French Onion Soup with Parmigiano-Reggiano-Crusted Sourdough Croutons
Yellow onions and leeks are mandoline-sliced and browned in a little butter with fresh thyme, bay and cracked allspice, then simmered in equal parts homemade chicken and beef bone broth, a little raw cider vinegar, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Served with Parmigiano-Reggiano-crusted sourdough croutons..
French Onion Soup with Parmigiano-Reggiano-Crusted Sourdough Croutons
3 medium yellow onions, peeled and quartered
1 medium leek, trimmed and rinsed free of dirt and sand
1-1/2 tablespoons cultured/pastured butter
1 teaspoon freshly-cracked allspice
2 small bay leaves
1 small bunch fresh thyme, stripped
3 cups homemade beef stock or broth
3 cups homemade chicken stock or broth
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 slices sourdough boule, torn into 1-inch pieces
1-1/2 tablespoons cultured/pastured butter
2 tablespoons shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano
Combine beef and chicken broth in a heavy pot and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium and allow to simmer until reduced in volume by about 25%. Add vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low and keep hot.
Meanwhile, slice onions and leeks to about 1/8-inch thickness (a mandoline makes this easy) and add to a hot, dry skillet. Stir often until onions begin to brown, then add butter, bay, allspice and thyme and continue to cook until onions are well browned, about 10-15 minutes.
Pour onion mixture into reduced stock and stir to combine. Allow to simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, saute torn sourdough in butter until golden brown on all sides. Sprinkle croutons with Parmigiano-Reggiano and allow to melt and get a little crisp. Remove from heat.
Ladle hot soup into bowls, dress with croutons and serve immediately.
BBQ Pork Pizza on a Crisp Cornmeal Crust with Anaheim Peppers and Crumbled Tajo
Tangy mesquite BBQ sauce and well-marbled pieces of tender, pastured pork on a crunchy corn crust with onions, thinly sliced Anaheim peppers, crumbled Tajo and fresh cilantro. A little bit Tex-Mex, a little bit San Francisco..
BBQ Pork Pizza on a Crisp Cornmeal Crust with Anaheim Peppers and Crumbled Tajo
Cotija comes in two primary versions. El Queso Cotija de Montaña or “grain cheese” is dry and firm, with little taste beyond salt (the cheese is usually several times saltier than typical cheese, traditionally for preservative reasons). “Tajo Cheese” is a moister, fattier, and less salty version of the cheese that holds its shape when cut, with a flavor similar to Italian Parmesan and Greek Feta.
El Queso Cotija de Montaña is a seasonal cheese and is of limited production. Cotija cheese is produced only during the months of July through October because the cows are fed only on the rich grass that grows naturally on the mountains during the raining season, giving the cheese its unique color and flavor. Queso Cotija is an artisan cheese made by hand, thus every cheese has something unique. This cheese usually comes in 17 kilogram cylinders with a creamy color crust; it is a queso de montaña because the cheese makers live in the mountains as high as 1,700 meters (5,500 ft). -Wikipedia
CSA Pizza
Local pork sausage tossed with red pepper flakes & wild boar seasoning, just-milled grape tomatoes with heirloom garlic, fresh oregano and balsamic vinegar, roasted gypsy peppers, green onions, olive oil, Asiago & Manchego cheese, torn arugula and a crisp, thin wheat crust..
Killer Pizza (Austin CSA Edition)
Roast tomatoes and gypsy peppers in a 500 degree oven until charred. Set both aside until cool enough to handle.
Slips the skins from the peppers and remove the stems and seed clusters. Coarsely chop the flesh and set aside.
Pass 3/4 of the tomatoes through a food mill and place into a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium low heat. Add garlic, balsamic and the rest of the tomatoes and cook until thick, about 25 minutes. Add fresh oregano about 5 minutes before the pan comes off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
Fry coarsely-ground fresh pork in a hot skillet. Season with wild boar spices and cook until well browned. Add green onions, toss and set aside.
Drizzle pizza crust with olive oil and place on a pre-heated pizza stone and bake 4 minutes at 500 degrees. Return stone to oven and set the crust aside.
Working from the center out, spread tomato sauce around the partially-baked crust. Scatter cooked sausage and green onions over the top. Follow with roasted peppers and cheese and finish with arugula tossed with a little olive oil.
Sprinkle a little more boar seasoning over the top if desired, then slide pizza onto the stone and bake at 500 degrees until the cheese is bubbly and the crust is crisp, about 7 minutes. Cut and serve immediately.
Ingredients from
Ground pork (Richardson Farms)
Grape tomatoes (CSA)
Heirloom garlic (JBG)
Fresh oregano (my garden)
Balsamic vinegar (Texas Olive Ranch)
Gypsy peppers (CSA)
Arugula (Montesino Ranch)
Green Onions (Acadian Family Farm)
Cheese (Antonelli’s Cheese Shop)
Pizza crust (Pie Fixes Everything)
Greenling Organic Delivery
Farmhouse Delivery
Braised Beef Short Ribs with Garlic Smashed Reds and Mushroom Demi
Pastured beef short ribs are seared until well browned, then braised in burgundy with celery, onions, carrots, garlic, green peppercorns, fresh thyme and rosemary. Once tender, the ribs are allowed to stand until firm, then seared a second time with fresh crimini mushrooms.
Meanwhile, the braising liquid is furiously reduced, strained and finished with cold butter and demi-glace. Served atop smashed red potatoes flecked with roasted garlic and minced chives..
Braised Beef Short Ribs with Garlic Smashed Reds and Mushroom Demi
Quick Demi-Glace, Home Version (adapted from Saveur Magazine)
1/4 lb. uncured bacon, finely chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2-1/2 quarts homemade beef stock, divided
1/4 cup good red wine (not cooking wine)
10 sprigs fresh parsley
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 leaves fresh sage
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 wine, 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 remaining stock and simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours. Demi-glace may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to three months.
Related Articles
- On the table: Menu for One. Six One & The Bar 10 Doors (timeoutny.com)
- Pleasure in comfort food (sfgate.com)
Chicken-fried Venison with Cream Gravy, Sage and Bacon
A twist on the chicken-fried steak familiar throughout the South (likely first introduced to Texas as Schnitzel by German immigrants in the 1800′s) , this decidedly delicious comfort food favors lean, wild venison over cube steak and adds dried herbs, fresh sage and bacon. The result is surprisingly light, crispy and deeply flavorful..
Chicken-fried Venison with Cream Gravy, Sage and Bacon
Serves 2
8-10 ounces wild venison backstrap (boneless loin, similar in texture to filet mignon but much more flavorful)
2-3 strips bacon
1/4 cup (loose) fresh sage leaves
beef tallow (flavor neutral) for frying
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons organic, whole wheat flour, divided (sprouted flour preferred)
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon dried grilling spices (thyme, rosemary, garlic, etc.), crushed
1 pastured egg
1/3 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons pastured butter
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1/4 cup homemade chicken stock
1/2 cup fresh cream
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cut the backstrap into equal portions of about 4-5 ounces each. Place between pieces of plastic wrap and use a meat mallet to pound evenly into 1/4 inch thick slices. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and allow to stand 10 minutes on an absorbent surface.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the foam subsides, whisk in 2 tablespoons of flour and stir continuously until a thick paste is formed and the flour has lost its “raw” taste, about 5 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock and buttermilk and bring to a boil then immediately lower to a simmer. Whisk in cream and allow to simmer 10 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
Combine 1/2 cup flour, paprika and dry spices in a bowl or on a plate large enough to hold the pounded venison. Crack the egg into another bowl and whisk with 1/3 cup milk.
Dredge the venison in flour, shake of the excess then dip into the egg wash. Hold over the bowl to drain for a moment, then dredge in the flour a second time. Transfer the breaded venison to a plate and allow to stand 10 minutes.
Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet until crisp then add the sage leaves and fry about 1 minute. Transfer bacon and sage to the side to drain for a moment, then chop coarsely and keep warm.
Add enough tallow to the pan so the the melted volume is about 1/4 inch thick and heat to about 350 degrees. Carefully lay the breaded venison in the pan and shallow fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side. Transfer to the side to drain for a moment, then position on a dinner plate. Spoon gravy over the top, dress with bacon and sage and serve immediately.
The primary diet of axis deer is grass, and they will graze on new weeds and forbs. When grass is not in sufficient quantity, they may browse. Axis graze successfully on native Texas grasses such as curly-mesquite, Indian-grass, side oats grama, big and little bluestem. They do well on improved grasses, such as Klein. Seasonally, they do well on winter wheat. Browse species include live oak and hackberry. Mast includes acorns and mushrooms.
This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!
Related Articles
- Wild Boar and Venison Chili (foodrenegade.com)
Chicken Adobado Pizza
Farm-fresh chicken pieces are marinated overnight in a mixture of ancho chiles, garlic, cumin, cloves and Mexican oregano, then slow-roasted, cooled and torn into chunks. The pan juices are reduced with chopped fresh tomatoes until thick, then spread over a rustic cornmeal crust and topped with the chicken, yellow onions, fresh green chiles and queso anejo..
Chicken Adobado Pizza
For the Chicken and Sauce (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)
2-3 joints of chicken
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon piloncillo
3 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded and torn
2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
sea salt
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1-2 fresh Anaheim chiles, sliced
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, toast the chiles for a few seconds per side, then transfer to a bowl. Don’t let the chiles burn or they will be very bitter. Add 1 cup hot water to the bowl, cover and let stand 20 minutes to rehydrate the chiles.
Place the garlic, oregano, pepper, cumin, cloves, paprika, piloncillo, salt and vinegar into a food processor along with the chiles and and its soaking water. Process into a smooth, thin sauce.
Place the chicken in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight, turning once.
Drain the chicken, reserving 1/4 cup of marinade. Roast in a heavy skillet in a 300 degree oven until just done, then set aside to cool, taking care to collect the juices.
Pour the reserved marinade and collected juices into a clean pan set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and cook until disintegrated, about 10 minutes. Add onions and Anaheim chiles, reduce heat and simmer until thick, about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust for seasoning and set aside to cool.
For the Crust [makes 2 7-inch crusts] (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/3 cups warm water
3/4 cups sprouted wheat flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup organic, stone-ground cornmeal, plus more for skillet
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl
In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.
Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the yeast mixture and oil. Slowly stir ingredients with a wooden spoon just until dough starts to come together. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.
Divide dough into two balls. Place balls in a shallow oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.
Stretch dough into 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a skillet, pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Place dough rounds on top, and cook in a 400 degree oven until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
For the Pizza
1 cornmeal crust
1 cup roasted chicken, torn into chunks
1/2 cup thickened adobado with peppers and onions
1/4 cup Anejo cheese, shredded
chopped cilantro
Toss the chicken and adobado together, then spread over the top of the cornmeal crust. Top with cheese and bake at 500 degrees until crisp and bubbly, about 8 minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro, cut into wedges and serve immediately.
