Elaine's Cooking For The Soul

Elaine begins the episode in a state-of-the-art kitchen with the unnerving presence of the Secretary of Human Rights. Despite her imprisonment, she uses humor to cope with the new “public” format.

Sam struggles to bring in a sack of potatoes, creating a lighthearted moment in the midst of the tension, only to be abruptly dragged away by The State’s robotic enforcers.

Elaine and the Secretary discuss everything from potatoes to power dynamics, with Elaine attempting to maintain her defiance while the Secretary remains unfazed by her charm.

The pair prepare purple mashed potatoes, but not without the Secretary banning several key ingredients and replacing friendly conversation with rigid state propaganda.

In the outro, Elaine reflects deeply on her confinement and what it means to grow complacent in captivity, stirring thoughts of resistance among her listeners.

3 pounds purple potatoes

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup milk or unsweetened milk alternative

Salt and pepper to taste

Roasted garlic (from 1 head)

Optional garnish: chopped parsley

Peel and halve the potatoes, ensuring all pieces are of similar size. Boil in salted water for about 8-15 minutes until tender.

Roast garlic by cutting off the top of a head of garlic, drizzling with oil, wrapping in foil, and roasting in the oven at 400°F until soft (about 30 minutes).

Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the potatoes, then add butter, milk, salt, and pepper.

Mash the potatoes to your desired consistency, adjusting seasoning as needed. Garnish with parsley if available.

State-Sanctioned Simplicity: Keep your ingredients minimal, as Elaine's journey demonstrates that sometimes less is all you can get—but it’s what you do with it that matters.

Purple Power: Purple potatoes offer a twist to the usual mashed potatoes, both visually and nutritionally, as they are rich in antioxidants.

Written and Directed by: Alli Slice

Elaine Martínez voiced by: Rosa Delgado

Sam voiced by: Thomas Anthony Jones

The Secretary of Human Rights voiced by: Dan Egan

Courier voiced by: Raechel Wong

Elaine reflects on her imprisonment, caught between despair and defiance, wondering if her suffering will be remembered or erased.

Sam appears in Elaine's mind, challenging her to confront painful memories about her family, past choices, and the consequences of her actions.

Elaine crafts a meal from the meager rations of prison food, using it as both a literal and symbolic attempt to retain her humanity.

A surprise interruption at the end signals a shift in her journey, as Elaine is called to her feet by prison personnel.

4 oz protein patê (or substitute a protein spread of your choice)

Water, as available (approximately 12 oz)

Prepare: Use your fingers or any available utensil to divide the patê into small, equal portions.

Savor: Take your time with each bite, making the most of the simple ingredients.

Serve: Enjoy slowly, allowing yourself to reflect on both the present moment and the future ahead.

Mental Resilience: Even in the darkest moments, finding small rituals like preparing a meal can help ground you and maintain a sense of control.

Adaptability: As Sam advises, sometimes the most important battles are not physical, but psychological—learn to face your fears head-on.

Elaine starts her day reflecting on her mission and the renewed hope of finding her friends, Sam and Joe, alive and nearby.

Elaine meets the camouflaged duo, WW1 and WW2, who share insights into survival and the legend of the good-smelling siren screaming in the night.

Together, they cook a Forager's Breakfast Scramble, utilizing wild ingredients found in their surroundings.

Dandelion greens, two handfuls

Cremini mushrooms, six or more to taste

Tender shoots of wild garlic, two

Eggs (4-12, whatever you can rustle up!)

Prepare Ingredients: Chop greens, mushrooms, and garlic.

Cooking: In a skillet, heat canola oil, sauté the vegetables for a few minutes, then add the beaten eggs.

Serve: Enjoy the hearty scramble with the backdrop of Griffith Park’s rugged landscape.

Foraging Tip: Always be on the lookout for fresh, safe-to-eat wild ingredients that can enhance your meals.

Survival Insight: Adaptability in cooking reflects adaptability in life—be ready to make the most out of what you have.

Written by: Rosa Delgado

Directed by: Alli Slice

Elaine Martínez voiced by: Rosa Delgado

WWI voiced by Nicky Urban

WWII voiced by Coop Foster

Sam voiced by Thomas Anthony Jones

Jo voiced by Judith Kargbo

Sinister State Official voiced by Tyler Snodgrass

Courier voiced by: Raechel Wong

Elaine reflects on her childhood memories of backyard camping with her grandparents as she navigates the social intricacies of Fission House.

A surprising culinary adventure begins as Elaine meets @ratpoison, a self-taught chef and influencer with a peculiar cooking style.

The duo prepares "Not-Poisoned Portobello Mushrooms," featuring a unique marinade of butter, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.

Elaine uncovers a possible lead on the whereabouts of her missing friends, Sam and Jo, after learning about "the legend of the good-smelling siren screaming in the night" in Griffith Park.

3 large Portobello mushrooms

1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 bottle of Worcestershire sauce

Optional: Pepperoni (Elaine’s choice is to leave this out)

Optional: A sprig of rosemary for garnish

Prepare Your Workspace: Set up a safe cooking area, preferably with a grill.

Make the Marinade:

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.

Stir in the brown sugar until it begins to dissolve, creating a rich, gooey mixture.

Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and stir until the ingredients are well combined.

If using pepperoni, add it to the marinade. Elaine suggests trying it without.

Marinate the Mushrooms:

Place the Portobello mushrooms gill side up on a tray.

Pour the marinade over the mushrooms, ensuring they are fully coated.

Let the mushrooms sit in the marinade for about an hour.

Grill the Mushrooms:

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Grill the mushrooms, gill side up, for about 10 minutes or until they start to smell fragrant.

Flip the mushrooms and grill for an additional 3 minutes on the other side.

Serve:

Garnish with a sprig of rosemary if available.

Enjoy the savory-sweet goodness of the "Not-Poisoned Portobello Mushrooms."

Foraging: If you're up for an adventure, try foraging for rosemary or other fresh herbs in the area. It adds a delightful touch to the dish.

Survival Tip: Elaine reminds us that even in a post-apocalyptic world, creativity in the kitchen can bring a sense of normalcy and joy.

Written by: Rosa Delgado

Directed by: Alli Slice

Elaine Martínez voiced by: Rosa Delgado

@ratpoison voiced by: Mouzam Makkar

Courier voiced by: Raechel Wong

Reflects on the eerie beauty of an empty Griffith Park and the changes in her life.

Encounters @SelfieEsteem, a young influencer dealing with a nasty insect bite.

Walks us through a recipe for a simple yet delightful dish, Sushi on the Go, adapted for the post-apocalyptic world.

2 cups Japanese short-grained rice

2 cups water

1 package seaweed snacks

1/4 cup unseasoned rice vinegar

4 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 small cucumber

1 small carrot

Rinse the rice in cold water if possible.

Cook the rice in a saucepan with 2 cups of water over a campfire for about 15-20 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, heat the rice vinegar, sugar, and sea salt over medium-high heat until it simmers.

Remove from heat and whisk until the sugar dissolves.

Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the cooked rice and gently fold with a spatula until evenly mixed.

Let the rice cool.

Chop the cucumber and carrot into small slices.

Soak them in the remaining vinegar mixture for about 5 minutes.

Place seaweed snack squares on a dry surface.

Spread a thin layer of rice on each seaweed square.

Add a few slices of cucumber and carrot in the center.

Roll the seaweed tightly to form mini sushi rolls.

Foraging: If you find any additional herbs or spices, feel free to experiment with flavors.

Survival Tactics: Elaine reminds us that adaptability and resourcefulness are key in these times. Use what you have and make the best of it!

Reflects on the eerie beauty of an empty Griffith Park and the changes in her life.

Encounters Fran and Sidney, former friends now patrolling for The State, and bears witness to how a good...goat can change under these dire circumstances

Walks us through a recipe for a traditional dish, birria, adapted for the post-apocalyptic world.

Feral goat meat (as much as you can scavenge)

2 guajillo chilis

Salt and pepper

Cumin

Chipotle

Apple cider vinegar

Water

Foraged spices (peppercorn, thyme, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, wild garlic)

1 onion

1 can of tomatoes

Set up a safe cooking area with a campfire.

Split and seed the guajillo chilis.

Roast them over the fire until charred.

Fill a pot with water and add the roasted chilis, letting them soften.

In a skillet, sauté the chopped onion with oil until translucent.

Add spices: peppercorn, thyme, cumin, salt, a cinnamon stick, bay leaves, wild garlic, and canned tomatoes.

Pour the chili water into the skillet.

Add the feral goat meat to the skillet, ensuring it’s submerged in the broth.

Simmer for at least two hours until the meat is tender.

Enjoy the birria with Fran and Sidney, savoring the rich flavors and the rare moments of connection.

Foraging: If you find any additional herbs or spices, feel free to experiment with flavors.

Survival Tactics: Elaine reminds us that adaptability and resourcefulness are key in these times. Use what you have and make the best of it!

Reflects on the dark days in her bunker and her renewed sense of purpose.

Shares her encounter with Conner, a businesswoman with a knack for procuring rare goods.

Walks us through a nostalgic recipe for sugar-butter mollete, using a repurposed clothes dryer as a toaster.

1 loaf of bread, preferably baguette or any long roll

3 pats of butter

2 teaspoons of sugar

Prepare Your Workspace:

Set up your makeshift kitchen with the salvaged clothes dryer, as Conner demonstrated.

Mix Butter and Sugar:

In a small bowl, mix the butter and sugar until you get a smooth, spreadable consistency.

Prepare the Bread:

Cut the bread into slices and spread the butter-sugar mixture generously on each slice.

Toast the Bread:

Place the slices in the repurposed dryer, setting it to "permanent press" for about 10 minutes.

Check and Serve:

Once the bread is toasted to a golden brown, carefully remove it from the dryer. Enjoy the sweet and savory treat.

Foraging: If you're able to find any fresh herbs like rosemary or sage, feel free to add a sprig for additional flavor.

Survival Tactics: Elaine reminds us that survival is all about scrappiness and creativity. Use what you have and make the best of it!

Reflects on her past adventures with Sam and encounters with the mysterious Courier.

Shares her recipe for a hearty pinto bean stew, perfect for those damp, dreary nights when you're hiding from The State.

Delivers a heartfelt monologue that reminds us all to keep fighting, keep cooking, and keep hoping—even when the world feels like it’s crumbling around us.

1 can of pinto beans, semi-drained

1 bouillon cube

1 onion, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh rainwater (or as fresh as you can get)

Prepare Your Workspace:

Set up your portable gas stove under a sheltered area. Elaine found a bridge in Griffith Park—use whatever cover you can find!

Heat the Oil:

In a one-quart pot, heat the vegetable oil over your portable gas stove.

Sauté the Onion:

Add the diced onion to the pot and sauté until it becomes soft and translucent.

Add the Garlic:

Stir in the minced garlic and let it cook until fragrant.

Add the Beans:

Pour in the semi-drained can of pinto beans. Give them a gentle mash to release some of the starchiness, which will help thicken the stew.

Prepare the Broth:

In a separate container, dissolve the bouillon cube in about a cup of collected rainwater. Pour this broth into the pot with the beans and onions.

Simmer:

Allow the mixture to simmer until it reaches a thick and hearty consistency.

Season:

Add salt and pepper to taste. If you're lucky enough to have pepper packets (thanks, Courier!), sprinkle those in.

The Secret Ingredient:

Just before serving, stir in one tablespoon of white vinegar. This will brighten up the flavors and give the stew a little extra zing.

Serve:

If you have bowls, great! If not, you can enjoy it straight from the pot. Elaine and Courier opted for the "Lady and the Tramp" style.

Foraging: If you're able to find any fresh herbs like rosemary or sage, feel free to add a sprig for additional flavor.

Survival Tactics: Elaine reminds us that survival is all about scrappiness and creativity. Use what you have and make the best of it!