Roasted marrow bones

A leap into the world of adventurous food! Roasted marrow bones are not for everyone, I know. But for the courageous eater, they're oh-so-good. They also add a seriously gourmet touch to any meal, for not very much money. Best of all, they're easy to cook.

A caveat here--this dish is RICH. Be sure to eat something that's the opposite of rich with it--say, a big green salad made up of bitter greens (arugula, watercress, parsley) with a splash of lemon. Someone's thinking, "But you're eating so much fat!" True, but it's the good kind, the kind that lowers bad cholesterol.

I got a big bag of beef marrow bones from the butcher for about $6, which ended up being about 70 cents each. Put them in an oven-proof dish and roast at 350 for 15-20 minutes. You want the marrow to be soft but not liquified. (There will be a little liquified fat in the bottom of the pan. Save that for future cooking endeavors.) When they're done, scoop out the marrow with a fork and spread on toast. While the marrow is cooking, make a salad of chopped parsley, a small diced shallot, some capers, and a healthy squeeze of lemon. Serve that over the marrow toast, with another healthy pinch of sea salt. The pop of the parsley and capers and lemon pairs very nicely with the richness of the marrow.