdown varmints, as well as some sacrificial victims along the way. Everett’s outlook is based on Machiavelli’s premise that it is better to be feared than loved, balanced by his soft-hearted tendency to stay on the side of what is right and just. Virgil leans towards the credo of “sometimes you got to kill one person early, to save four or five later,” a dictum of utilitarian ethics both men swear by, even though they wrestle with the implications of what they do for a living.
This moral dilemma drives the plot of the novel, as Everett and Virgil are approached by several factions of the town, all wanting protection. Wolfson wants his saloon and business interests protected; prostitutes seek asylum and vindication; local cattlemen need defense against the unjust confiscation of their lands. But a major problem comes when the one trying to confiscate ranches through shady dealings is Everett's very employer, Amos Wolfson. Compounding the situation is Eamos O’Malley, owner of the copper mine, who starts buying up all the town’s businesses and ranches. As the tension builds, you know that someone has to die to save the lives of everyone in Resolution.
Parker’s writing is similar to Cormac McCarthy’s in theme and tone, only with punctuation. For night readers, “Resolution” has something else to admire in a book — short chapters stacked high with meaning and a stopping point where a stopping point ought to be. The three novels in the trilogy are “Appaloosa,” about to be released to the big screen starring Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen, “Resolution,” and “Brimstone” due out next year. Parker also penned the “Spenser for Hire” detective series, as well as the popular Jesse Stone mysteries starring Tom Selleck.
Bison has made a comeback from near extinction in the Old West. Before the 1800s 70 million buffalo roamed our continent. Having dwindled to only 1,500, they are now estimated at a repopulation of 270,000 in North America. Since bison are handled little and fed on free-range grasslands, no antibiotics or other questionable additives are used in their production.
RANCH HAND BEAN DIP
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can black-eyed peas, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 14.5-ounce can chipotle salsa
1 14.5-ounce can salsa with cilantro
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Coat a large skillet with cooking spray. Sauté onion until tender; add garlic and continue sautéing 1 minute. Add peas, beans, salsas, and bacon; cover and cook until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in cilantro. Transfer to bowl and serve warm with tortilla chips.
BISON CHILI
1 pound ground bison
1 medium onion, chopped
1 15-ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 16-ounce cans peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
In a non-stick skillet, sauté the ground bison and onion until the meat is browned and the onion is tender. Add the pinto beans, tomatoes, water and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, adding more water if chili becomes too thick. Add chopped cilantro and simmer an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into bowls and garnish with grated cheese or diced jalapeno peppers. Serves 4.
From the National Bison Association Web site.
BISON BURGERS
2 pounds ground bison
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon onion salt
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon pepper
Cheddar slices
Mix bison and all ingredients in medium bowl. Shape into four to six patties. Prepare grill to medium coals. Wipe grill with olive oil. Grill burgers 4 to 5 minutes per side, being careful to not overcook. The low fat content in bison makes it dry out quickly. Keep your grill hood down while cooking. Serve with cheddar slices, lettuce and tomatoes on Kaiser or other hearty buns.
WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING
About 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
6 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Place butter, sugar, brown sugar in mixing bowl and beat with mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Beat in the egg white. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk beginning and ending with flour. Toast walnuts in small skillet or in microwave in small amount of butter. Fold walnuts into batter; place in 13x9-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Bake for 28 minutes until tester inserted in middle of cake comes out clean.
Make frosting:
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 tablespoons milk, divided
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
Dash of salt
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts
Place brown sugar, 1/4 cup milk, butter, corn syrup, and salt in saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cook 2 minutes. Place mixture in bowl; add remaining 2 tablespoons milk and powdered sugar. Beat with mixer on high 2 minutes until thickened. Beat in vanilla. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with walnuts. Cut into squares.
A similar recipe can be found in Cooking Light, September 2008.
