Blackberry-Blue Cornmeal Pancakes with Guajillo Honey Butter
Heirloom blue cornmeal, fresh local blackberries, pastured eggs, cultured butter, fresh buttermilk and wild guajillo honey with a pinch of chili powder..
Blackberry-Blue Cornmeal Pancakes with Guajillo Honey Butter
1 cup organic stone-ground blue cornmeal
1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup fresh blackberries or blueberries
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon chili powder (optional)
2 large pastured eggs
2 tablespoon cultured butter, melted plus 2 tablespoons cold
2 cups fresh buttermilk
1 teaspoon bacon drippings
2 tablespoons wild guajillo honey
Sift cornmeal, flour, baking soda, chili powder and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk and melted butter. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry, stirring just enough to combine. Gently fold in blackberries and allow mixture to stand 5 minutes.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon bacon drippings in a heavy griddle or comal set over medium heat. Drop batter by the quarter-cupful onto the hot pan and cook until the batter puffs up and bubbles appear along the edges, then flip and cook until golden brown. If making a large batch, pancakes may be kept in a low oven until ready to serve.
To serve, arrange pancakes on a plate and top with guajillo honey and semi-melted butter. Garnish with additional fresh berries and serve hot.
Guajillo Pods
“Guajillo honey looms large in the history, culture and economy of southwestern Texas, particularly in the development of Uvalde County, located about 165 miles southwest of the state capital, Austin. During the 1870’s when settlers were establishing farms and ranches in Uvalde County, they discovered caves and hollow trees full of bees and honey- a bee paradise. The land was nicknamed ‘brush country’ because of the cat claw, kinnikinnick, white brush and Guajillo bushes…” -Slow Food USA
Chappal Kebab with Fresh Green Chutney and Almond-Raisin Basmati
Freshly-ground pastured lamb with onions, garlic, chiles and toasted spices is sizzled in cardamom-scented ghee and served over almond-raisin basmati with a chutney of fresh mint, coriander, ginger and yogurt..
Chappal Kebab with Fresh Green Chutney and Almond-Raisin Basmati
For the Chutney (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)
2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Wash fresh mint and coriander (cilantro) leaves, pat dry and place in the bowl of a food processor along with the ginger, yogurt and lemon juice. Pulse until finely chopped, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
For the Rice
1 cup basmati rice
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons raisins, chopped
2 tablespoons raw almonds, blanched, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon dried rose hips (optional)
1 teaspoon good curry powder
Cook rice in stock in the normal manner, then add raisins, almonds, rose hips and curry. Stir to combine. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons pan juices from the following recipe just before serving.
Chappal Kebab
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted
6 cloves
1 tablespoon sweet cinnamon shards
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1/3 of a whole nutmeg
1 pound freshly-ground pastured lamb
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hot green chiles, minced
2 tablespoons ghee
6 green cardamom pods
1 sprig fresh curry leaves
1 fresh bay leaf
Grind the first 6 ingredients together in a coffee or spice grinder and set aside.
Loosely combine ground lamb together in a bowl with onions, garlic, chiles and ground spices. Divide mixture into 8 2oz pieces, using your hands to roll each into a not too-tightly packed ball, then set aside.
Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add cardamom pods, bay and curry leaves and sizzle 2 minutes. Add lamb and cook until cooked through and crispy-brown on the outside, about 15 minutes. Briefly set aside to drain, then strain some of the butter & pan juices into the rice.
To serve, spoon rice into the center of a serving dish and arrange lamb over the top. Dress with chilled green chutney and serve immediately.
Grilled Bison with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, Blue Cheese and Fresh Sage
Pastured American bison is salted and allowed to air-dry overnight, then rolled in cracked, tri-color peppercorns before being grilled over an open wood fire. Served over a bed of caramelized onions with crimini mushrooms, melted blue cheese and fresh sage..
Grilled Bison with Caramelized Onions, Mushrooms, Blue Cheese & Fresh Sage
For the Steaks
American bison sirloin steak(s), cut 1 inch-thick
approx. 1 tablespoon coarse sea salt per 8oz steak
approx. 2 teaspoons freshly-cracked black, green and pink peppercorns per steak
peanut oil
Coat both sides of each steak with sea salt, wrap loosely in butchers’ paper and refrigerate. Remove steaks from refrigerator, then rub off any remaining salt (the surface should feel dry to the touch). Coat each steak with cracked pepper and allow to come to room temperature as you prepare the fire.
Once the flames have died down and the embers are glowing red, lightly oil the steaks then grill for about 5 minutes on the 1st side and 4 minutes on the 2nd side for medium rare. Remove steaks and allow to rest a full 5 minutes before serving on top of sauce.
For the Sauce (inspired by a recipe by Ree Drummond)
2 tablespoons pastured butter
1 tablespoon bacon drippings
1 small yellow onion, halved and sliced
1/2 cup fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh, heavy cream
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon fresh sage leaves (substitute 1 teaspoon rubbed sage)
Melt butter and bacon drippings in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add slices onions and stir to coat. Stirring only often enough to prevent burning, cook onions until deep golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add cream, Worcestershire and sage, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Khorma Pilau
Pastured chicken pieces are marinated in yogurt with lots of fresh ginger, garlic and ground coriander, then seared in ghee with yellow onions, green chiles, cardamom, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and mace before being slow-simmered in coconut cream thickened with ground almonds. Extremely flavorful, but not too spicy..
Khorma Pilau
1 whole chicken
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ghee or coconut oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1-2 green chiles
8 green cardamom pods
2 black cardamom pods
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sweet cinnamon shards
1 teaspoon turmeric
6 whole cloves
1 blade mace
1 sprig fresh curry leaf (optional)
1 cup unsweetened coconut cream
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Cut a fresh, pastured chicken into 8 pieces and remove skin. Place into a glass bowl and toss with yogurt, ginger, garlic and coriander. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then add onions, chiles, cardamom, cumin and curry leaf and sauté until onions are browned. Add chicken with its marinade, cinnamon, turmeric, coconut cream and water and stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer until chicken is just tender, about 30 minutes. Stir in ground almonds and cook 10 minutes more. Adjust seasoning with sea salt freshly-ground black pepper.
Serve over basmati rice pilaf and garnish with chopped cilantro.
Pan-Seared Elk Medallions with Herb-Infused, Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace
The elk is one of the largest species of deer in the world and one of the largest mammals in North America. Ranging in forest and forest-edge habitat, elk are ruminants, feeding on grasses, bark, forbs and tree sprouts. High in protein and low in fat, this animal was wild-harvested deep in the Texas hill country..
Pan-Seared Elk Medallions with Herb-Infused, Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace
Allow one 5-7oz portion per person, depending on accompaniments
Medallions of wild elk loin, cut about 1 inch-thick
coarse sea salt
freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon of tallow
Season elk medallions on all sides with salt and pepper, wrap loosely in butchers’ paper and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
Remove from refrigerator, blot dry and allow to stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Pan-sear with a little tallow or grill over a wood fire until just medium-rare, then allow to rest 10 minutes before serving over chipotle demi-glace.
Crushed Chipotle Demi-Glace, Home Version (adapted from Saveur)
1/4 lb. uncured bacon, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sprouted wheat, spelt or rye flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts beef or game stock, divided
1/4 cup good sherry (not cooking wine)
10 sprigs fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 leaves fresh sage
2 chiles chipotle en adobo, crushed
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Render bacon in a large, heavy skillet over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Add onions and carrots and cook until somewhat softened, about 8 minutes. Use a sifter to sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook another 10 minutes. Add sherry, herbs and 8 cups of stock and simmer uncovered until reduced in volume by three-quarters, about 2-1/2 to 3 hours.
Strain sauce, discarding solids. Return to pan with chiles chipotle en adobo and remaining stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours. Demi-glace may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!
