The Red Wattle Paradox: The Commodity Cycle of Survival

May 2, 2026 / Ren

Originally brought to the United States in the late 1700s, the Red Wattle hog initially adapted well to the land. However, it fell out of favor as westward-moving settlers demanded breeds with higher fat content to produce lard and soap.

The rejected breed was left to roam the forests of eastern Texas, where it was hunted to near extinction. The Red Wattle’s survival was ultimately secured when breeders like H.C. Wengler and Robert Prentice discovered wild herds and began breeding them.

Today, the breed’s survival is supported by a renewed market demand for its lean, beef-like meat and its hardiness in pasture-based farming, earning it a place on the Slow Food USA Ark of Taste

Best Dang Smokerless Smoked Brisket Ever

December 31, 2016 / Ren

Best Dang Smokerless Smoked Brisket Ever

Brisket is a pitmaster’s mainstay. But let’s face it, even at the best places, it’s often the least interesting option on the menu—dry, bland, blah. Tired of the ho-hum stuff (and never willing to shy away from a challenge), our kitchen crew set out to make a better brisket, with juicy, smoky meat and a sticky, satisfying bark. Just to up the ante, they decided to develop it without the aid of a smoker, instead testing recipes indoors and using liquid smoke and nitrites to evoke a smoky flavor and signature pink ring at the edge of the meat—both hallmarks of first-rate ’cue.

This recipe calls for one of our favorite secret ingredients, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, a gluten-free, non-GMO certified soy sauce alternative..

Liquid Aminos 16 oz. 16 Ounces

The upshot for you, hungry meat fiends: the best dang barbecue brisket you’ll ever make. What’s more, you can make it in the climate-controlled comfort of your own kitchen. You don’t need a smoker, and you don’t need a lot of space. Heck, you don’t even have to have any prior barbecuing experience to make this thing happen. What you do need: a few easy-to-find ingredients and a big ol’ hunk of meat. Grab some carnivorous buddies—you’re gonna want to show this one off.

Get the recipe at chefsteps.com

https://www.chefsteps.com/activities/smokerless-smoked-brisket

A Tale of Two Chickens

April 26, 2016 / Ren

When did chicken, pound for pound, become cheaper than bread? Find out by watching the story of two chickens, one raised on a FACTORY FARM, the other PASTURE RAISED.

By illuminating the vocabulary of sustainable agriculture, and with it, the conversation about America’s rapidly evolving food culture, the Lexicon project will educate, engage and activate people to pay closer attention to how they eat, what they buy, and where their responsibility begins for creating a healthier, safer food system in America. Learn more at https://www.lexiconoffood.com/

Why Whole Foods Wants A Slower-Growing Chicken

April 11, 2016 / Ren

Whole Foods recently announced that it wants all of its suppliers, even those raising large numbers of broilers indoors, to shift over to slower-growing breeds of chickens.

The shift will take eight years. Whole Foods and the Global Animal Partnership, an organization that Whole Foods set up to create welfare standards for its suppliers, say that this will apply to 277 million birds annually. That represents about 3 percent of the country’s broilers.

The slow-growing bird “is a much better, healthier chicken, and at the same time it’s a much [more] flavorful chicken as well,” Weening says.

160 of the world’s 196 countries ban or restrict ractopamine. We’re not one of them.

November 7, 2014 / Ren

C18H23NO

The U.K., China, Russia, Taiwan, and the European Union ban or limit the use of ractopamine, a drug that promotes growth in pigs, cattle, and turkeys. Ractopamine is linked with serious health and behavioral problems in animals, and human studies are limited but evoke concerns, according to the Center for Food Safety.

The U.S. meat industry uses ractopamine to accelerate weight gain and promote feed efficiency and leanness in pigs, cattle, and turkeys. The drug mimics stress hormones.

So how did this drug wind up in our food supply?

Archibald’s

March 24, 2014 / Ren

I’ve been in the barbecue business all my life. This is just a small little place. I just build a fire and keep the fire low and cook it slow. ~ George Archibald, Jr.

The Fat Drug

March 9, 2014 / Ren

By PAGAN KENNEDY

If you walk into a farm-supply store today, you’re likely to find a bag of antibiotic powder that claims to boost the growth of poultry and livestock. That’s because decades of agricultural research has shown that antibiotics seem to flip a switch in young animals’ bodies, helping them pack on pounds. Manufacturers brag about the miraculous effects of feeding antibiotics to chicks and nursing calves. Dusty agricultural journals attest to the ways in which the drugs can act like a kind of superfood to produce cheap meat.

But what if that meat is us? Recently, a group of medical investigators have begun to wonder whether antibiotics might cause the same growth promotion in humans. New evidence shows that America’s obesity epidemic may be connected to our high consumption of these drugs. But before we get to those findings, it’s helpful to start at the beginning…

Did Your Chicken Come From China? It’ll Soon Be Hard To Know

September 6, 2013 / Ren

Just before the start of the long holiday weekend last Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture quietly announced that it was ending a ban on processed chicken imports from China. The kicker: These products can now be sold in the U.S. without a country-of-origin label.

Can pork, beef and other industrial food products be far behind?

For starters, just four Chinese processing plants will be allowed to export cooked chicken products to the U.S., as first reported by Politico. The plants in question passed USDA inspection in March. Initially, these processors will only be allowed to export chicken products made from birds that were raised in the U.S. and Canada. Because of that, the poultry processors won’t be required to have a USDA inspector on site, as The New York Times notes, adding:

“And because the poultry will be processed, it will not require country-of-origin labeling. Nor will consumers eating chicken noodle soup from a can or chicken nuggets in a fast-food restaurant know if the chicken came from Chinese processing plants.”

That’s a pretty disturbing thought for anyone who’s followed the slew of stories regarding food safety failures in China in recent years..

Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Wild Porcini Demi-Glace

September 8, 2012 / Ren

Gorgeous, pastured lamb from Menzie’s Farm in the Hill Country outside of Austin is misted with Texas olive oil and seasoned with sea salt and cracked black pepper, then flashed in a 500 degree oven for 10 minutes.

The lamb is then packed with a persillade-like mixture of fresh bread crumbs, melted butter and garlic with a bouquet garni of both fresh and dried herbs including rosemary, thyme, savory, marjoram, sage and tarragon.

Next, the lamb is roasted at 400 degrees until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees (approximately 15-20 minutes), then removed from the oven and allowed to stand 15 minutes before being carved into double chops.

While the lamb rests, dried wild porcini mushrooms are soaked in just-boiled water enhanced with porcini powder, then strained into a pot containing brown stock and toasted shallots. The sauce is furiously reduced by a third and the mushrooms added and simmered for a couple of minutes before being finished with a spoonful of demi-glace and a knob of cold butter.

Served a perfect medium rare, this is one of my all-time favorite things to eat..

American lamb, especially those that are pastured and grass-fed, are generally milder/less gamey in flavor than those from New Zealand and Australia, with young lamb (less than 1 year old) being preferred for its tenderness.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Jalapeno Cheese Grits with Charred Onions and Smoked Sausage

August 31, 2012 / Ren

Organic, stone-ground grits with fresh jalapeños, charred onions and sharp cheddar, topped with a smoked sausage link and red enchilada sauce..

For the Grits

1/2 cup organic, stone-ground grits
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 medium jalapeños, optionally seeded, chopped
1-1/2 cups stock or filtered water
1/2 cup fresh, whole milk
1-1/2 cups sharp, raw cheddar, grated
1 tablespoon butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Dry-roast the onion and peppers in a cast iron skillet until partially charred, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Bring the stock or water to a low boil and slowly whisk in the grits. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring continuously until nearly done, about 20 minutes.

Add the butter and milk and stir to combine. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring continuously.

Remove from heat and add cheese. Stir until melted.

Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Chicken Canzanese, Toasted Fennel/Shallot Brown Rice

May 20, 2012 / Ren

Originally a peasant dish (perhaps of stewing hen or rooster) from the Abruzzo region in Italy, Americans were likely first introduced to this classic in a 1969 article from the New York Times.

My riff on America’s Test Kitchen’s modern adaptation (see video below) uses locally pastured chicken thighs, prosciutto, garlic, fresh herbs, chicken stock and white wine, all served over fennel-scented brown rice with toasted shallots and flat-leaf parsley..

Pollo Canzanese (serves 2-4)

4 large skin-on, bone-in, pastured chicken breasts
2 ounces prosciutto, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2-3 cloves garlic, slivered (not minced)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 teaspoons sprouted wheat or spelt flour
1-1/4 cups dry white wine
3/4 cup homemade chicken stock
2 bay leaves (fresh preferred)
2 sprigs rosemary, stripped, leaves chopped (reserve the stems)
8 leaves fresh sage
3 whole cloves
juice of 1/2 fresh lemon
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon cultured butter, cold
freshly-cracked black pepper

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Refrigerate, uncovered 4 hours or overnight to help ensure a crispy skin when cooked.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add prosciutto and sauté until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the prosciutto and garlic to a side dish.

Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering, season the chicken with pepper and place in the hot oil skin-side down. Allow the chicken to cook without moving until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Turn the chicken over cook another 5 minutes, again without moving. Transfer the chicken to a side dish.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of olive oil/fat, reserving the remainder for the rice.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan and whisk continuously to form a light roux, about 1 minute.

De-glaze the pan with the wine, taking care to scrape up all the brown bits (the fond) from the bottom.

Add the cooked prosciutto and garlic back into the pan along with the bay leaves, sage, cloves, rosemary stems (without leaves) and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.

Add the chicken to the pan, making sure that the volume of liquid is sufficient to rise to a point just below the crisp chicken skin. Pour a little liquid off if there’s too much, or add a little stock if there isn’t enough.

Place the uncovered pan into a 325 degree oven and cook until the chicken is fork tender, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice..

1 cup germinated brown rice, rinsed
2-1/4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon reserved oil/fat
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, cracked
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley

Toast the fennel in a heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the reserved oil/fat and shallots and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add the rice and stir to coat.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until done, about 45 minutes.

To Finish and Serve

Remove the pan with the chicken from the oven. Transfer the chicken to a platter and cover with foil.

Working quickly, put the chicken pan on the burner over medium-high heat. Pick out and discard the cloves, sage, bay and rosemary stems.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, chopped rosemary leaves, parsley and butter and whisk until smooth.

Line a platter with the rice and ladle the sauce over the rice. Place the cooked chicken on top of the rice, drizzle with a little of the sauce and serve piping hot.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Here’s that video..

Proper Beef Stock

May 14, 2012 / Ren

“…if there’s one preparation that separates a great home cook’s from a good home cook’s food, it’s stock. Stock is the ingredient that most distinguishes restaurant cooking from home cooking.” -Michael Ruhlman

Here, then, is a proper yet relatively easy way to make a rich and delicious beef stock at home..

Beef Stock (makes about 1 quart) (informed by recipes by Ruhlman and Darina Allen)

6 cups (more-or-less) cold, filtered water, divided
2 pounds meaty beef bones (shin bones with meat attached are ideal) from a clean, non-industrial source
1/3 pound unpeeled yellow onions, roughly chopped
1/3 pound carrots, roughly chopped
1/3 pound celery, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 large fresh, ripe tomato, cut into wedges
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2-3 whole cloves
1 bouquet garni of parsley stalks & leaves, fresh bay leaves and fresh thyme

Arrange the beef bones on a roasting pan or in a large cast iron skillet, allowing plenty of space between each (as you can see, I wasn’t able to find any bones with meat attached, so I rummaged around in the freezer and found an old tri-tip to add to the pan). Place the pan in a 400 degree oven and roast until nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Take care not to let the bones burn, or the stock will be bitter.

Remove the pan from the oven and scatter the chopped vegetables, garlic and peppercorns over and around the bones. Return the pan to the oven and roast until the vegetables are browned around the edges, about 20 minutes.

Transfer the roasted bones, vegetables, garlic and peppercorns to a clean stockpot or Dutch oven.

Pour the grease off from the roasting pan and deglaze with 1 cup of the water. Bring the water to a boil, then use a wood utensil to scrape up the fond (the brown bits) from the bottom of the pan. Pour the liquid over the bones and vegetables in the stock pot.

Add enough of the remaining water to cover the bones, then add the cloves and bouquet garni.

Bring the pot to a rapid boil, then lower the heat to a bare simmer. Skim and discard any foam that may be present on the surface.

Partially cover the pot and allow to simmer for 6-8 hours, skimming and adding water as necessary to keep the bone submerged.

Turn off the heat and allow the stock to cool in the pot for 30 minutes. Strain the stock through a cheesecloth-lined fine mesh strainer to ensure a clear and clean-tasting stock.

Store stock in the refrigerator and use with 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 6 months.

Sautéed Veal Tips with Cremini, Cipolline and Port Wine Demi-Glace

April 18, 2012 / Ren

Pastured veal sautéed with fresh crimini mushrooms and cipollini onions, simmered in a reduction of port wine, bone broth, shallots and demi-glace, flavored with fresh English thyme and cracked black pepper..

Sauté quartered brown mushrooms and small cipolline onions (about 1/4 pound of each) in a tablespoon of clarified butter in a heavy skillet until amazing-looking, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer vegetables to a side dish.

Return skillet to temp, add a little more butter and quickly sear a pound 1-1/4-inch cubes until well browned on the edges, but still rare on the inside. Transfer to the side to keep company with the vegetables, leaving the skillet on the burner.

De-glaze the skillet with about 1/3 cup of a good quality port wine, scraping up all the fond (the brown bits on the bottom of the pan, i.e. the best part!) with a wooden utensil.

Add a cup and a half of good roasted bone stock, 1/2 tablespoon of minced shallots and a loose tablespoon of fresh thyme. Bring to a boil then lower to a fast simmer and cook until reduced in volume by half (patience shall reward).

Return the veal, mushroom and onions to the pan and add a tablespoon and a half of demi-glace. Simmer slowly, stirring constantly until the sauce is thick and the veal is just heated through (still a little pink on the inside), maybe 5 minutes.

Off the heat, whisk a tablespoon of cold, cultured butter into the sauce, taste for salt and pepper and serve hot with a favorite side (French beans or asparagus, perhaps).

Grilled Pork Porterhouse Adobada

April 11, 2012November 14, 2016 / Ren

Inch-and-1/2-thick pork porterhouse steaks (New York and filet attached) are seasoned with sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, then quickly seared over an open fire before being slathered in a rich red chile sauce flavored with toasted cumin, coriander and garlic, with coffee beans, guajillo honey, cloves and fresh lime juice. The chops are dressed with toasted corn, fresh avocado and slivered radishes..

For the Adobada

4 large dried New Mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 whole cloves
1 heaping tablespoon whole coffee beans
1-1/2 tablespoons fermented ketchup
2 teaspoons raw cider vinegar
1 tablespoon (more or less) guajillo honey
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
fine sea salt to taste

Toast chiles, cumin, coriander, garlic and coffee in a dry comal or heavy skillet over medium-low heat until the chiles are pliant and the coriander begins to pop, about 5 minutes.

Put the toasted chiles and cloves into a bowl and cover with boiling water. Allow to stand 20 minutes.

Transfer soaked chiles, cloves, cumin, coriander, garlic and coffee to the bowl of a food processor. Add the ketchup, vinegar, honey and lime juice and process until thoroughly combined.

With the blade of the food processor spinning, slowly pour in enough of the chile soaking water until the sauce is thinned enough to barely coat the back of a spoon.

Season the sauce to taste with sea salt and if necessary, adjust the bitterness with just a little more honey.

Hold for service.

To assemble, season pork chops with salt and pepper and allow to stand at room temperature while you prepare your grill in the usual fashion (I like to use charcoal and soaked mesquite wood chunks).

Once the grill is seriously hot, place the chops on the lightly-oiled grate and sear 3-4 minutes without moving (to get great grill marks and to help prevent sticking). Turn the chops over and grill another 3-4 minutes, again without moving.

Move the chops to the cooler side of the grill and baste heavily with adobada sauce. Cover the grill and roast chops for 10 minutes. Turn the chops over, baste and cover for another 5 minutes.

Transfer chops to a serving platter and dress with toasted corn, avocado, slivered radishes and a spoonful of adobada sauce.

Coconut-Crusted Chicken with Ginger, Mango Gastrique

March 17, 2012 / Ren

{EAV:0fd3be66cd5b29cd}

Locally-pastured chicken breast halves (off-the-bone, skin removed) are marinated overnight in a mixture of mango juice, fresh ginger, sea salt & cracked black pepper, then dredged in coconut flour, dipped in egg wash and breaded with toasted panko. While the chicken is baking (about 30 minutes at 350 degrees), a gastrique of fresh mango, cultured butter, chicken stock and champagne vinegar is reduced and blended for the accompanying sauce. The finished plate is dressed with toasted coconut and slivered scallions..

Chili Verde

February 25, 2012 / Ren

Locally pastured pork butt and chopped yellow onions are browned in a bit of pure leaf lard, then slowly simmered for hours in a base of homemade chicken stock with roasted tomatillos, jalapeños, poblanos and garlic. Seasoned with toasted cumin & coriander, Mexican oregano, sea salt and cracked black pepper..

Chili Verde may be served with any number of toppings or accompaniments; grated cheese, diced onions, and sour cream are common toppings, as are broken saltine crackers, corn chips, cornbread or rolled-up corn or flour tortillas, though I often just serve it as-is alongside of pot of Frijoles charros.

Roasted Poblanos Stuffed w/ Pulled Pork Chili Verde (sevimel.blogspot.com)
Recipe for Chili Verde (simplyrecipes.com)

Oyster and Andouille Gumbo

February 21, 2012 / Ren

While “there are as many gumbo recipes as there are cooks”, one of my favorite preparations includes freshly-shucked gulf oysters and hand-made andouille sausage from LaPlace, Louisiana along with the usual suspects of chocolate-brown roux cooked down with onions, garlic, green pepper and celery. There’s some fresh okra and tomato in there, with plenty of cayenne, fresh thyme and oregano as well.

I like to use sprouted brown rice instead of the traditional white rice, adding in the salty-sea liquor from the oysters in place of some of the water..

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Choux de Bruxelles Gratiné

February 2, 2012 / Ren

Tender baby Brussels sprouts get the royal treatment.. pan-roasted in bacon fat with onions and lightly drizzled with champagne vinegar, then bathed in seasoned Béchamel and topped with shredded Cantal entre deux, hickory-smoked bacon and fresh breadcrumbs with parsley..

For the Béchamel

2-1/2 cups fresh, whole milk
2 ounces cold roux blanc (recipe follows)
a pinch of freshly-grated nutmeg
fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat the milk in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan until simmering, then whisk in bits of roux one at a time, incorporating each one before adding the next. This will help to ensure that the sauce is creamy and without lumps. Add the nutmeg and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

For the Roux Blanc

3 ounces organic flour (can use soaked or sprouted flour if desired)
2 ounces clarified butter or ghee

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan over medium heat then whisk in the flour. Continue whisking and cooking until past the raw flour taste and completely smooth in texture, maybe 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

For the Brussels Sprouts

1 pound baby Brussels sprouts
6 thick slices uncured, hickory-smoked bacon
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
1/2 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

Rinse the Brussels sprouts in cold water, then peel off the outermost layer of leaves and trim off the stem. Split the larger sprouts in half lengthwise, leaving the smallest ones whole.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a skillet until well-browned and crisp, then transfer to the side to drain and pour of all but about 1 tablespoon of the the fat.

Add the Brussels sprouts and butter to the pan and cook until the cut edges begin to brown. Add the onion and continue to cook, stirring often until the onions are brown and the Brussels sprout are crisp/tender, maybe 8 minute. Remove from heat, add vinegar and toss to coat.

Use a slotted spoon the transfer the cooked vegetables to a casserole dish and pour the béchamel over the top.

Add a layer of shredded Cantal, then arrange bacon pieces over the top.

Add a light layer of fresh breadcrumbs and chopped parsley.

Place casserole in a 375 degree oven and cook until brown and bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Brussels Sprouts – Plant, Grow, Eat – It’s Just That Simple – Read and smile (survivalfarm.wordpress.com)

Glazed Chicken Shichimi, Black Rice Noodles

January 17, 2012 / Ren

Locally pastured chicken breasts are skinned and boned, then dusted in rice flour and quickly shallow-fried in peanut oil until golden in color. The chicken is then placed in a hot oven for about 15 minutes, basted twice with a mixture of wild honey, fermented tamari, Shichimi tōgarashi and a pinch of sea salt. The finished chicken is served over organic black rice noodles and topped with chopped peanuts. The whole dish is gluten-free..

“Dating at least to the 17th century, Shichimi tōgarashi (Japanese: 七味唐辛子, “seven flavor chili pepper”) is a common Japanese spice mixture containing seven ingredients:

coarsely ground red chili pepper (the main ingredient)
ground sansho (Sichuan pepper)
roasted orange peel
black sesame seed
white sesame seed
hemp seed
ground ginger
nori or aonori

Some recipes may substitute or supplement these with poppy seed, yuzu peel, rape seed or shiso.

Shichimi should be distinguished from ichimi togarashi (一味唐辛子), which is simply ground red chili pepper, and means literally “one flavor chili pepper” (ichi meaning “one”).” –Wikipedia

Peppercorn-Crusted Veal Rib-eye w/Brandied Chanterelle Demi-Glace

January 4, 2012 / Ren

Pastured veal rib-eye steaks are dry-marinated with sea salt, garlic and herbs, then lightly coated with freshly-cracked black pepper and seared in a very hot, dry cast iron pan. The streaks are finished in a 500 degree oven and served with fresh herbs and a rich, brandied demi-glace with chanterelle mushrooms..

French-Style Veal and Mushroom Stew (ediblearia.com)

Andouille, Crab and Oyster Gumbo

December 24, 2011 / Ren

Chocolate-colored roux, the Cajun/Creole “holy trinity” of red bell pepper, celery and roux, homemade shrimp stock, pecan wood-smoked Andouille, fresh crab and oysters..

For the Gumbo (from a recipe by Andrew Zimmern, with slight modifications)

1/2 cup organic, all-purpose flour
4 ounces pastured butter
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 fresh bay leaf
5 cups homemade shrimp stock (substitute chicken stock)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 jalapeno, minced
1/2 pound fresh okra, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1 pound andouille sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
3 cups bottled clam juice
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over
2 dozen shucked oysters and their liquor
3 tablespoons organic Worcestershire sauce
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons filé powder (divided)
3 large celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch dice
sea salt and black pepper
parsley, chopped for garnish
green onions, sliced for garnish

In a large pot, stir the flour and butter until smooth. Cook over moderate heat, stirring every 45 seconds, until the roux turns a rich brown color, about 20 minutes.

Add the Andouille, celery, onion, red pepper, jalapeno, garlic, okra, thyme, bay leaf and half of the filé powder and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.

Add the stock, clam juice, Worcestershire and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Stir in the remaining filé powder and add the crab, oysters and their liquor. Season with salt and pepper and simmer gently for 1 minute to just cook the oysters. Serve the gumbo with rice or bread.

Not the same recipe, but who doesn’t miss Justin Wilson?

Thunder Heart Bison Chili

December 14, 2011 / Ren

Free-range, pastured American bison, onions, garlic, chilies, homemade stock and a selection of herbs and spices simmered on the back burner for hours..

For the All-Important Stock

2 pounds meaty, cross-cut oxtail
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup onions, chopped
2/3 cup celery, chopped
2/3 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup Madeira
8 cups cold, filtered water
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1/2 tablespoon peppercorns
1-1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme

Scatter the chopped vegetables in a cast iron skillet. Place the oxtail sections over the vegetables and top each with a spoonful of tomato paste, then place the skillet in a 350 degree oven and roast until the meat is brown, the tomato paste has caramelized and the fat has rendered, about 75 minutes.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and vegetables to a heavy-bottomed stock pot, leaving the fat behind. Pour in the wine and enough cold water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and skim off any foam. Add the garlic, peppercorns and thyme and slowly simmer until reduced in volume by half, about 6 hours.

Strain the stock through a fine mesh strainer and store in clean glass jars for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 1 year.

For the Chili

1 pound bison stew meat
1-1/2 cups onions, chopped
2 tablespoons beef tallow
1 teaspoon cracked cumin seeds
2 teaspoons cracked coriander seeds
1 quart brown stock, divided (from recipe above)
1 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup New Mexico chili powder
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 tablespoon granulated piloncillo (optional; use if the chili powder tastes bitter)
1/2 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon dried lemon peel, crushed (cuts through the fat and brightens the dish)

Melt the tallow in a Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the meat without crowding (you may need to do this in batches) and brown on all sides. Add the onions, cumin and coriander and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add 2 cups stock, tomatoes, paprika, chili powders and oregano and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the bison is tender, about 1-1/2 hours. Add remaining stock a little at a time as the chili reduces and thickens.

Add the piloncillo, cocoa and lemon peel, stir and simmer 20 minutes.

Ladle finished chili into bowls, top with Queso Manchego and chopped cilantro and serve immediately.

Help make a difference! Please pledge to use only Animal Welfare Approved products in your recipes this winter.

Primal Chili by Diabetes Warrior (indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com)

French-Style Veal and Mushroom Stew

December 12, 2011November 15, 2016 / Ren

Quite similar to the French classic Blanquette de veau à l’ancienne popularized in America by Julia Child, this preparation features ethically-raised, pastured veal, brown mushrooms, garlic, onions, demi-glace, Madeira wine, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Serve over smashed potatoes or egg noodles..

“Veal usually comes from the male dairy calf or Bob calves, mostly of the Holstein breed. The meat is delicate in flavor, firm, fine grained and of a light pink color. A good Ossobucco con Polenta, made of veal shank, and accompanied by a glass of robust Sangiovese wine, can be the perfect meal for a cold winter evening.

Organic and industrial farming methods of raising the calves differ:

In factory farms, calves are raised indoors in small individual pens and fed intensively and exclusively on milk substitutes with plenty of antibiotics added in for good measure. Herbaceous food is excluded from their diets, resulting in iron deficiency which produces the “desirable” almost white meat of most supermarket veal.

Organically raised calves are fed with their mothers’ milk; fresh, whole and still warm from the cow. After the calves are two weeks old they are kept outdoors (weather permitting), untethered and in small groups of 4-8 where they have adequate space for exercise and social contact with other calves.

Calves will want to pasture when outdoors, which is only natural as grass provides iron and vitamins which they need to grow healthy.

The meat of pastured veal will not be as white as ordinary veal, but that’s a small price to pay for supporting farms that raise healthy and happy calves. ” –LocalHarvest

British veal is back on the menu (telegraph.co.uk)
Recipe: Veal Shank With Shallots and Chanterelles – Recipe (nytimes.com)

Grilled Red Wattle with Apples, Onions and Sage

December 11, 2011 / Ren

Thick-cut, locally pastured Red Wattle pork chops are marinated overnight in fresh apple juice, garlic, sage, sea salt and black pepper, then grilled over an open wood fire to medium doneness. The tender, moist chops are served with a glaze of caramelized onions and apples with a side of roasted baby Brussels sprouts with croûtons..

“The Red Wattle hog is a large, red hog with a fleshy, decorative, wattle attached to each side of its neck that has no known function. The origin and history of the Red Wattle breed is considered scientifically obscure, though many different ancestral stories are known. One theory is that the French colonists brought the Red Wattle Hogs to the United States from New Caledonia Island off the coast of Australia in the late 1700’s. As they adapted well to the land, the Red Wattle quickly became a popular breed in the US.

Unfortunately, as settlers moved west, the breed began to fall out of favor because settlers came into contact with breeds that boasted a higher fat content, which was important for lard and soap. Red Wattles were left to roam the hills of eastern Texas, where they were hunted to near extinction, until Mr. H.C. Wengler came across a herd in the dense forest and began breeding them into what they are today. Five year later, in a similar incident, Robert Prentice located another herd of Red Wattle hogs, which became known as the Timberline herd, after its wooded origins in eastern Texas…

Red Wattle pork is exceptionally lean and juicy with a rich beef-like taste and texture.” –Slow Food USA

Pork with apple and sage (shewolfinthevalley.wordpress.com)

For The Love of Pizza

December 9, 2011 / Ren

Homemade pizza, that is. Roasted fresh red peppers, tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil and heirloom garlic, thinly-sliced Soppressata di Puglia, fresh mozzarella and Texas-grown Albahaca basil, all on a thin, crisp cornmeal crust. Sea salt and cracked black pepper..

Southwestern Pork and Pozole

December 3, 2011November 15, 2016 / Ren

Similar to the traditional Pozole Rojo, this thick stew features leftover roast pork shoulder that has been cubed and simmered in stock with heirloom pozole, toasted cumin, cracked coriander, canella and Mexican oregano, with roasted tomatoes, onions, garlic and fresh chilies. Topped with crispy fried corn tortilla strips..

1 pound (more or less) leftover roast pork (including some fat), cut into 3/4-inch cubes
4 cups homemade smoked pork/chicken stock
1-1/2 cups fresh yellow pozole (hominy)
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, toasted and cracked
1 teaspoon whole cumin seed, toasted and cracked
1 2-inch piece canella
1 large Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
2 large fresh tomatoes, cored and wedged
3-4 large, fresh Anaheim peppers
1/2 head of garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon finely-minced lemon peel
1/4 cup New Mexico chile powder
2 teaspoons granulated piloncillo
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat stock to a low boil, then add cubed pork, cumin, canella and coriander and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, roast tomatoes, onions, peppers and garlic in a 500 degree oven soft and charred. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then squeeze out the garlic, chop the vegetables and add to the simmering pork along with the cooked pozole, dry spices (except s&p) and tomato paste.

Partially cover and simmer until the pork is very tender and the pozole has just begun to break apart, about 30 minutes.

Add cilantro, stir and simmer another 5 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then ladle into clay bowls and serve hot with fried tortilla strips.

Old Fashioned Split Pea Soup

December 2, 2011 / Ren

Split green and yellow peas simmered in vegetable stock with smoked pork neck bones, garden carrots, onions, celery and green beans, fresh bay leaves, thyme, sea salt and black pepper. Served with homemade croûtons and a dollop of crème fraîche..

For the Crème Fraîche

6 oz fresh heavy cream
2 oz cultured buttermilk

Gently heat heavy cream to 105 degrees (use a thermometer), then remove from heat and stir in buttermilk. Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a napkin and allow to stand at room temperature until thick, about 24-36 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator and age for 24 hours. Use within 7-10 days.

For the Vegetable Stock (recipe adapted from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat. Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

For the Soup

1 cup split green peas
1 cup split yellow peas
2 quarts homemade vegetable stock
1/2 pound smoked pork neck bones, meat attached
1-1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1-1/2 cups celery with leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh green beans, coarsely chopped
1 cup carrots, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3 fresh bay leaves
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed lemon juice
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Bring vegetable stock to a boil, add pork neck bones and bay, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour, skimming occasionally. Remove pork bones and allow to cool enough to handle. Add peas and thyme to the stock and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pull the meat from the pork bones, dice and add to the pot.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan set over medium heat. Add carrots and cook until almost soft, about 5 minutes. Add celery, onions, green beans and garlic, stir and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot, partially cover and simmer until the peas are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir lemon juice into soup to brighten, then season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Discard bay leaves. Serve soup piping hot with croûtons and crème fraîche.

Grilled Bavette, Mushroom Beurre Rouge

November 16, 2011 / Ren

Bavette d’aloyau (flap steak), cut from the bottom sirloin of grass-fed beef. Marinated for 2 days in olive oil, fresh garlic, rosemary and thyme, then quickly grilled over high heat to rare-medium rare. Rested, then thinly sliced across the grain and served with a reduction of dry red wine, red wine vinegar and shallots with knobs of cold, pastured butter whisked in to form an emulsion. Finished with Fleur de Sel and freshly-ground black pepper..

Wiener Schnitzel

November 12, 2011 / Ren

The classic Austrian dish, not the American fast food chain.

Free-raised Limousin veal leg pieces are uniformly pounded into to 1/4-inch-thick cutlets, seasoned and breaded in freshly-made bread crumbs before being gently fried in pure beef lard, drained and served hot with freshly-squeezed lemon, parsley and mustard potato salad. Totally old school, totally delicious..

4 4-oz veal cutlets
sea salt and black pepper
fresh lemon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
3 pastured eggs
4 thick slices fresh bread
1/4 cup fresh parsley
gluten-free multi-purpose flour for dredging
pure beef lard for frying

Trim veal of any remaining fat or sinew, then place between slices of wax paper and pound with a meat mallet until of uniform thickness between 3/8 and 1/2 inch. Pat dry and season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper (add a pinch of granulated garlic if you like) and let stand.

Lightly toast the bread, trim the off crust and add to the bowl of a food processor along with the parsley. Pulse until crumbs are approximately 1/8 inch across. Set aside.

Beat the cream with a wire whisk until thickened, then add the eggs and whisk until thoroughly combined.

Meanwhile, melt pure beef lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat to a depth of about 1/2 inch (the veal should float rather than stick to the bottom of the pan. It actually absorbs less fat that way) and hold at no more than 350 degrees.

Lightly dredge the veal in the flour, patting it between you hands to shake off any excess.

Using one hand, dip the floured veal into the egg wash and hold aloft for a moment to let the excess drain off. Drop the veal into bread crumbs and coat on all sides without packing the bread on too tight.

Carefully slide the breaded veal into the hot lard and fry until cooked through and golden brown on both sides (about 4-5 minutes total, depending on thickness. Don’t overcook). Transfer cook veal to a paper plate to drain for a minute, then dress with freshly-squeezed lemon juice and serve hot with a side of mustard potato salad.

Cumin-Roasted Duck, Orange/Hibiscus Mojo

November 11, 2011 / Ren

Fresh, locally-sourced duck is rubbed with cracked cumin, coriander and garlic, seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and roasted until golden brown. Served with a sauce of pan juices, crushed oranges, fresh hibiscus leaves, red onions, jalapeño and cilantro..

Smoked Pheasant Risotto with Field Mushrooms and Baby Asparagus

September 29, 2011 / Ren

Bits and pieces of leftover smoked pheasant with onions, garlic, mushrooms, asparagus, Arborio rice, pheasant stock, French vermouth, fresh herbs and lots of cracked pepper..

Smoked Pheasant Risotto with Field Mushrooms and Baby Asparagus

1/2 cup white onion, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 cup French dry vermouth
1 bunch fresh herbs
5 cups pheasant stock, divided
2/3 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup fresh asparagus, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 pound smoked pheasant, torn into small pieces
1 cup Arborio or Bomba rice
pieces of pheasant skin
pink peppercorns
aged Parmesan

Toast the onions in a dry skillet over medium heat until nicely browned. Add the butter, olive oil and garlic, stir to combine and cook 1 minute. Add the vermouth and scrape loose any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Allow the mixture to cook down until the liquid has been reduced to about 1/3 cup.

Add the rice, stir to combine and cook 2 minutes. Add 3 cups stock and reduce heat to a gentle boil and cook 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, toast the pieces of skin in a heavy skillet until the fat has rendered and the skin has begun to darken and crisp. Transfer the skin to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle. Chop the skin into small pieces, add to the rendered fat (add a little butter if there isn’t enough) along with the mushrooms and saute until golden. Set aside.

Once the rice has absorbed most of the liquid, add another 1-1/2 cups of stock and simmer, stirring constantly, until half the liquid is absorbed. Add the pheasant, mushroom mixture and asparagus and cook (again stirring constantly) until the asparagus is tender and the pheasant is warmed through. Use the last 1/2 cup of stock if needed to prevent the pan from getting dry. Season liberally with freshly-cracked pink pepper and taste for salt (although it usually doesn’t need any).

Turn the finished risotto out onto pre-warmed plates and finish with a little aged parmesan if desired. Properly made risotto has a creamy texture and is wet enough to slide around the plate a little.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

In Texas, most pheasant hunting takes place in the 3 dozen or so northernmost counties (the Panhandle), where the next season runs December 3rd through January 1st. Playa lake bottoms are a consistently productive location for both ducks and Ring-necked pheasant.

Naan Pizza with Spiced Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Goat Cheese

August 25, 2011 / Ren

Homemade flatbread, ghee-fried spiced lamb, roasted peppers, onions, heirloom tomatoes and garlic, with fresh goat cheese and Neapolitan parsley..

Naan Pizza with Spiced Lamb, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Goat Cheese

For the Vegetables

1/2 pound heirloom tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped.
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/3 cup assorted fresh peppers (I like to use both hot and sweet peppers), chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon cracked coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

Toss the vegetables together then lay out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Place the tray in a 500 degree oven until slightly charred. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the Lamb

1/2 pound freshly-ground, pastured lamb
2 tablespoons ghee
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon spice blend such as Penzeys Vindaloo, containing a mixture of ginger, cinnamon, brown mustard, red pepper, cardamom, turmeric, black pepper and cloves. Reserve a tablespoon or two of the butter, spice and lamb juices to spread on the naan.

Gently form the lamb into 1-1/2 inch balls, taking care not to press too tightly. Sprinkle with the salt and set aside. Heat the ghee in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the spices and whisk to incorporate. Carefully add the lamb to the ghee and shallow fry until nicely seared on the outside but still rare in the middle. Transfer to a side plate and allow to drain.

For the Naan (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

8 ounces organic all-purpose flour (can use sprouted or soaked flour)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
1/3 cup fresh whole milk, hand-hot
1 tablespoon ghee, melted, plus a little extra
1/3 cup plain yoghurt, lightly beaten
1 small pastured egg, lightly beaten

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour in the hand-hot milk, ghee, garlic, yoghurt and the beaten egg and mix it all together to form a ball of dough. Place the dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 tsp ghee into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven and a heavy baking sheet to 500 degrees.

Punch down the dough and knead it again and divide into 9 equal balls. While working on 1 ball, keep the remaining balls covered. Flatten the ball using your hands (or rolling pin) into a tear-shaped naan, about 6 inches in length and about 4 inches at its widest. Brush the top with melted ghee.

Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, grease it well with ghee and place the naan on to it.

Put the pan into the oven on the top rack for 2-3 minutes. It should puff up and brown slightly. It will go from browned to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Once puffed up and browned on one side, flip the naan and place back into the oven until browned, about 1 minute.

To Assemble

Lightly brush the naan with the reserved butter mixture. Scatter the roasted vegetables around the naan, then position the lamb around and about. Tuck in a few wedges of fresh goat cheese here and there, then place the naan directly on the center rack of a 500 degree oven and bake until the cheese is soft and the edges of the naan have begun to char. Remove from oven, dress with torn parsley and a light squeeze of fresh lemon and serve immediately.

BBQ Chuck Roast, Jalapeño Cheese Grits

June 26, 2011 / Ren

Locally-pastured, bone-in chuck roast is marinated in mesquite BBQ sauce, crushed chilies, cocoa and cold-brewed coffee with onions, garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then braised in a covered earthenware pot for three hours at 300 degrees. While the roast rests, the cooking liquids are strained, reduced and thickened, then the roast is cut into thick slices, dipped in the finished sauce and served over long-cooked heirloom yellow corn grits with aged cheddar, fresh jalapeños and chopped cilantro..

BBQ Chuck Roast, Jalapeño Cheese Grits

Local sources

Pastured beef from Ross Farm
Mesquite BBQ Sauce from Stubb’s
Coffee from Chameleon Cold-Brew
Herbs and vegetables from my garden

Antebellum Coarse Grits with Pulled Pork, Poached Egg, Aged Cheddar & Cholula (ediblearia.com)
BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends, Jalapeño Corn Muffins and Guajillo Honey (ediblearia.com)

Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken

June 4, 2011 / Ren

Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken, risotto with green beans, browned pearl onions and fried capicola..

Orange and Fennel-Roasted Chicken

Marinate locally-pastured chicken pieces (I’m using bone-in, skin-on thighs) in a mixture of raw olive oil, freshly-squeezed orange juice, garlic and cracked fennel seeds for 4-8 hours, turning once.

Remove chicken from refrigerator, wipe off excess marinade and season liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then roast in a 375 degree oven until crisp and the juices run clear, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute pearl onions and roughly-chopped dry coppa (capicola) in a bit of olive oil until nicely browned and slightly crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions & coppa to a plate, then add bomba rice to the pan, stirring to coat each grain with the flavored oil that remains.

Add three times the amount of vegetable stock, chicken stock or water to the pan as you have rice, and allow it to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add cut fresh green beans and allow to simmer, stirring continuously until the rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Add the onions and coppa, stir to combine and remove from heat. Allow to stand 3-5 minutes before spooning onto a serving dish.

Top cooked rice with the roasted chicken and pour the pan juices over the top. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve immediately.

BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends, Jalapeño Corn Muffins and Guajillo Honey

May 20, 2011November 15, 2016 / Ren

Getting a healthy, delicious dinner on the table every day is hard enough as it is. Kids, work, school.. you know how it is. Add in a bad economy and a generally broken food system, though, and it becomes well nigh impossible.

Inspired by the Hunger Awareness Blog Project between the Capitol Area Food Bank and the Austin Food Bloggers Alliance, I put this BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends dish together with an eye towards simplicity, flavor, nutritional density and cost.. no exotic ingredients, equipment or technique are necessary.

Meet the deep, rich and smoky flavors of BBQ Beans with Burnt ends..

BBQ Beans with Burnt Ends, Jalapeño Corn Muffins and Guajillo Honey

For the Beans

1/2 pound (8oz) dried pinto beans (substitute 2 15oz cans)
1/2 pound burnt ends (smoked brisket, flank steak or whatever you can get your hands on), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups filtered water (less if using canned beans)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon lard (try Dai Due in Austin, or use bacon grease (optional, but not as good without)
2 fresh tomatoes, chopped (substitute 1 small can chopped tomatoes)
1 tablespoon whole cumin
1-1/2 cups Texas-style BBQ sauce (homemade, Stubb’s, Salt Lick, or whatever you like)
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 fresh jalapeños, chopped (can use less or none at all if serving to little kids or scaredy cats)
1 tablespoon chili powder

Soak dried beans overnight in a quart of cool, clean water. Drain the beans, rinse and place into a large saucepan with 4 cups of fresh water (or the liquid from 2 cans plus 1-1/2 cups fresh water). Bring to a rapid boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Add everything except the tomatoes, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Add the tomatoes, taste for salt and continue to simmer until both the beans and meat are tender, about another hour.

For the Corn Muffins

5 oz cornmeal
2 oz organic, all-purpose flour
1 oz stone-ground yellow corn grits (adds a nice texture; if not available, simply increase the cornmeal by 1 oz)
1 oz piloncillo or honey (optional)
2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh milk
2 large eggs
4 oz butter (1 stick), melted
1/2 cup corn kernels (optional)
1 or 2 jalapeños, seeded and diced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Combine the cornmeal, flour, grits, piloncillo, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and butter. Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the milk mixture until just combined. Fold in the corn, jalapeños and cilantro if using.

Pour the batter into a greased muffin tin, cast iron skillet or bread pan and bake in a 350 degree oven to the usual golden brown/toothpick state, about 25-30 minutes for muffins, longer for skillet or bread pan.

Guajillo Butter

1/2 stick butter, softened
1 tablespoon guajillo, local wild flower or just plain honey

Stir honey into softened butter (add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter), then chill until ready to use.

To Serve

Transfer cooked beans to a cazuela or casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees until a crust forms (about 20 minutes; this is an optional but recommended step). Spoon the beans into individual serving dishes and top with minced onion and cilantro if you like. Serve with hot corn muffins and honey butter.

Enjoy!

Related articles

Quinoa Burgers (ediblearia.com)

Fight Back Friday!

Chile Molido-Grilled Lamb Chops with Toasted Cumin, Coriander and Xoconostle Gastrique

May 18, 2011 / Ren

Extra thick, locally pastured lamb loin chops are marinated for half a day in a mixture of olive oil, chile molido, fresh garlic and toasted cumin & coriander before being grilled over a wood fire and served with a gastrique of xoconostle (prickly pear fruit from Hidalgo), caramelized pilloncillo and raw cider vinegar. Accompanied by roasted cherry tomatoes and fresh peppers and garnished with fresh chopped Mexican mint marigold..

Chile Molido-Grilled Lamb Chops / Toasted Cumin, Coriander & Xoconostle Gastrique

Bison and Wild Boar Meatloaf with Chile Molido BBQ, Sweet Potato Mash (ediblearia.com)

Savory Wild Boar Sausage with Fried Sage, Two-Corn Polenta

April 17, 2011 / Ren

Freshly-ground wild boar from the Texas Hill Country is mixed with chopped yellow onions, Italian sweet chili powder, fresh garlic, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Formed into patties, then fried in sage brown butter and served over two-corn polenta (fresh kernel corn and stone-ground yellow flint corn) with sweet peppers and fresh chives..

Savory Wild Boar Sausage with Fried Sage, Two-Corn Polenta

Antebellum Coarse Grits with Pulled Pork, Poached Egg, Aged Cheddar & Cholula

April 10, 2011 / Ren

Pastured pork shoulder is braised in a red chile-tomato sauce with cumin, coriander and a little raw apple cider until tender enough to be pulled apart with a pair of forks.

Coarsely-ground yellow flint corn is slow-cooked in butter, bone broth, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. A touch of cream and some aged cheddar cheese are folded in just before serving with a perfectly poached farm-fresh egg and a few dashes of hot sauce..

Antebellum Coarse Grits, Pulled Pork, Poached Egg, Aged Cheddar & Cholula

“Created in the tradition of the stone-ground, hand-milled grits of the Antebellum era, coarse grits have a large particle size that imparts a toothsome texture and pronounced corn flavor. Coarse grits do take time to cook—about an hour, at least—but are any cook’s first choice when served as a stand-alone dish or as a complement to entrées such as fish, greens, or eggs. They make beautiful grits cakes, too.” –Anson Mills

Pan-roasted Quail with Black Fig/Bacon Demi-glace over Piccolo Farrotto

April 7, 2011 / Ren

Pastured quail from Bandera, Texas are dry-brined with sea salt containing sage, rosemary and black pepper, then allowed to air dry in the refrigerator for two hours. The quail is quickly pan-roasted in a small spoonful each of rendered bacon fat and rendered chicken fat until the skin is crisp and the flesh is slightly pink. Served over a bed of stock-simmered farro with roasted vegetables, and topped with a chicken demi-glace with black figs, bacon and roasted spring onion..

Pan-roasted Quail with Black Fig/Bacon Demi-glace over Piccolo Farrotto

For the Sauce (about 1 cup)

1-1/2 cups rich, homemade chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons roasted chicken demi-glace
1/3 cup black figs, trimmed and quartered
4 pieces thick cut, smoked bacon
roasted spring onions (from the Farro recipe), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon pan drippings (from the quail)
1 small sprig fresh rosemary, stripped and bruised

Heat the chicken stock in a skillet over medium-low heat until simmering. Add the demi-glace, stir to combine and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces and cook until nicely browned. Transfer bacon to the side to drain, reserving the bacon fat for the next recipe.

Just before service, add the bacon, figs, rosemary and onion and allow to heat through, about 5 minutes.

For the Piccolo Farrotto (adapted from a recipe by Anson Mills)

1 cup farro piccolo
1 quart rich, homemade chicken stock
2-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 fresh bay leaf
2 stalks fresh celery
4 small, fresh carrots, trimmed
2 small spring onions, trimmed (reserved)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Roast the carrots, celery and onion in a 375 degree oven until browned, about 45 minutes. Set aside.

Turn the farro into a food processor and give it ten 1-second pulses to crack some of the bran that encases the grains. Transfer it to a small bowl.

Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and keep the stock just below a simmer as you cook the farro.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed 3- or 4-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the farro, increase the heat to medium, and stir until the grains are hot and coated with butter, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine and simmer until reduced to a glaze. Add the bay leaf and 1 cup of hot chicken stock and stir once to make sure the grains are covered with liquid. Cook the farro uncovered at the barest simmer; when the liquid has been almost entirely absorbed and the farro begins to look dry, add about 1/2 cup of hot stock, stir once, and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the farro once again begins to look dry. Continue to cook the farro in this fashion for 1 hour. Coarsley chop and stir in the celery and carrot and continue to cook, adding stock as needed, until the grains have expanded and are tender throughout, without hard, starchy centers, about 20 minutes longer.

Stir in the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. The farrotto should look creamy, not wet or soupy. Taste for seasoning, stir in the parsley, and serve immediately.

For the Quail (serves 4-6)

12 skin-on, boneless quail breasts
2 tablespoons more-or-less sea salt, black pepper and aromatics such as rosemary and sage
2 tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat

Season the quail on all sides with the salt mixture then place skin-side up on a plate and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Remove from refrigerator and allow to stand 20 minutes at room temperature.

Heat the bacon and chicken fats over medium in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Blot the quail breasts dry, then place into the skillet skin-side down without crowding. You may need to do this in batches. Allow to cook until nicely browned, then turn and cook until almost medium doneness.

To assemble

Spoon piccolo farroto onto dinner plates and arrange quail breasts on top (2-3 per person, depending). Spoon demi-glace over the top, garnish with a piece of rosemary and serve piping hot.

Maple, Sage and Black Pepper-Grilled Heritage Pork with Mushroom and Spring Onion Wild Rice Blend

April 3, 2011 / Ren

Locally pastured, bone-in heritage pork loin chops are brined in a 5% sea salt solution with rubbed sage and cracked black pepper, then patted dry and grilled over an open wood fire. Basted with a mixture of melted maple butter, raw apple cider vinegar, more sage, salt and pepper and finished to medium doneness. Served with stock-simmered brown and wild rice with sautéed brown mushrooms and sliced spring onions..

Maple, Sage & Black Pepper-Grilled Pork w/Mushroom & Onion Wild Rice Blend

Ethically-produced pork is raised on open pasture, with plenty of fresh air and sunshine. They are free to dig, root and run as they please. Unlike industrial pork confined in foul and fetid cages, these animals are clean and healthy, receiving no antibiotics, hormones, or artificial supplements over their entire lifetime.

Support your local farmers!

Bison and Wild Boar Meatloaf with Chile Molido BBQ, Sweet Potato Mash

March 16, 2011 / Ren

Free-range bison from Thunder Heart is loosely mixed with coarsely-ground wild boar from Broken Arrow Ranch, browned onions, garlic, a pastured egg, a little chile molido BBQ sauce and just enough bread crumbs to hold it all together.

Baked at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, then slathered with more BBQ sauce and returned to the oven until done. Thickly sliced and served over a bed of mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cracked cumin and coriander..

For thousands of years the Coahuitecan people have lived as indigenous hunter-gatherers in extended family groups or tribes from just north of present day San Antonio south to the Rio Grande and the Northern Mexico state of Coahuila. They were a Bison culture whose lifeways, religion, and culture revolved around their relationship with the sacred animal that sustained them.

For the Native American people the Bison is the symbol of abundance; a powerful reminder from the natural world that through respect for our earth and the creatures who inhabit it, we are provided for. –Shape Ranch

Speaking of leftovers..

March 14, 2011 / Ren

Here’s last night’s chipotle-roasted chicken on a crisp cornmeal pizza crust with sliced red onions, fresh pineapple and some slightly burnt asadero. Fresh cilantro from the patio..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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 pizza stone
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 four 4-ounce 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.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on lowest rack. Stretch dough into 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Place dough rounds on top, and cooked until light golden brown, about 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes.

Chipotle-Roasted Chicken with Mexican Mint Marigold, Tomato Bomba

March 13, 2011 / Ren

Bomba is an ancient strain of slowly-maturing rice grown in fresh mountain water around the town of Calasparra in Murcia, using aqueducts first built by the Romans.

Bomba absorbs three to four times its volume in stock (rather than the normal two), yet the grains remain firm and delicious.

Plump, locally pastured chicken (Dewberry Hills) joints are brined for half a day in cold, filtered water with coarse sea salt, cracked cumin and coriander. Blotted dry, then roasted at 500 degrees until the skin is good and crisp, then transferred to a hot skillet and finished in sauce of reduced chicken stock, chipotles en adobo and a touch of apple cider vinegar. Served over stock-cooked rice with browned onions, garlic and fresh tomatoes. Garnished with freshly chopped Mexican mint marigold..

Chipotle-Roasted Chicken with Tomato Bomba

For the Brine (5%)

2 litres filtered water
100 grams coarse sea salt
1-1/2 tablesponns cumin seed, cracked
2-1/2 tablespoons coriander seeds, cracked

Bring the water to a rapid boil, then remove from heat. Add cumin, coriander and salt and stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. Place chicken pieces in a glass bowl and submerge in brine. Cover bowl and refrigerate 6-8 hours.

For the Chipotle Sauce

2 cups rich, homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
2-3 chipotles en adobo, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon piloncillo (substitute high-molasses raw can sugar)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Combine chicken stock and vinegar in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan and bring to a rapid boil. Reduce heat to medium, add chipotles, tomato paste, oregano and piloncillo and simmer until reduced and thickened, about 1 hour. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

For the Rice

2 tablespoons cultured butter
1/2 cup bomba
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 yellow onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2-3 green onions, slivered, divided
1 tablespoon minced elephant garlic
1 cup fresh tomato, diced

Heat the butter in a heavy skillet and add yellow onion, garlic and 1/2 of the green onions and saute until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add bomba and stir to coat each grain with butter. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat simmer, stirring frequently until tender, about 30 minutes.

For the Chicken

Assorted chicken pieces, brined and air-dried
Smoked paprika

Arrange chicken pieces skin-side up, without crowding in a large skillet. Lightly dust with smoked paprika and place into a pre-heated 500 degree oven, cooking until skin is nicely browned and crisp, about 25 minutes. Chicken should be slightly underdone at this point.

Remove pan from oven and set on burner over medium heat. Baste liberally with chipotle sauce and continue to cook, turning occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

To assemble

Spoon rice onto dinner plates and place chicken pieces over the top. Dress with additional chipotle sauce and garnish with Mexican mint marigold. Serve piping hot.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana

March 11, 2011November 15, 2016 / Ren

Sugo all’amatriciana or alla matriciana (in Romanesco)is a traditional Italian pasta sauce based on guanciale (cured pork cheek), Parmigiano-Reggiano and tomatoes. Originating from the town of Amatrice (in the mountainous Province of Rieti of Lazio region), the Amatriciana is one of the most well-known pasta sauces in Roman and Italian cuisine..

While in Amatrice the dish is prepared with spaghetti, the use of bucatini has become extremely common after the recipe became popular in Rome, and is now prevalent.

Bucatini All’Amatriciana (adapted from a recipe by Anne Burrell)

Extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces guanciale, cut in 1/4-inch strips
2 large onions, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans San Marzano tomatoes, passed through the food mill
1 pound bucatini or perciatelli
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus extra for garnish

Coat a large saucepan with olive oil. Add the guanciale and saute over low heat until it is brown and crispy and has rendered a lot of fat. Remove and reserve 1/3 of the guanciale for garnish.

Bring the pan to a medium heat and add the onions and crushed red pepper. Season generously with salt, to taste. Cook the onions until they are translucent, starting to turn golden and are very aromatic.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the sauce for about 1 hour, tasting periodically. Adjust the salt, as needed.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the instructions on the package.

Drain the pasta from the water and add to the pot of sauce. Stir to coat with the sauce, and cook until pasta is done, about 1 minute . Add in the cheese and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat and serve in shallow bowls garnished with cheese and the reserved guanciale.

Guanciale is a pork cheek is rubbed with salt, ground black pepper or red pepper and hung in the refrigerator to cure for three weeks. Its flavor is stronger than other pork products such as pancetta, yet the texture is more delicate.

Sometimes difficult to source locally in the US, guanciale can be ordered online from La Quercia.

Currywurst and Fries

March 7, 2011 / Ren

Most regions around the world have their own popular forms of street food. From Pad Thai to poutine, from empanadas to Döner, each region offers a unique glimpse into the local scene.

One of the most loved street foods in urban Germany today is the multi-cultural currywurst, a grilled pork sausage in a rich, spicy tomato-based curry sauce. Typically served with French fries or bread rolls, this dish is so popular that it has its own museum. One bite and you’ll be addicted too..

Currywurst and French Fries

For the Sauce (adapted from Saveur)

2 tablespoons ghee
2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 tablespoon Kashmiri chili powder
fresh curry leaves (optional)
2 pinches asafoetida
1-1/2 inches Ceylon cinnamon
1/4 cup good quality red wine vinegar
up to 2 tablespoons raw cane sugar (or other sweetener of choice)

Place the whole seeds in a heavy-bottomed pan and heat until they are fragrant and begin to pop, about 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon, ghee and onions and cook until the onions have softened, about 8 minutes.

Add the turmeric and chili powder and stir to form a paste. Stirring continuously, continue to cook the paste for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, vinegar, asafoetida and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the curry leaves and simmer stirring occasionally until thickened, about 30 minutes.

Discard the curry leaves and pour the sauce into a blender and process until nearly smooth, then pour back into the pan and keep warm until ready to serve.

So, which Austin food truck will be the first to offer currywurst?

Pan-roasted Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola, Asparagus and Porcini Demi-glace

March 6, 2011 / Ren

2-inch thick filets of grass-fed beef tenderloin are dry brined overnight with sea salt and fresh thyme before being pan-roasted to rare in an iron skillet. The steaks are then topped with Gorgonzola and blanched asparagus tips and finished to medium-rare in a 500 degree oven. Seasoned with smoked black pepper and served over porcini demi-glace..

Pan-roasted Filet Mignon with Gorgonzola, Asparagus and Porcini Demi-glace

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)
1 cup porcini mushrooms, sliced and sauteed
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 (add the mushrooms during last 20 minutes). Demi-glace may be kept in the refrigerator for up to one week or frozen for up to three months.

“Meat from grass-fed animals has two to four times more omega-3 fatty acids than meat from grain- fed animals. Omega-3s are called “good fats” because they play a vital role in every cell and system in your body. For example, of all the fats, they are the most heart-friendly. People who have ample amounts of omega-3s in their diet are less likely to have high blood pressure or an irregular heartbeat. Remarkably, they are 50 percent less likely to suffer a heart attack. Omega-3s are essential for your brain as well. People with a diet rich in omega-3s are less likely to suffer from depression, schizophrenia, attention deficit disorder (hyperactivity), or Alzheimer’s disease.” Eat Wild

Pan-Roasted Sirloin with Mushrooms, Pearl Onions, Fresh Thyme and Cognac Demi-Glace

February 13, 2011 / Ren

CLA-rich, grass-fed sirloin steaks are rubbed with kosher salt, then loosely wrapped and refrigerated overnight. The steaks are wiped clean and seared in an iron skillet over high heat until nicely browned, then finished to medium-rare in a 550 degree oven. Meanwhile, fingerling potatoes, brown mushrooms, pearl onions and elephant garlic are sauteed stove-top.

While the steaks rest, the roasting pan is deglazed with cognac and the brown bits scraped loose with a wooden spoon. The finished vegetables are added to the pan with demi-glace, fresh thyme and smoked black pepper and heated through. A knob of cold, pasture butter is whisked in just before serving..

Pan-Roasted Sirloin w/ Mushrooms, Pearl Onions, Fresh Thyme & Cognac Demi-Glace

One of the most flavorful cuts of beef, the sirloin is a steak cut from the rear back portion of the animal, continuing off the short loin from which T-bone, porterhouse, and club steaks are cut.

The sirloin is actually divided into several types of steak, with the top sirloin generally being the most prized. The bottom sirloin is less tender, much larger, and is typically what is offered when one just buys sirloin steaks instead of steaks specifically marked top sirloin.

Wild Rice with Smoked Turkey, Lingonberries, Wild Onions and Fried Sage

February 9, 2011 / Ren

A densely nutritious meal from the Boreal forest, true Northern wild rice is cooked in roasted fowl stock with fresh lingonberries, then tossed with torn pieces of pan-fried smoked turkey, wild onions, fresh sage and rosemary. Drizzled with hot stock and pan drippings..

Wild Rice with Smoked Turkey, Lingonberries,Wild Onions and Fried Sage

1 wild rice (if the instructions on the package call for less than 1 hour of cooking, it probably isn’t true wild rice)
2-3/4 cups homemade fowl or vegetable stock, boiling
1/2 cup fresh lingonberries, stemmed, rinsed and picked over (substitute cranberries)
1 tablespoon rendered turkey or chicken fat
pinch of sea salt

1 smoked turkey leg, skinned, pulled and torn into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup wild onions (both green and white sections), trimmed and cut into to 1/8-inch thick slices
12 whole, fresh sage leaves, stemmed
1 heaping tablespoon fresh rosemary needles
2 tablespoons rendered turkey or chicken fat
freshly-cracked black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon rendered turkey or chicken fat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Add wild rice and stir to coat. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes until each grain is coated and glossy.

Add 2-1/2 cups boiling stock and berries and stir to separate rice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until just tender, about 1 hour. Salt to taste.

Heat 1-1/2 tablespoons rendered turkey or chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add turkey and onions and quickly sear. Add sage and rosemary and cook until herbs are crisp, about 2-3 minutes.

To serve, combine rice and turkey in warm soup bowls. Stir the reserved stock and pan drippings together and drizzle over the top. Season with freshly-cracked black pepper.

The species of wild rice most commonly harvested is the annual Zizania palustris. Native Americans and non-Indians harvest wild rice by canoeing into a stand of plants, and bending the ripe grain heads with wooden sticks called knockers, so as to thresh the seeds into the canoe.

The size of the knockers, as well as other details, are prescribed in state and tribal law. By Minnesota statute, knockers must be at most 1 inch in diameter, 30 inches long, and one pound in weight. The plants are not beaten with the knockers but require only a gentle brushing to dislodge the mature grain. The Ojibwa people call this plant manoomin meaning “good berry”. Some seeds fall to the muddy bottom and germinate later in the year.

Several Native American cultures, such as the Ojibwa, consider wild rice to be a sacred component in their culture. The rice is harvested with a canoe: one person vans (or “knocks”) rice into the canoe with two small poles (called “knockers” or “flails”) while the other paddles slowly or uses a push pole. For these groups, this harvest is an important cultural (and often economic) event. –Wikipedia

Learn how truly wild rice is harvested [VIDEO] (grist.org)

Creamy Risotto with Baby Peas, Jamón Serrano, Parmigiano-Reggiano and Fresh Herbs

February 4, 2011 / Ren

The finest Carnaroli rice is cooked in a soffritto of fresh garlic and raw olive oil, with Pinot Gris, homemade chicken stock, baby peas, soft sun-dried tomatoes, bits of Jamón Serrano ham, fresh herbs, cold butter and Parmigiano-Reggiano..

Creamy Risotto with Baby Peas, Jamón Serrano, Parmigiano-Reggiano & Fresh Herbs

“There are many different risotto recipes with different ingredients, but they are all based on rice of an appropriate variety cooked in a standard procedure.

The rice is first cooked briefly in a soffritto of onion or garlic and butter or olive oil to coat each grain in a film of fat, this is called tostatura; white or red wine is added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When it has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly: stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At that point it is taken off the heat for the mantecatura when diced cold butter and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are vigorously stirred in to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier, and left to cook with its residual heat. Fish and seafood risotti generally do not include cheese.

Properly cooked risotto is rich and creamy but still with some resistance or bite: al dente, and with separate grains. The traditional texture is fairly fluid, or all’onda (“wavy, or flowing in waves”). It is served on flat dishes and it should easily spread out but not have excess watery liquid around the perimeter. It must be eaten at once as it continues to cook in its own heat and can become too dry with the grains too soft.” –Wikipedia

French Onion Soup with Parmigiano-Reggiano-Crusted Sourdough Croutons

February 2, 2011 / Ren

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

January 26, 2011 / Ren

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

Chicken and Farro Dumplings with Chanterelles and Melted Leeks

January 25, 2011 / Ren

Similar to a Provençal harvest soup, local pastured chicken pieces are gently poached in homemade chicken stock infused with fresh thyme and marjoram and served with heirloom baby carrots, fresh chanterelles, garlic, melted leeks and shaved celeriac. Tender farro dumplings provide a little déjà vu for those familiar with the Southern US classic..

Chicken and Farro Dumplings with Chanterelles and Melted Leeks

There is much confusion or disagreement about what exactly farro is. Emmer, spelt, and einkorn are called farro in Italy, sometimes, but not always, distinguished as farro medio, farro grande, and farro piccolo, respectively. Regional differences in what is grown locally and eaten as farro, as well as similarities between the three grains, may explain the confusion. Barley and farro may be used interchangeably because of their similar characteristics. Spelt is much more commonly grown in Germany and Switzerland and, though called dinkel there, is eaten and used in much the same way, and might therefore be considered farro. Common wheat may also be prepared and eaten much like farro, in which form it is often referred to as wheatberries. -Wikipedia

Pan-Seared Berkshire Rib-eye with Habanero Bomba, Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

January 24, 2011 / Ren

Thick chops of heritage black Berkshire pigs are briefly brined in a mixture of cold, filtered water, salt, cracked pepper, Mexican oregano and a few scrapings of piloncillo before being seared in cumin oil over high heat. Finished in the oven and served with habanero bomba (rice, chicken stock, habanero chiles, Asadero cheese) and roasted tomatillo sauce (tomatillos, garlic, fresh green chiles, white onion and cilantro)..

Pan-Seared Berkshire Rib-eye with Habanero Bomba, Roasted Tomatillo Sauce

Berkshire pigs are said to be “Britain’s oldest pig breed”, originally bred in the Faringdon and Wantage regions of the English county of Berkshire (now Oxfordshire). They apparently became popular after being ‘discovered’ by Cromwell’s troops while they were stationed at Reading during the English Civil War. Today’s animals descend from the herd maintained by the House of Windsor 300 years ago

Berkshire pork, prized for juiciness, flavor and tenderness, is pink-hued and heavily marbled. Its high fat content makes it suitable for high-temperature cooking. -Wikipedia

Pots on Fiyo (Filé Gumbo)

January 17, 2011November 15, 2016 / Ren

Shrimp stock thickened with sassafras and loaded with lump crab, andouille sausage, jumbo shrimp, garlic, celery, onions and green bell peppers, seasoned with oregano, cumin, bay, thyme and mace..

Pots on Fiyo (Filé Gumbo)

For hundreds of years the Choctaw Indians have had a settlement at Bayou Lacombe on the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain; they had a way of making Gumbo long before the Africans and Europeans arrived.. –NOLA Cuisine

Harlem’s Danny Glover’s Seafood Gumbo (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)

Mesquite Grilled Pheasant with Jalapeño, Sausage and Cornbread Dressing

December 19, 2010 / Ren

Ring-necked pheasant breasts are partially boned, then brined for half a day in spring water with onions, garlic, cloves, bay and sea salt. The breasts are patted dry and allowed to air dry while the grill is prepared.

Once the fire is ready, the pheasant is painted with achiote-cumin oil and then grilled as you would chicken pieces. The cooked bird is allowed to rest under cover for 10 minutes before being plated atop white cornbread dressing with onions, jalapeños and sausage. The dish is moistened with glace de viande just before serving..

Mesquite Grilled Pheasant with Jalapeño, Sausage and Cornbread Dressing

Common Pheasants were introduced in North America in 1857, and have become well established throughout much of the Rocky Mountain states, the Midwest, the Plains states, as well as Canada and Mexico. In the American southwest, pheasants can be found in the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge 100 miles south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Most common pheasants bagged in the United States are wild-born feral pheasants; in some states, captive-reared and released birds make up much of the population.

Wild Venison Osso Bucco with Italian Farro

December 18, 2010 / Ren

Thick cuts of wild Texas fallow deer hind shank are marinated overnight in a mixture of Lambrusco, juniper berries, fresh rosemary, garlic, cracked pepper and bay. The next day, the meat is salted and air-dried before being browned in olive oil in a Dutch oven.

Caramelized onions, chopped Roma tomatoes, porcini mushrooms, homemade stock and reduced marinade are added to the pot and gently simmered until the meat is tender (about 1-1/2 hours).

The meat is removed from the pot and allowed to rest while the cooking liquid is reduced and thickened. The osso bucco (Italian for “bone with a hole”) is added back to the pot just long enough to heat through, then plated atop Italian farro, dressed with sauce and served..

Venison Osso Bucco with Italian Farro

“Fallow deer originated in ancient Persia. Native to the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, they have spread throughout the European continent and to the British Isles. In recent times, they have been introduced into New Zealand, Australia, and the North America where they have become one of the favored species for domestication and deer farming.

There are several thousand fallow deer here in Texas on deer farms, and many thousands more ranging wild on Texas ranches. Farmed fallow have a very mild flavor. Free-range fallow have a more natural venison flavor but are not as readily available. We harvest free-ranging fallow deer.

The fallow deer is about 5 feet long and weighs about 120 to 150 pounds. It is the only deer sporting a wide variety of colors – From solid dark brown (chocolate) to solid white, with over 40 variations in between. Many fallow deer have spotted coats of various colors.

The antlers are also unique. They are often quite large and have flattened spade-like ends. Fallow deer are primarily grazers, preferring grass and forbs, but may also eat twigs and evergreen needles in winter. One particularly interesting phenomenon is an “addiction” that a few fallow deer in Texas exhibit to the consumption of prickly pear cactus. Even when other food is readily available, some fallow deer eat prickly pear cactus and often succumb to massive ingestion of the cactus needles.

Fallow venison is highly valued for its tender texture and beef-like flavor.” –Broken Arrow Ranch

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Pan-Seared Bandera Quail Legs, Costeño and Guajillo Honey Glaze

December 9, 2010 / Ren

Fresh quail legs from nearby Bandera, Texas are lightly rubbed with peanut oil and seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper before being quickly seared in a cast iron skillet. Glazed with a mixture of local guajillo honey, ground Costeño chiles and a bit of coarse mustard, then popped in a very hot over for just a minute or two..

Pan-Seared Bandera Quail Legs, Costeño and Guajillo Honey Glaze

Native to Oaxaca, Costeño chiles have an apricot fruit tone and a heat level similar to the chipotle. Less common in the US, Costeños are frequently used in salsa and soups but can occasionally found in mole recipes as well.

Caribbean Goat Curry

December 8, 2010 / Ren

A riff on the familiar Jamaican dish, this version adds sweet potatoes and fresh scallions to the long-simmered goat, fresh ginger, garlic and tomatoes. Scotch bonnet peppers and Caribbean curry powder add a quickly-building, lingering heat..

Caribbean Goat Curry

Sear a pound of cubed local, pastured goat in a very hot, greased Dutch oven until nicely browned on all sides. Add a chopped yellow onion and cook, stirring infrequently until the onions are browned, about 5 minutes. Add a chopped Scotch bonnet pepper (2 if you’re brave), a clove or two of minced garlic, a teaspoon or so of freshly-minced ginger and stir to combine.

Add a tablespoon of good Caribbean curry powder (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, star anise, black pepper and the all-important allspice) and fry until fragrant.

Reduce heat to medium and add 2 cups of chopped tomatoes, half a tablespoon of vinegar, a few sprigs of fresh thyme and enough stock (preferred) or water to just barely cover the meat.

Bring the pot to a boil, then lower heat, partially cover and simmer until the meat is tender and the liquid has reduced in volume by about 1/3, about 4-5 hours, adding diced sweet potatoes during the last hour. Remember to give the pot a stir once an hour and add a little liquid if needed to keep it from drying out.

Adjust flavor with sea salt and black pepper if you think it necessary, then ladle into bowls, top with slivered scallions and a sprig of thyme and serve immediately.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesday!

CSA Pizza

October 26, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

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

Filet de Bœuf with Porcini-Green Peppercorn Sauce

October 25, 2010 / Ren

Aged, grass-fed filet of beef tenderloin is salt-crusted in a blazing hot iron skillet then finished in a 550-degree oven to a perfect medium-rare. Served with a classic demi-glace with shallots, porcini mushrooms, aged brandy and cracked green peppercorns, finished with a knob of double Devon cream butter..

Filet de Bœuf with Porcini-Green Peppercorn Sauce

For the Steaks

Aged tenderloin filets, cut 2-1/2 inch thick
Coarse sea salt

Blot filets dry, then lightly sprinkle coarse sea salt on all surfaces. Wrap loosely in butcher’s paper and refrigerate 4 hours.

Unwrap filets, blot dry and allow to stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Meanwhile, pre-heat an iron skillet over medium-high heat for 15 minutes and pre-heat your oven to 550 degrees.

Sprinkle a little coarse sea salt in the bottom of the skillet and carefully lay down the filets. Sear without moving for 3 minutes, re-salt the pan and sear the other side for 3 minutes.

Transfer the pan with the filets to the hot oven and roast about 7-8 minutes for medium rare. Transfer filets to a dish to rest while you prepare the sauce.

For the Sauce

1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup porcini mushrooms, brushed clean and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons butter
6 oz demi-glace
3 oz fine brandy, cognac, port or Madeira
1/2 tablespoon freshly-cracked dry green peppercorns
1 tablespoon double Devon cream butter, cold

Add 1 tablespoon butter to the hot pan that the steaks were cooked in. Add shallots and mushrooms and saute 2 minutes. Carefully add the brandy off the heat, taking care not to set the neighborhood on fire. Return to heat and reduce until only 1 tablespoon of liquid remains.

Add the peppercorns and demi-glace and bring to a boil. Remove sauce from the heat and whisk in double Devon cream butter.

Plate steaks and sauce and serve immediately with grilled asparagus and new potatoes, perhaps.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Simply Suppers: Seared Steak Filets with Mustard Sauce Cookbook Recipe (thekitchn.com)
Grill Up a Perfect Steak (howto.wired.com)

Italian Roast Boar Knuckle with Mostarda di Frutta

October 22, 2010 / Ren

Boneless knuckle of wild boar is rubbed with a mixture of Italian sweet chili powder, fennel pollen, salt, black pepper and garlic then roasted to a turn, sliced and served with a mostarda of figs, pears and apricots with grainy mustard, dry white wine and a few red chili flakes..

Chili-Fennel Roasted Boar Knuckle with Mostarda di Frutta

For the Spice Rub

3 tablespoons sweet Italian chili powder
1-1/2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fennel powder (substitute fennel and anise seeds)
1 scant tablespoon black pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.

To prepare, coat knuckle roast on all sides with spice mixture and refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours. Remove from refrigerator and allow to stand while you pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Roast the knuckle until the internal temperature reaches at least 145 degrees, about 1 hour for a 1-1/2 pound roast. Allow to stand a full 10 minutes before carving. Serve with mostarda, bitter greens and a hunk of crusty bread.

“Though you’ll find mostarda from Piemonte on through the Veneto and down into Emilia Romagna, the best known variation is that from Cremona (Mostarda di Cremona), which is also produced commercially. According to Italian food scholar Antonio Piccinardi, the word mostarda derives from the French moustarde, which in turn derives from mout ardent, fiery must, which was made by adding powdered mustard seed to unfermented grape must and cooking it down to produce an invigorating condiment.”

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Garlic Smashed Reds and Mushroom Demi

October 19, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

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

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.

On the table: Menu for One. Six One & The Bar 10 Doors (timeoutny.com)
Pleasure in comfort food (sfgate.com)

Moroccan Spiced Lamb and Couscous with Garlic, Fresh Mint and Preserved Lemon

October 17, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb (Menzie’s Farm, Harper, TX) is ground and tossed with diced onions and freshly-ground ras el hanout, then seared in clarified butter with homemade harissa. Served over stock-simmered couscous with garlic, fresh mint and Jenny’s Moroccan preserved lemons..

Moroccan Spiced Lamb & Couscous with Garlic, Fresh Mint and Preserved Lemon

For the Ras el Hanout (recipe by Christine Benlafquih)

2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cardamon
2 teaspoons ground mace
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Blend all of the spices in a bowl. Transfer to an air-tight glass jar and store in a dry, dark place for up to several months

For the Harissa (recipe by Christine Benlafquih)

12 to 15 dried red chili peppers (approx. 1 1/2 oz. or 100 g)
3 or 4 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon ground cumin (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seeds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon ground caraway seeds (optional)
2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
olive oil

Remove the seeds from the dried chili peppers and place them in a bowl. Cover them with very hot water and leave to soften for 30 minutes to an hour.

Drain the chili peppers, and gently squeeze out excess water with a paper towel. Using a mortar and pestle (or a blender or mini food processor) grind the chili peppers, garlic, salt and spices to a paste. Add the lemon juice and just enough olive oil to moisten the harissa, or add additional olive oil to thin it.

Store unused harissa in an airtight container in the fridge. For long storage, lightly top the harissa with a little oil before covering.

For the Lamb

1 lb freshly ground lamb
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee
1-1/2 tablespoons harissa

For the Couscous

1 cup couscous (Israeli whole wheat is particularly nice)
2 cups vegetable stock or filtered water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
half of a Moroccan preserved lemon, diced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the couscous and garlic and stir to coat. Continue cooking until garlic is soft but not browned, about 3 minutes.

Add stock or water, increase heat and bring to a low boil. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add mint, lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Cover, remove from heat and let stand 8 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.

To Prepare

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Pinch off pieces of lamb about the size and shape of a ping pong ball and sauté in butter until golden brown on all sides.

Stir in harissa and toss to coat.

Place couscous in bowl and arrange lamb over the top. Pour some of the harissa butter over the top and serve hot with additional ras el hanout, lemon and mint.

Ras El Hanout is a complex, aromatic Moroccan spice blend. Most recipes include cardamom, nutmeg, anise, mace, cinnamon, ginger, various peppers, and turmeric, but 30 or more ingredients might be used.

Ras El Hanout’s literal translation from Arabic is “head of the shop,” meaning “the best (or top) of the shop.”

Marcus Samuelsson Cooks Up Healthy Food in Harlem (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)
5 favorite dishes to cook with kids (eatocracy.cnn.com)

Garlic-brined Heritage Pork Chop with Red Onion-Apple Salsa (special diet)

October 14, 2010 / Ren

Kristina from GirlGoneGrits.com recently reached out to local food bloggers for help in coming up with recipes for the wife of a California gentleman who has been placed on an extremely restrictive diet.

Working from a very short list of allowed ingredients (i.e., chicken or pork but not halibut or tuna, only 45 grams of carbs/day and no dairy whatsoever), the challenge was to come up with something both highly flavorful and densely nutritional. Additionally, I wanted the recipe to be both easily sourced and fairly simple to follow..

Garlic-brined Heritage Pork Chop with Red Onion-Apple Salsa

For the Brine

1 oz (by weight) coarse sea salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Mexican if available)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin (freshly toasted and ground if practical)
1/4 teaspoon mesquite liquid smoke (optional)
2 cups filtered water

Place water into a saucepan and heat to a rapid boil. Remove from heat, add salt and stir until dissolved. Add remaining ingredients and allow to stand until completely cooled. Refrigerate until chilled.

For the Chops (allow 1 per person)

8 oz bone-in lean, center cut pork chop (I’m using my favorite Red Wattle chops from Farmhouse Delivery)
chilled brine

Trim chops of most cover fat (diet restriction) and place in a dish or zipper bag along with chilled brine. If chops are thin, refrigerate 2-3 hours. If thick, refrigerate 3-4 hours. In either case, turn chops over about halfway through the brining period. In addition to adding flavor, the brining process will cause the chops to take on as much as 15% water weight, helping to ensure a tender, moist product.

For the Salsa

2/3 cup cored (and optionally peeled) fresh apple, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/3 cup red onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup fresh tomato, cut into 1/2 inch dice (yellow heirlooms are especially nice)
1/2 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, torn
1-1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or 1 teaspoon raw cider vinegar
a pinch of sea salt and black pepper to taste
a pinch of unrefined sugar if needed (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl, cover and refrigerate 2 hours.

To Prepare

Remove the chops from the brine and pat dry on all surfaces (don’t squeeze). Allow to stand while you prepare the heat source (outdoor grill or indoor grill pan [easiest]).

Sear meat over medium-high heat until well-marked, about 2-3 minutes per side. Stand chops on end and place in a 400 degree oven until just done (about 10 minutes for thick-cut chops). If using outdoor grill, stand chops on end away from flames, cover and finish until just done (the goal is to allow most of the remaining fat to render and drip away [diet restriction]).

Remove chops from heat and allow to stand a full 5 minutes before serving with the crisp and cool apple salsa.

Pan-seared Pork Tenderloin with Chili-Cherry BBQ Sauce

October 9, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Local (Richardson Farms via Greenling), pastured pork tenderloin fillets are rubbed with a mixture of toasted cumin & coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, garlic and salt, then pan-seared in mesquite-smoked bacon fat. Served with a BBQ sauce made with red wine vinegar-deglazed pan drippings, crushed dark cherries, stock, tomato paste, chili molido, bay and onions..

Pan-seared Pork Tenderloin with Chili-Cherry BBQ Sauce

“The origins of both the activity of barbecue cooking and the word itself are somewhat obscure. Most etymologists believe that barbecue derives ultimately from the word barabicu found in the language of both the Timucua of Florida and the Taíno people of the Caribbean, which then entered European languages in the form barbacoa. The word translates as “sacred fire pit.”

“The precise origin of barbecue sauce is unclear. Some trace it to the end of the 15th century, when Christopher Columbus brought a sauce back from Hispaniola, while others place it at the formation of the first American colonies in the 17th century. References to the substance start occurring in both English and French literature over the next two hundred years.”

Chicken-fried Venison with Cream Gravy, Sage and Bacon

September 29, 2010 / Ren

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!

Wild Boar and Venison Chili (foodrenegade.com)

Classic Chile Verde

September 16, 2010 / Ren

Hefty chunks of heritage pork and white onion are seared in a spoonful of seriously hot lard (gasp!) then slowly simmered in their own juices with stock, roasted tomatillos, Poblano and jalapeño peppers, garlic, cilantro and lime. Served with fresh white corn tortillas on the side..

Classic Chile Verde

Classic Chile Verde (adapted by recipes by Diana Kennedy and Simply Recipes)

1 pound fatty pork loin or shoulder, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 white onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 fresh red or orange Anaheim, Poblano or other mild fresh chile (for color, optional)
2 fresh green Anaheim, Poblano or other mild fresh chile
1 fresh jalapeño pepper
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, loosely packed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon clean white leaf lard
2 cups homemade chicken stock
1/2 pound fresh tomatillos
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 scant teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Remove the husks from the tomatillos and rinse under cold water to remove sticky residue. Split tomatillos in half across the equator and arrange cut side up in a foil-lined skillet. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt then roast along with the green chiles in a 450 degree oven until softened and partially charred. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, melt the lard in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until shimmering. Add the pork, onions and red or orange pepper and fry without moving until deep golden brown on one side. Use a tong or slotted spoon to turn the pork and onions over and continue to cook until well browned on the other side. Reduce heat to medium low, add the garlic and cook one minute. Add the stock and oregano cover and slowly simmer 60 minutes.

Peel the chiles, discard the stems and seeds and add to a blender or food processor along with the tomatillos and cilantro. Pulse until mostly smooth, leaving a few small chunks. Pour blended mixture into the pork and stock and stir to combine. Simmer partially covered, stirring occasionally until pork is fork tender, about 30 minutes. Add lime juice and season to taste to salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with freshly made corn tortillas.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Greg (Incidental Texan): Chiles en nogada | Homesick Texan (homesicktexan.blogspot.com)

Garlic and Herb-Roasted Pork Loin with Savory Apple Compote

September 15, 2010 / Ren

A bone-in heritage pork loin from Revival Meats in Yoakum, Texas gets royally roasted with heirloom garlic from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, cracked black pepper, coarse sea salt and lots of homegrown rosemary and sage. Served with a savory compote of local gala apples, celery, onions, pan juices and a bit of raw cider vinegar..

Garlic and Herb-Roasted Heritage Pork Loin with Savory Apple Compote

The Red Wattle hog is a large, red hog with a fleshy, decorative, wattle attached to each side of its neck that has no known function. The origin and history of the Red Wattle breed is considered scientifically obscure, though many different ancestral stories are known. One theory is that the French colonists brought the Red Wattle Hogs to the United States from New Caledonia Island off the coast of Australia in the late 1700’s. As they adapted well to the land, the Red Wattle quickly became a popular breed in the US.

Red Wattle hogs are known for their hardiness, foraging activity, and rapid growth rate. The sows are excellent mothers, who labor litters of 9-10 piglets, and provide good quantities of milk for their large litters. They adapt well to a wide range of climates, making them a good choice for consideration in outdoor or pasture-based swine production.

Red Wattle pork is exceptionally lean and juicy with a rich beef-like taste and texture. —Slow Food USA Ark of Taste

Spatchcocked Game Hen with Grilled Peach-Piñon Mole

September 1, 2010 / Ren

Game birds from nearby Dewberry Hills Farm are briefly brined, then split, skewered, seasoned and slow-roasted over a wood fire. Served with a mole of grilled peaches, toasted pine nuts, rich stock and ancho chiles..

Spatchcocked Game Hen with Grilled Peach-Piñon Mole

For the Brine

1/3 cup kosher or coarse sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 cloves garlic, peeled and bruised
1 teaspoon cracked cumin seeds
1-2 small, dry bay leaves, cracked
3 quarts cold, filtered water

Combine all ingredients together in a container large enough to hold the birds and brine. Stir to dissolve salt, then submerge birds in brine (1 quart per pound of food), cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes per pound (90 minutes for 3 pounds of food). Remove from refrigerator, drain and transfer birds to an uncovered flat container and return to the refrigerator until the skin is completely dry, about 2 hours.

To Spatchcock and Grill the Birds

Spatchcock is an 18th-century phrase used to indicate a summary way of grilling a bird after splitting it open down the back and spreading the two halves out flat, the point of which is to reduce cooking time and to help ensure a moist, evenly-cooked result.

Use a heavy kitchen scissors to remove the backbone, then turn the bird over and crack open like a book. Use a small knife to separate the diamond shaped keel (breast bone) from the muscle, then use your fingers to pull the bone free from the carcass. Use pairs of skewers to pierce the skin side of the breast, tucking the ends under the wings to hold in place. Lightly season inside and out with cracked pepper, coriander, garlic, etc.

Place the splayed birds skin side down on a hot, lightly oiled grill. Cook without moving until the meat releases itself from the grate and the skin is well marked and has begun to crisp. Move the birds to the slow side of the grill (skin side up), cover and roast until the juices run clear, about 30-40 minutes depending on temperature, etc.

For the Mole (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2-3 fresh peaches, split, pitted and grilled until slightly charred and caramelized
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup pork lard
6 dried ancho chilies, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 cup pine nuts
3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 teaspoon canela (Mexican cinnamon)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pinch ground cloves
1/2 ounce Mexican bitter chocolate, chopped
1 fresh flour tortilla, darkly toasted and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon palm sugar or piloncillo
sea salt to taste

Using a spoon, remove the juice and pulp of each grilled peach half, set aside in a medium bowl, and discard the skins.

Add the sesame seeds and set aside. In a heavy skillet, heat the lard over medium heat. Add the chilies and fry until lightened in color, about 30 seconds, turning constantly.

Remove the chilies while keeping pan hot. Place the chilies in a chilled water bath, cover with a small plate to submerge, and set aside for 30 minutes. Add the garlic to the hot pan and saute until golden brown and tender, about five minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the peach mixture and maintain a hot pan. Toast the pine nuts in the pan until golden brown, about two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pine nuts to the peach mixture. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Strain the chilies through a fine mesh sieve, reserving the water and chilies separately.

In a blender puree the chilies and half of the reserved liquid until smooth, about two minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, discarding the pulp. In the same blender, puree the peach mixture, one cup of the chicken stock, cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, chocolate, and tortilla until smooth, about two minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve (optional; I left mine a little more rustic) and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, saute the chili pepper puree until dark and thick, about 10 minutes. Add the peach mixture and simmer to form a thick paste, about seven minutes. Add the remaining stock, partially cover, and simmer until the mix is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat, season, and set aside keeping warm.

To Assemble

Allow the grilled game hens to rest on a cutting board for 10 minutes until carving into half inch thick cross sections. Lade mole onto serving plate, arranging slices of bird on top. Garnish with additional sesame seeds and fresh parsley or cilantro and serve immediately.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Chicken Mole Rojo and Green Chili Bomba with Fried Plantains

August 22, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Local, pastured chicken is seasoned with cracked cumin, sea salt and black pepper, then quickly roasted before being lacquered with a densely-flavored, traditional red mole. Topped with toasted sesame seeds and minced onions & cilantro, and served with stock-simmered bomba rice with onions, green chiles and fried plantains..

Chicken Mole Rojo and Green Chili Bomba with Fried Plantains

Mole Rojo Clasico (recipe by Rick Bayless)

5 ounces (2-3 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup (about 6 1/2 ounces) sesame seeds
1/2 cup rich-tasting pork lard or vegetable oil, plus a little more if necessary
3 ounces (about 6 medium) dried mulato chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn into large pieces
2 ounces (about 4 medium) dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn into large pieces
2 ounces (about 5 medium) dried pasilla chiles, stemmed, seeded & torn into large pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) unskinned raw almonds
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) raisins
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly ground Mexican canela
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
1/4 teaspoon anise, preferably freshly ground
1/8 teaspoon cloves, preferably freshly ground
1 slice firm white bread, darkly toasted and broken into several pieces
1 ounce (about 1/3 of a 3.3-ounce tablet) Mexican chocolate, roughly chopped
1 1/2 quarts chicken broth
Salt
unrefined sugar to taste

On a rimmed baking sheet, roast the tomatillos 4 inches below a very hot broiler until splotchy black and thoroughly soft, about 5 minutes per side. Scrape into a large bowl. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds, stirringly nearly constantly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Scrape half of them in with the tomatillos. Reserve the remainder for sprinkling on the chicken.

Brown other mole ingredients. Turn on an exhaust fan or open a kitchen door or window. In a very large soup pot (I typically use a 12-quart stainless steel stock pot or a medium-large Mexican earthenware cazuela), heat the lard or oil over medium. When quite hot, fry the chiles, three or four pieces at a time, flipping them nearly constantly with tongs until their interior side has changed to a lighter color, about 20 or 30 seconds total frying time. Don’t toast them so darkly that they begin to smoke—that would make the mole bitter. As they’re done, remove them to a large bowl, being careful to drain as much fat as possible back into the pot. Cover the toasted chiles with hot tap water and let rehydrate 30 minutes, stirring frequently to insure even soaking.

Remove any stray chile seeds left in the fat. With the pot still over medium heat, fry the garlic and almonds, stirring regularly, until browned (the garlic should be soft), about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove to the tomatillo bowl, draining as much fat as possible back into the pot.

Add the raisins to the hot pot. Stir for 20 or 30 seconds, until they’ve puffed and browned slightly. Scoop them out, draining as much fat as possible back into the pot, and add to the tomatillos. Set the pan aside off the heat.

To the tomatillo mixture, add the cinnamon, black pepper, anise, cloves, bread and chocolate. Add 2 cups water and stir to combine.

Blend, strain, cook. Into a large measuring cup, tip off the chiles’ soaking liquid. Taste the liquid: if it’s not bitter, discard all abut 6 cups of the liquid. (if you’re short, add water to make up the shortfall). If bitter, pour it out and measure 6 cups water. Scoop half of the chiles into a blender jar, pour in half of the soaking liquid (or water) and blend to a smooth puree. Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a large bowl; discard the bits of skin and seeds that don’t pass through the strainer. Repeat with the remaining chiles.

Return the soup pot or cazuela to medium heat. When quite hot, pour in the chile puree—it should sizzle sharply and, if the pan is sufficiently hot, the mixture should never stop boiling. Stir every couple of minutes until the chile puree has darkened and reduced to the consistency of tomato paste, about a half hour. (I find it useful to cover the pot with an inexpensive spatter screen to catch any spattering chile.)

In two batches, blend the tomatillo mixture as smoothly as possible (you may need an extra 1/2 cup water to keep everything moving through the blades), then strain it in to the large bowl that contained the chiles. When the chile paste has reduced, add the tomatillo mixture to the pot and cook, stirring every few minutes until considerably darker and thicker, 15 to 20 minutes. (Again, a spatter screen saves a lot of cleanup.)

Simmer. Add the broth to the pot and briskly simmer the mixture over medium to medium-low heat for about 2 hours for all the flavors to come together and mellow. If the mole has thickened beyond the consistency of a cream soup, stir in a little water. Taste and season with salt (usually about 4 teaspoons) and the sugar and keep warm.

For the Green Chili Bomba (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

1 cup bomba rice (a special type of Spanish paella rice)
3 cups rich chicken stock
1 cup yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons rendered chicken fat
1/4 thinly-sliced green chiles
sea salt

ripe plantains
butter or peanut oil

Place the rice in a strainer and rinse under cold, filtered water until the water runs clear. Allow to drain 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock until steaming.

Heat the chicken fat in heavy, high-walled skillet until shimmering. Add the rice and stir constantly until it floats freely in the hot fat. Add onions and chiles and cook 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add chicken stock and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low and cook without stirring 10 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand 15 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork just before serving.

To prepare

Season chicken joints with salt, pepper and cracked cumin and roast in a heavy skillet in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove pan from oven, dunk chicken in mole and return to pan to the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees. Remove pan from oven, baste chicken with more mole and allow to stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fry slices of ripe plantain in hot peanut oil or butter until deep golden brown on both sides. Set aside to drain.

Arrange chicken on one side of plate and spoon a little mole over the top. Garnish with toasted white sesame seeds, minced onion and cilantro. Arrange rice next to the chicken and garnish with fried plantains. Serve hot.

RECIPE: Rick Bayless’ Oaxacan Black Mole From Mexico State Dinner (huffingtonpost.com)

Spice-Rubbed Fillet of Pork with Roasted Peppers and Prickly Pear/Ancho Gastrique

August 12, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Whole, pastured pork tenderloin from Richardson Farms is rubbed in a mixture of cumin, garlic, oregano, paprika, sea salt and black pepper, then tightly wrapped and chilled overnight before being sliced into thick fillets. Grilled over a wood fire then served on rounds of fried polenta with roasted peppers and a gastrique of prickly pear cactus with charred onions and ancho chiles..

Spice-Rubbed Fillet of Pork with Roasted Peppers and Prickly Pear/Ancho Gastrique

For the Pork (adjust spices to suit your own taste)

1 whole pork tenderloin, trimmed, about 1 pound
2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon granulated organic garlic
1 teaspoon granulated organic onion
2 teaspoon2 Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
2 teaspoons coriander seeds, toasted
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry comal over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Allow to cool, then combine all spices together in a spice grinder and process into a slightly coarse powder.

Pat the tenderloin completely dry, then roll in the spice mixture until all surfaces are evenly coated. Wrap the tenderloin tightly and refrigerate overnight.

For the Gastrique

juice of 3 fresh cactus fruits
1 ancho chile, stemmed, seeded, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup yellow onion, charred and slivered
3 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
1/4 cup sustainable, organic palm sugar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Harvest a few small prickly pear cactus fruits, then roll them around on the ground to knock off the glochids (clusters of small, sharp spines). Rinse the fruit clean, chop coarsely then place in an inch or so of simmering water for ten minutes. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then mash the fruit with a potato masher.

Line a sieve with a clean kitchen towel and set over a bowl. Pour in the cooked fruit and water and allow to drain through. Discard the pulp and pour the liquid into a heavy pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and cook until reduced in volume by about a third. Set aside.

Combine water and sugar in a heavy saucepan over high heat, stirring constantly until caramelized. Reduce heat to a simmer and whisk in the vinegar to form a sauce of pourable consistency. Reduce again until thick, then whisk in the cactus fruit juice. Allow to reduce one last time, then add charred onion and chopped ancho. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper and keep warm until ready to serve.

To Prepare

Slice pork tenderloin horizontally into 4 4-ounce fillets. Grill fillets over a wood fire until the internal temperature reaches 150 degrees (about 4 minutes per side) then transfer to a plate to rest for a full 5 minutes (roast some stemmed and split grilling peppers while you’re waiting).

Arrange fried polenta on a serving plate, placing a grilled fillet on top of each disc. Garnish with sliced grilled peppers and spoon gastrique over the top. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Toasted Onion and Ancho Chili Jam

August 2, 2010 / Ren

Toasted ancho chiles, onions, garlic, cumin and coriander with apple cider vinegar and a touch of wild guajillo honey..

Toasted Onion and Ancho Chili Jam

For the Jam

1/4 pound dried Ancho chiles
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 head garlic
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, cracked
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, cracked
2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar
a few drops of hickory or mesquite liquid smoke (optional)
2 tablespoons olive or peanut oil, divided
1 tablespoon (or to taste) wild guajillo honey
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Split the Ancho chiles open and remove the stem, seeds and ribs. Lightly toast on a dry comal for about 20-30 seconds on each side. Take care not to let the peppers burn or they will become very bitter.

Transfer the chiles to a glass bowl and cover with just-boiled water. Allow to steep 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the top off of a whole head of garlic, brush with olive oil, wrap in foil and roast for a half hour at 400 degrees. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, toast the chopped onions on a dry comal over medium heat until golden brown. Add the cumin and coriander and toast another minute, again taking care not to let it burn. Allow to cool.

Squeeze the garlic into the bowl of a food processor and add the softened chiles and vinegar and pulse a couple of times into a thick, chunky paste.

Transfer the chili mixture to a bowl and stir in the seasoned onions and garlic. Add honey, salt and pepper to taste.

Ancho chili jam is delicious with grilled, roasted or smoked meat, fowl or sausages (venison, bison and wild boarsausage shown).

Smoked Duck Gorditas with Fresh Mango Salsa

July 30, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Smoked duck breast is shredded and slowly simmered in stock with crushed chipotle en adobo, toasted coriander and Mexican oregano, then tucked inside flaky homemade gorditas (thick corn tortillas) and dressed with fresh mango salsa and crispy fried duck skin..

Smoked Duck Gorditas with Fresh Mango Salsa

For the Salsa

1 fresh mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 ripe tomato, cored and diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 green jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sparkling water
1 teaspoon piloncillo or palm sugar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.

For the Duck

1 large smoked duck breast
1 1/2 cups rich chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons crushed chipotle en adobo
1 tablespoon raw cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon toasted coriander, ground
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Remove the skin and fat and reserve. Working parallel to the grain, tear the duck into thin strips, then place into a heavy pot. Cover with stock and bring to a slow simmer. Add chipotle, vinegar, oregano and coriander and slowly simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1/2 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the Crispy Duck Skin and Rendered Fat

Pull the skin and fat from a duck breast and lay it flat on the comal over medium heat, weighing it flat with a bacon press or another smaller skillet. Cook until all the fat has rendered and the skin is crispy on both sides. Transfer to skin to a cutting board and chop into something resembling crumbled bacon, reserving the fat for frying the gorditas.

For the Gorditas

3/4 cup organic masa harina (fine corn flour)
2 tablespoons organic, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm, filtered water
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons rendered duck fat

Heat a comal or iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the masa and water into a soft dough. Knead in the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, adding a few drops of water if needed to maintain consistency. Divide dough into 4 balls and cover with a damp kitchen towel.

Use a tortilla press or rolling pin to shape dough into 4-inch rounds about 1/4 inch thick. Slide a thin-bladed spatula under each gordita, carefully flipping one-at-a-time onto your open palm before laying onto the hot comal. Cook for a minute or so on each side (they will be slightly crisp but underdone), then transfer to a plate.

To prepare

Just before service, melt the duck fat in the comal, then fry each gordita until golden brown and puffy (ideally, the gorditas will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside). Transfer gorditas to a cutting board, then use a thin knife to cut a sideways slit about 1/2 way across.

Fill each gordita with shredded duck, dress with salsa and crumbled duck skin and serve hot.

This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

This post is part of The Healthy Home Economist’s Monday Mania!

Chefs’ Secrets: Don Strange of Texas Gorditas (mysanantonio.com)
Dining on a Budget: El Folklor (mysanantonio.com)

150 Years of Chili con Carne

July 24, 2010 / Ren

In the latter half of the 1800’s, pieces of beef or bison were pounded together with suet, dried chile peppers and salt and formed into bricks which were dried and stored for later use. On the trail, the bricks were simply boiled with water in heavy pots.

The confluence of the Rio Bravo del Norte and the Río Conchos

Chili con carne (literally “chili [peppers] with meat”) later found its way to San Antonio’s Military Plaza, where onions,garlic, cumin and oregano (and maybe tomatoes) were likely first added by a group of Hispanic women famously known as the “chili queens”.

Military Plaza, San Antonio, circa 1876.

Chili was broadly introduced at the “San Antonio Chili Stand” at the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair. The first chili parlors outside of Texas began to appear in the early 1900’s, with accompaniments such as beans, shredded cheese and crackers showing up in the 20’s and 30’s.

World's Columbian Exposition of 1893

Using bone-in, grass-fed rib-eye steak, dried chiles, tomatoes and fresh pinto beans, this particular recipe recognizes some 150 years of chili evolution without straying too far from its humble roots..

Chili con Carne

For the Chili

1 1/2 lb grass-fed, bone-in ribeye steaks, either beef or bison
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 lb fresh pork belly (substitute uncured bacon), cut into 1/2 inch dice
1 lb fresh pinto beans (optional)
2 cups fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried New Mexico chiles
2-3 dried chilipiquenes (optional, very hot)
3 cups filtered water
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 3-inch piece Mexican cinnamon
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon smoked sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Split, stem and seed the ancho and New Mexico chiles. Toast briefly on a comal or dry skillet, then transfer to the bowl of a food processor along with the chilipiquenes, if using. Process into a coarse powder and set aside.

Cut the meat from the bone and cut into 1-inch pieces, trimming off and mincing any heavy fat. Add the bone (leaving it in for the duration), minced fat and pork belly (or bacon) together in a Dutch oven set over medium-high heat and cook until all the fat has rendered. Add onions and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Add meat and garlic and cook until browned. Add ground chiles, tomatoes, water, cinnamon, oregano and beans, if using. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours, or about half that time if not using beans. Ladle into bowls and serve hot with diced onions, cilantro and shredded cheese if desired.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Curried Egg Salad on Warm Cumin and Garlic-Scented Naan

July 21, 2010November 14, 2016 / Ren

Farm-fresh eggs, slivered scallions, still-warm-from-the-sun tomatoes, Madras curry and homemade mayonnaise atop cumin and garlic-scented naan..

Curried Egg Salad on Cumin and Garlic-Scented Naan

For the Mayonnaise (adapted from a recipe by Sally Fallon)

Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 whole farm-fresh egg at room temperature
1 farm-fresh egg yolk at room temperature
1 teaspoon homemade mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice (about 1 med. lemon)
1 tablespoon whey
3/4 to 1 cup extra virgin olive oil or expeller pressed sunflower oil (not canola)
generous pinch of sea salt

“Homemade mayonnaise imparts valuable enzymes, particularly lipase… The addition of whey will help your mayonnaise last longer, adds enzymes and increases nutrient content…”

In your food processor, place egg, egg yolk, mustard, salt, whey and lemon juice and process until well blended, about 30 seconds. With the motor running, add oil in a very slow, thin stream. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 7 hours before transferring to refrigerator. The mayonnaise will thicken as it stands.

For the Egg Salad

6 pastured eggs, preferably about 3 days old for ease of peeling
1/4 cup homemade mayonnaise
2-3 scallions, slivered
1 fresh tomato, cored, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon Madras curry powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground Telicherry pepper
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
a pinch or two of sea salt

Gently place the eggs in a heavy saucepan and cover completely with cold water. Place the pan on a burner and quickly bring to a boil. Cover the pan and remove from the heat the moment the water boils; allow to stand exactly 9 minutes for medium eggs, 10 minutes for large. Drain the water and bounce the eggs to crack the shells. Fill the pan with filtered ice water and allow to stand 20 minutes.

Peel and dice the eggs into a glass bowl. Add the scallions, tomato, curry, salt, pepper and cilantro and toss lightly with the mayonnaise.

For the Naan (adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

8 ounces (by weight) organic all-purpose flour (use sprouted or soaked flour if preferred)
6 cloves garlic, peeled, roasted and mashed
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon unrefined sugar
1/3 cup fresh whole milk, hand-hot
1 tablespoon ghee, melted, plus a little extra
1/3 cup plain yogurt, lightly beaten
1 small pastured egg, lightly beaten

Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, yeast and sugar in a bowl and pour in the hand-hot milk, ghee, garlic, cumin, yogurt and the beaten egg and mix it all together to form a ball of dough. Place the dough on to a clean surface and knead it for 10 minutes or more, until smooth.

Pour about 1/4 tsp ghee into a large bowl and roll the ball of dough in it. Cover the bowl with a towel and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat oven and a heavy baking sheet to 500 degrees.

Remove the hot baking tray from the oven, grease it well with ghee and place the naan on to it.

Put the pan into the oven on the top rack for 2-3 minutes. It should puff up and brown slightly. It will go from browned to burnt quickly, so keep an eye on it.

Once puffed up and browned on one side, flip the naan and place back into the oven until browned, about 1 minute.

Chicken Adobado Pizza

July 5, 2010 / Ren

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.

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.

Happy 4th of July!

July 4, 2010 / Ren

Freshly-ground, grass-fed bison is coated in a mixture of coarsely-ground sea salt, black pepper, garlic, celery & mustard seed then grilled over a wood fire. Served with habañero cheddar, browned onions and thick slices of just-picked tomato..

Habañero Bison Burgers

Grilled Lamb Sausages with Madras Curry Paste and Sprouted Wheat Naan

June 20, 2010 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb is ground with garlic, cumin, sea salt and black pepper, stuffed in a casing and refrigerated overnight before being grilled with yellow onions and green chiles. Dressed with Madras curry paste with nigella and fresh cilantro, then rolled in sprouted wheat naan..

Grilled Lamb Sausages with Madras Curry Paste

For the Sausage

1 pound freshly ground lamb shoulder, about 75% lean, cubed
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
about 5 feet lamb casing

Combine lamb, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight. Thoroughly wash and drain casing, then place it onto the sausage maker attachment of a stand mixer. Grind the meat mixture into the casing, twisting individual sausages off at about 4 inches. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the Curry Paste

1/4 cup coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon nigella
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground mustard seeds
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons ghee
1 tablespoon freshly-grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon vinegar
1/4 heavy coconut milk
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, torn

Toast the coriander in a dry skillet, allow to cool, then combine with mustard and chili powder.

Heat ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then fry spice mixture until the butter oil separates, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar, ginger and garlic and cook 2 minutes.

Add coconut milk and nigella and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and remove from heat.

For the Naan

2 cups sprouted wheat flour
1/2 cup organic all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fresh whole milk
3/4 cup plain, whole milk yogurt
1 package yeast
1 teaspoon non-refined sugar
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons ghee, melted

Warm the milk in a saucepan, then pour into a bowl and stir in the yeast. Allow to stand until frothy, about 10 minutes.

Sift flours, sugar, baking powder and salt into a bowl and form a well in the center. Slowly add ghee, yogurt and milk and knead until soft and pliable, about 10 minutes. Cover the dough and allow to stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

Divide the dough into lemon-sized balls, then roll and stretch into the shape of a 1/4 inch-thick teardrop. Place naan on a large, flat griddle and bake in a 475 degree oven until puffy and slightly crisp, about 2-3 minutes on the 1st side and 1-2 minutes on the 2nd side.

To Assemble

Grill or pan fry sausages until crisp and brown and the juices run clear, about 15 minutes depending on heat source. Cook onions and chiles in similar fashion.

Place a sausage into the middle of a small naan and top with curry paste, onions and vegetables. Roll and eat hot dog-style.

Chorizo Hash with a Fried Goose Egg

June 14, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Freshly made Mexican chorizo is pan-fried with yellow onions, sweet peppers, chiles, fresh corn and toasted cilantro and topped with a giant fried goose egg..

Chorizo Hash with a Fried Goose Egg

For the Chorizo

1/2 pound fresh pork, about 80% lean, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
2 whole cloves, ground
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
a pinch or two fine sea salt

Loosely combine all ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.

For the Hash (serves 2)

1/2 pound chorizo
1 teaspoon bacon fat
2 ears-worth fresh corn kernels
1/2 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1-2 fresh jalapeños, diced
3-4 small orange or red sweet peppers, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
freshly-ground black pepper

1 local goose egg per person

Heat bacon fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add chorizo and cook until it begins to brown and crisp, then add corn, chiles, sweet peppers and cumin and cook until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper and a pinch of salt if you think it needs it, then top with a fried egg.

Goose Egg vs. Chicken Egg

One goose egg provides about 20g protein, and is also a very good source of vitamins A, B6 and B12 as well as thiamin, riboflavin and folate. Cook as you would chicken or duck eggs, simply allowing more time due to its large size.

Chappal Kebab with Fresh Green Chutney and Almond-Raisin Basmati

June 12, 2010 / Ren

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

June 7, 2010 / Ren

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

June 6, 2010 / Ren

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

June 2, 2010 / Ren

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!

Black Ale and Ginger-Fried Rabbit

May 30, 2010 / Ren

Fresh rabbit is brined in black ale and fresh ginger for 24 hours, then dredged in sprouted rye flour seasoned with herbs and spices and shallow-fried until golden brown. Serve with mashed potatoes and giblet gravy..

Black Ale and Ginger-Fried Rabbit

1 fresh rabbit, cut up in the usual manner
2 12oz bottles black ale
2 tablespoons freshly-grated ginger
1 cup fresh cream
1 cup filtered water
1 1/2 cups sprouted rye flour
2 tablespoons dried herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme, savory, sage, etc.
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
tallow or peanut oil for frying

Cut up a rabbit in the usual manner and place it in a glass dish. Add enough black ale and ginger to cover, wrap loosely and refrigerate up to 48 hours.

Drain the rabbit and place into a clean dish, cover with cream and water and let stand 30 minutes while you heat the oil, etc.

Combine rye flour, herbs, salt and pepper. Drain rabbit, dredge evenly in seasoned flour and shallow-fry over medium heat in enough hot oil to come about 1/2 up the side of the rabbit pieces.

Cook until deep golden brown, about 10 minutes per side. Drain thoroughly before serving with mashed potatoes and giblet gravy or your favorite accompaniments.

Wild Boar Leg with Chile-Apricot BBQ Sauce

May 24, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

I just got back from an absolutely glorious week’s vacation at the home of the Cage Free Family in the Taos Canyon of Northern New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

One of the many highlights was a picnic with family and friends beside a creek at an elevation of about 8,500 ft., where the menu included wild boar leg with chile-apricot BBQ sauce, Anasazi beans and a slaw of Napa cabbage, daikon sprouts, red amaranth, raw honey and freshly-squeezed lemon..

Wild Boar Leg with Chile-Apricot BBQ Sauce

A particularly hard-working set of muscles, the rear haunch of a wild boar requires long, low and moist heat to break down the collagen. This specimen was first seasoned, then oven-roasted under cover at 300 degrees for 3 hours.

Next, the meat was uncovered and slow-roasted at 200 degrees for 2 1/2 hours, mopped with BBQ sauce every 15 minutes.

Finally, the roast was finished on an open wood fire for about 30 minutes, yielding a smoky, crisp outer crust and a tender, moist interior. Our small, hungry group demolished the entire meal in record time.

For the BBQ Sauce (enough for a 7-8 lb. leg with a little left over)

1 tablespoon rendered boar fat

3 cups filtered water

1 medium Spanish onion, diced

2-3 ripe slicing tomatoes, cored and diced

2 tablespoons raw cider vinegar

1/4 cup (more-or-less) ground New Mexico chilies

1/3 cup apricots

1 1/2 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup pan juices from a roasted boar

sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Cook the onions and tomatoes with the boar fat in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat until the onions are soft and the tomatoes have begun to disintegrate.

Add water, vinegar, chili powder, chipotle, apricots, cinnamon, cloves and pan juices and stir to combine. Reduce heat to very low and simmer until reduced in volume by about 1/3, about 2 hours.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer another 30 minutes.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Birria Jalisciense

May 5, 2010 / Ren

Slow-braised Texas cabrito (young goat) in the Jalisco-style, with guajillo chiles, cumin, raw cider vinegar, cinnamon and cloves..

Birria Jalisciense

(adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

1 pound goat shoulder roast
1 tablespoon leaf lard
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 white onion, diced and divided
2 Roma tomatoes, roasted and diced
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 guajillo chiles, toasted and ground
1 1/2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
2 cups filtered water or meat stock
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
sea salt
fresh cilantro
fresh lime

Trim the goat of fat and silverskin and cut into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to stand 30 minutes at room temperature. Melt the lard in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown the meat on all sides.

Add tomatoes, garlic, cumin, chile powder, pepper and 2/3 of the onion and stir to combine. Add vinegar, stock, oregano, cinnamon and cloves, cover and braise until tender, about 4 hours at 250 degrees.

Transfer the meat to a bowl or plate, then set the dutch over on a burner over medium heat. Skim and discard any fat, then reduce sauce until slightly thickened. Return the meat to the pot and taste for salt.

To serve, ladle stew into serving bowls and garnish with the remaining onion, fresh cilantro and lime wedges. Serve with fresh corn tortillas.

In Austin? Many of these ingredients are available from Farmhouse Delivery

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Queso Flameado

May 1, 2010 / Ren

A decidedly Tex-Mex affair, queso flameado (flaming cheese) is a mixture of assorted white cheeses with chilies, onions, garlic and homemade chorizo served bubbling hot from the oven with warm tortillas..

Queso Flameado

(informed by recipes by the Homesick Texan)

For the Chorizo

1/2 pound fatty pork, coarsely ground
1 ancho and 1 guajillo chile, toasted and ground
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chipotle chili sauce

Loosely combine all ingredients together in a bowl. Pinch off ping pong ball-sized pieces and fry in a hot skillet until brown and crusty on the outside. Transfer to a side dish to drain.

For the Vegetables

1/2 poblano pepper, stemmed and seeded
1/2 Spanish onion, cut into wedges
1/2 small red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded

Place all ingredients in a heavy skillet and broil until blistered and partially blackened, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, cover and let stand until cool enough to handle. Cut into strips.

To Prepare

Combine vegetables with 2 cups of assorted shredded white cheeses such as asadero and Oaxaca in a heavy skillet. Arrange cooked chorizo over the top and dress with a little chipotle chile sauce. Place in a 350 degree oven until bubbly, about 10-15 minutes.

Spoon mixture onto warm tortillas and serve immediately.

Fideo con Pollo

April 23, 2010 / Ren

Fideo con Pollo (Sopa de Fideo con Pollo) is a traditional, Spanish soup made with roasted chicken, fresh tomatoes, stock, garlic, onions and cumin with fat-fried vermicelli..

Fideo con Pollo

half of a small roasted chicken
3-4 cups homemade chicken stock
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat
3-4 fresh tomatoes, cored and chopped
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 cup straight fideo (vermicelli) or 2-3 vermicelli nests
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 fresh jalapeño, diced (optional)
1 tablespoon safflower flowers (optional)
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
sea salt
queso Oaxaca or other soft, melting cheese
fresh cilantro

Roast a chicken in the usual fashion and allow to cool enough to handle. Pull the meat and skin from 1/2 of the bird and tear or chop into largish pieces. Set aside.

Heat chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and vermicelli and sauté until the pasta is brown and somewhat crisp. Add tomatoes and cook another 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add chicken, stock, tomato paste, safflower, jalapeño and black pepper, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is done. Adjust for salt, then ladle soup into individual cazuelas or soup bowls and serve piping hot with queso Oaxaca and torn cilantro.

This post is part of the Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

Chili Mac for Grownups (and adventurous kids)

April 17, 2010 / Ren

Chunks of local, pastured ground beef fried with yellow onions and cumin and simmered with dried chilies, garlic, Mexican oregano, halved grape tomatoes and jalapeños. Tossed with gluten-free corn macaroni and topped with shredded cheddar, crushed yellow corn chips and fresh cilantro..

Chili Mac for Grownups (and adventurous kids)

3-4 ancho chilies, split, stemmed, seeded and toasted
2-3 New Mexico chilies, split, stemmed, seeded and toasted
filtered water as needed

1 tablespoon beef tallow or bacon drippings
1/2 pound local, pastured ground beef or bison
1/2 yellow onion cut into large dice
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
sea salt & freshly-ground black pepper

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 fresh jalapeño, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican oregano

1 cup corn macaroni, cooked and drained

yellow corn chips, crushed
sharp cheddar cheese, grated
fresh cilantro, torn

Toast the split chilies on a dry comal or skillet over medium heat for 20 seconds on each side. Take care not to let them scorch, or they will be bitter. Allow to cool slightly, then place in a food processor or blender and crush into a fine powder. With the motor running, slowly add cool, filtered water until a thin paste is formed. Pour into a clean container and set aside.

Pinch off 1 1/2 inch pieces of ground beef, compress lightly and season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Allow to stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the tallow or bacon fat in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the chunks of ground beef to the hot fat, taking care not to crowd the pan. Allow to form a crisp crust on one side, then turn over and add the onions. Continue to cook until the onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat and onions to a plate, leaving as much fat as possible behind.

Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook until they begin to fall apart, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeño and sauté briefly. Add pureed chilies, oregano, browned meat and onions, reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. Adjust consistency with a little water if needed, then fold in cooked macaroni and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Correct bitterness if present with a tiny bit of honey.

Spoon mixture into individual serving dishes, and top with shredded cheese, crushed corn chips and torn, fresh cilantro.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Reshmi Murgh (Silken Chicken)

April 15, 2010 / Ren

Fresh, pastured chicken is rubbed with lemon juice and sea salt, then blast-roasted in a sauce of fresh cream, homemade garam masala, onions, ginger, toasted cumin and mint. Served with stock-simmered brown rice with bits of garden vegetables..

Reshmi Murgh (Silken Chicken)

Adapted from recipes by Madhur Jaffrey

For the Garam Masala

1 tablespoon cardamom seeds
2-inch stick of Ceylon cinnamon
1/3 of a whole nutmeg
1 teaspoon black Tellicherry peppercorns
1 teaspoon black cumin seeds
1 teaspoon whole cloves

Grind all ingredients together into a fine powder. Store in an airtight container up to 2 months.

For Marinating the Chicken

1 pound skinned, bone-in chicken pieces (I prefer thighs)
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons freshly-squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon half-sharp paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
2 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

Pierce each piece of chicken several times with the tip of a small knife, then rub all over with sea salt and lemon juice and let stand 10 minutes. Combine cream, garam masala, mint, paprika, cumin, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Coat each piece of chicken with the mixture and allow to stand 10 minutes.

To Prepare the Chicken

sea salt
freshly-ground Tellicherry pepper
a couple of pinches of garam masala
a couple of pinches of toasted, ground cumin
a pinch of cayenne
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/2 of a fresh lemon for squeezing

Line a high-sided cast iron pan with foil and arrange chicken pieces so that they are not touching the sides or each other. Sprinkle each piece with a little of the dry spices then squeeze lemon over the top. Roast in a 500 degree oven until the juices run clear, about 25 minutes for breasts or about 40 minutes for thighs.

Serve hot from the oven with stock-simmered brown rice, pouring a little of the pan juices over the top. Garnish with a little extra mint.

Spanish Kale and Chorizo Soup

April 11, 2010 / Ren

Here’s a simple, nourishing soup of homemade bone broth, Spanish cooking chorizo, Arroz bomba de Calasparra, fresh garden vegetables, fennel pollen and oregano..

Spanish Kale and Chorizo Soup

Kale is extraordinarily high in Vitamin K (778%) and is an excellent source of beta-carotene and Vitamins A and C.

1 quart homemade chicken stock
1 tablespoon Spanish olive oil
1/3 pound Spanish cooking chorizo, thinly sliced
1 Spanish onion, cut into 1/2 inch dice
2 Roma tomatoes, cored and diced
1/4 cup soft sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
1-2 Danvers carrots, oblique-cut
1-2 celery stalks, bias-cut
1-2 green garlic bulbs & tops, thinly sliced
1 cup kale, rinsed, ribbed and cut into chiffonade
1 tablespoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon fennel pollen (optional)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red chili
1 teaspoon dried wild mountain oregano
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 cup Arroz bomba de Calasparra or other good paella rice
sea salt

Sauté carrots in olive oil until about 2/3 done. Add sausage, celery, onions, fennel seed and rice and stir to coat. Sauté until onions are opaque, about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and chicken stock and simmer 15 minutes. Add green garlic, kale, chili and oregano and simmer until rice done, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then ladle into bowls and drizzle with a little olive oil. Finish with a sprinkle of fennel pollen.

This recipe can be easily adapted for a vegetarian diet by substituting vegetable stock and eliminating the chorizo.

Austin’s Iconic Breakfast Tacos

April 9, 2010 / Ren

As the New York Times recently pointed out, Austin is the center of the universe when it comes to breakfast tacos. Trailers, bodegas and restaurants all over town serve up cheap, delicious tacos containing everything from purple corn, nopales and avocado to black beans, fried potatoes and bacon. As amazing as the local fare is, though, its still tough to beat what you can make to your own taste at home, using fresh, local ingredients.

This 5-minute creation consists of local, pastured eggs, queso Añejo, crumbled chorizo with jalapeños, onions and grape tomatoes, fresh cilantro and hot sauce on a freshly-made cayenne tortilla. Yum!

Homemade Breakfast Tacos

Ben Sklar for The New York Times

Rosemary, Garlic and Black Pepper-Grilled Lamb Chops

April 4, 2010 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb is marinated overnight in olive oil, fresh rosemary, garlic and black pepper, then grilled to medium-rare over a smoky wood fire. Served with crimini mushroom wild rice and grilled yellow tomatoes..

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Lay lamb chops in a glass dish and cover with fresh rosemary, garlic, black pepper and olive oil. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours, turning once. Allow to come to room temperature before grilling over a hot, smoky wood fire until just medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving (they will continue to cook a little). Lightly oil tomatoes and grill until the first split appears.

To prepare wild rice, soak dried crimini mushrooms in hot chicken or vegetable stock for 30 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to a side dish to drain and use the soaking liquid to cook the rice until just tender, about 45-60 minutes. Melt butter over medium-high heat until shimmering, then sauté until golden brown. Stir into rice and serve hot.

Smoked Duck Pizza

April 3, 2010 / Ren

A crisp cornmeal crust is topped with Aji Mirasol & New Mexico chili sauce, sliced red onions, smoked duck breast, Anaheim peppers, Quesillo Oaxaca and a fried duck egg. Garnished with chili-lime chicharrón and fresh cilantro..

Smoked Duck Pizza

For the Crust [makes 2 7-inch crusts] (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
a pinch of sugar
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 pizza stone
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.

Divide dough into four 4-ounce 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.

Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes.

For the Sauce

3-4 New Mexico chilies, stemmed and seeded
3-4 Aji Mirasol chilies, stemmed and seeded
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon raw guajillo honey
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup tomato puree
sea salt to taste

Toast chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or two on each side, taking care not to let them burn. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand until soft, about 1 hour.

Drain chilies and add to the bowl of a food processor along with the cumin, garlic, honey, oregano and tomato puree and process until smooth. Use a bit of the chili soaking water if needed to thin the sauce. Taste and adjust for salt.

For the Chicharrón and Fried Eggs

The skin and fat layer of 1 duck breast, cut into 1″ julienne
chili powder
fresh lime

Cook duck fat with attached skin over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the skin is a deep golden brown. Transfer to a side dish to drain then immediately season with chili powder and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of duck fat, then crack eggs into hot pan. Fry just until barely set, as the eggs will be finished in the oven.

To assemble

Use the back of a spoon to spread a thin layer of chili sauce over the cornmeal crust. Arrange sliced, smoked duck breast, chopped red onion, sliced Anaheim peppers and Oaxaca cheese over the top. Place fried egg in the center of the pizza then bake in a 500 degree oven until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with chicharrón and fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Seared Duck Liver with Crispy-Fried Shallots, Porcini and Armagnac-Verjus Demi

March 29, 2010 / Ren

Fresh duck liver is seasoned simply with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper, then seared over high heat with a bit of clarified butter. The pan is deglazed with Armagnac then reduced with duck stock, verjus and demi-glace. Served over wilted spinach with crispy-fried shallots, porcini mushrooms and a garlic croûton.

Although high in cholesterol, duck liver is low-fat, low-calorie and extraordinarily high in Vitamins A and B12. It is also a very good source of protein and iron..

Seared Duck Liver with Wilted Spinach, Crispy-Fried Porcini, Shallots and Armagnac-Verjus Demi

Verjuice (from Middle French vertjus “green juice”) is a very acidic juice made by pressing unripe grapes. Sometimes lemon or sorrel juice, herbs or spices are added to change the flavour. In the Middle Ages, it was widely used all over Western Europe as an ingredient in sauces, as a condiment, or to deglaze preparations.

Picking green grapes for making verjuice. Tacuinum Sanitatis (1474). Paris Bibliothèque nationale

Grilled Rabbit Sausage with Ginger & Green Peppercorn Demi-Glace, Black Truffle Escaoutoun

March 27, 2010 / Ren

Ariane Daguin’s rabbit sausage is grilled over a wood fire then briefly braised in a roasted game stock demi-glace with green peppercorns, scallions and Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur. Served with black truffle escaoutoun..

Grilled Rabbit Sausage with Ginger & Green Peppercorn Demi-Glace, Black Truffle Escaoutoun

Wood-Grilled Pork Fillet with Fresh Herbs, Wild Fennel Pollen and Red Onion Marmalade

March 24, 2010 / Ren

Local, pastured pork tenderloin is marinated in olive oil, fresh thyme & rosemary and wild fennel pollen then grilled over a wood fire and served with a marmalade of red onions and fresh oranges with roasted jalapeño, red bell pepper and green garlic..

Wood-Grilled Pork Fillet with Fresh Herbs, Wild Fennel Pollen and Red Onion Marmalade

For the Marinade

2/3 cup good quality olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoon wild fennel pollen
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a glass bowl and allow to stand 30 minutes.

For the Marmalade

1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 fresh orange, peeled, sectioned, seeded and chopped
1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon marinade from recipe above
2 teaspoons freshly-squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 medium jalapeño, grilled and chopped
1 2-3 inch section green garlic, grilled and sliced
1/4 medium red bell pepper, grilled and diced

Heat butter and oil in a heavy sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Add oranges and orange juice and cook until disintegrated, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and fold in grilled jalapeño, green garlic and bell pepper. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

To prepare, grill thick, marinated pork fillets (or an entire tenderloin) on the hottest side of the grill for about 5 minutes or until well marked, then turn and move to the cooler side of the grill, baste with additional marinade and cover until done, about 10-15 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to stand 5 minutes before serving over warm red onion marmalade.

Wild Fennel Pollen comes from fennel flowers picked at full bloom. The plants are then dried and the pollen sifted out, yielding an exquisite spice that has the aroma of fennel, but is sweeter and far more intense in flavor than the other parts of the plant.

Orange Ginger-Grilled Pork with Toasted Sesame Somen

March 16, 2010 / Ren

Thick cuts of pastured, heritage pork loin are marinated in a mixture of fermented soy, fresh ginger, garlic, coriander, anise and freshly-squeezed orange juice, then wood-grilled to juicy perfection. Served over handmade somen noodles wih braised baby bok choy, slivers of scallion, red bell pepper, toasted sesame seeds and grilled citrus..

Orange Ginger-Grilled Pork with Toasted Sesame Somen

click to enlarge

Wood-Fired, Ancho-Rubbed Sirloin with Fried Plantains and Frijoles Charros

March 11, 2010 / Ren

Grass-fed sirloin (Bastrop Cattle Co.) is rubbed in a mixture of ancho chilies, fresh garlic, Mexican oregano, comino and piloncillo, then quickly seared over a wood fire. Served with salt & pepper-fried plantains and home-cooked frijoles charros (cowboy beans)..

Wood-Fired, Ancho-Rubbed Sirloin with Fried Plantains and Frijoles Charros

For the Rub (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2 cloves garlic, peeled
3-4 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon piloncillo
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon half-sharp paprika
2 teaspoons sea salt

Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into a semi-fine powder.

For the Beans (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

1 cup dried pinto beans
1 tablespoon leaf lard
1/2 yellow onion
1 small sprig epazote

2 thick slices bacon, diced and fried
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fire-roasted tomatoes, diced
1/2 fresh poblano pepper, charred and diced
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Rinse and pick over dried beans. Cover with 1 quart of cool, filtered water, lard, onion and epazote. Bring to a hard boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 2 hours, adding the tomatoes and peppers about 30 minutes out. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary to keep from drying out.

Add bacon, salt and cilantro during the last 10 minutes of cooking, discarding the epazote before serving.

For the Plantains

1 plantain, very ripe but still firm
1 tablespoon peanut oil or butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Heat butter or oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Season plantain slices with salt and pepper then fry until golden brown. Set aside to drain.

For the Steaks

1 4oz breakfast sirloin per person
1 1/2 teaspoon spice rub per steak

Pat steak dry, then evenly coat on all sides with spice rub. Grill over a wood fire for about 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing against the grain about 3/8 inch-thick.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Smoked Duck Breast with Braised Bok Choy, Ginger Pear Salad

March 3, 2010 / Ren

Smoked magret duck breast is rubbed with Chinese 5-spice, then seared in its own fat until the skin is crisp. The duck is then sliced and served with braised baby bok choy and a salad of Asian pear, pickled ginger, sunflower sprouts and toasted sesame dressed with an ume plum vinaigrette..

Smoked Duck Breast with Braised Bok Choy, Ginger Pear Salad

For the Duck

Rinse andpat dry half of a smoked magret duck breast. Use a thin, sharp knife to score a crosshatch pattern into the skin, taking care not to cut into the muscle. Rub the breast with Chinese 5-spice then place skin side down into a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until the skin is crisp and much of the fat has rendered, then turn and quickly sear the other side. Transfer to a cutting board.

For the Bok Choy

Season quartered baby bok choy with salt and pepper then place flat side down into the pan with the rendered duck fat. Cook until slightly browned, then add 1/4 cup water, turn and cover until tender, about 5 minutes.

For the Salad

1 Asian pear, jullienned
1 1/2 tablespoons sushi-style pickled ginger
1/4 cup sunflower sprouts
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, cracked and toasted
1 teaspoon crispy garlic, crushed
1 palmful fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon ginger juice
2 tablespoons umeboshi plum vinegar
1 teaspoon traditionally-fermented soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt and freshly-ground Szechuan pepper to taste

Combine ginger juice, vinegar, soy and lemon juice together in a bowl. Slowly whisk in oils. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine. Refrigerate until needed.

To serve, slice warm duck breast about 3/8 inch thick and arrange over braised bok choy. Garnish with ginger pear salad and drizzle with a little vinaigrette.

Chicken Char Siu

March 1, 2010 / Ren

Char siu translates literally as “fork burn/roast”, an ancient method of fire-roasting wild boar. While most modern Chinese BBQ uses domestic pork (and lots of red food coloring), the flavors are also well suited to chicken. Here I have marinated chicken pieces in a mixture of fermented soy, sherry, hoisin, 5-spice, local raw honey, chili and red bean paste (with organic beet powder for color), then slow-roasted (3 hours at 15 degrees) them until fork-tender. The sticky, hot, sweet and sour flavors play well with sesame-roasted asparagus on the side..

Chicken Char Siu

Mary had a little lamb. I ate it with curry and rice.

February 27, 2010 / Ren

Freshly-ground local, pastured lamb is seasoned with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper before being seared in blazing-hot grass-fed ghee with hulled cardamom, sweet cinnamon shards, mustard seeds, fresh ginger and green chilies, tomatoes and garlic. The pan juices are combined with turmeric, sweet paprika and coconut milk and reduced until thick.

Short grain rice is simmered with 4x its own weight in homemade bone broth with golden fried onions, toasted cumin and coriander, fresh English peas and a pinch of saffron..

Lamb Curry with Rice and English Peas

Curry in a hurry!

Pan-Fried Rabbit with Creole Mustard Cream Sauce

February 10, 2010 / Ren

Pasture-fed rabbit is dusted with Cajun-seasoned sprouted spelt flour, then shallow-fried in duck fat until golden brown. Served in a sauce of stock, fresh cream, champagne vinegar, thyme, oregano and bay with creole mustard, bell pepper, celery, onions and garlic. A delicacy, sautéed liver and kidney are served as an accompaniment..

Pan-Fried Rabbit with Creole Mustard Cream Sauce

For the Rabbit

1 fresh whole rabbit with giblets
1 cup sprouted spelt flour
2 tablespoons Cajun-style seasoning
2 teaspoons half-sharp paprika
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
rendered duck fat

Cut up rabbit into serving-size pieces (2 forelegs, 2 back legs and 2 thighs), reserving the loin for another recipe. Rinse in plenty of cold, fresh water, then pat dry. Season liberally with salt and pepper, wrap in butcher paper and refrigerate 2-4 hours. Remove from refrigerator and wipe away salt, pepper and any accumulated moisture. Dust with flour mixed with Cajun-style seasoning and paprika, shaking off any excess.

Melt duck fat to a depth of about 1/2 inch in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add rabbit to the pan and fry as you would chicken, turning frequently until golden brown and the juices run clear. Transfer to a side dish, then sauté liver and kidneys in the same pan.

For the Sauce

1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup celery, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon duck fat
1/2 teaspoon champagne vinegar
2 cups light game, chicken or vegetable stock
1 sprig each of fresh bay, thyme and oregano, tied in a bundle
1/2 cup fresh cream
2 tablespoons Creole mustard
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Melt the duck fat in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, garlic and celery and sweat until slightly softened. Moisten with champagne vinegar, then add stock and herb bundle. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced by about a third. Add cream and mustard and continue to simmer until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Discard herb bundle and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Eco-friendly and sustainable, pasture-fed rabbit is a very good source of Protein (63%), Niacin, Iron and Vitamins B6 and B12

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Breakfast

February 6, 2010 / Ren

Pancetta, raw milk cheddar cheese, slow-roasted tomatoes, pastured egg fried in butter and fresh sautéed jalapeños on sprouted wheat toast..

Pancetta, cheddar, slow-roasted tomatoes, fried egg & sautéed jalapeños on sprouted wheat toast

You won't find this at the drive-through..

Green Chili Stew with Fried Black Beans and Garlic Roasted Chicken

January 31, 2010 / Ren

Hatch chilies and roasted tomatillos are simmered in chicken stock thickened with fresh corn flour and served with cumin-fried black beans and garlic-roasted chicken..

Green Chili Stew with Fried Black Beans and Roasted Chicken

For the Beans

1 cup dried black beans
3 cups filtered water
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon leaf lard
1/4 teaspoon epazote
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh tomatoes, diced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Rinse beans and pick over. Put in a bowl, cover with cool water and allow to soak overnight. Drain, rinse and put into a heavy saucepot with 3 cups of filtered water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 1 hour. Drain, reserving some of the liquid and set aside.

Toast cumin in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant. Add lard, onions and tomatoes and cook until onions are brown and tomatoes have lost their shape. Add beans, a little bean cooking water, oregano and epazote and simmer, uncovered until tender, about 20 minutes. Add a little water if necessary to keep beans from drying out. Mash beans with the back of a wooden spoon and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Chicken

fresh chicken pieces
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Melt butter over medium heat then add garlic, paprika and chipotle and allow to steep 15 minutes. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Brush liberally with butter mixture and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 375 degree oven, turning twice until juices run clear, about 35 minutes.

For the Green Chili Stew

1 pound tomatillos
1/3 pound fresh Hatch or Anaheim chilies
1 cup chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white onion, minced and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon piloncillo or rapadura (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons coarse corn flour
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Remove stems and husks from tomatillos and rinse. Split in half across the equator then place face down in a heavy skillet and roast until browned. Transfer roasted tomatillos to the bowl of a food processor and coarsely pulse together with chilies, cilantro, garlic and onion. Transfer mixture to a heavy saucepan, add 1/2 cup chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add vinegar and piloncillo and simmer 20 minutes. Add corn flour, stir and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon fried beans in the center of a serving plate, Ladle green chili stew around the perimeter, then arrange pieces of roasted chicken over the top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and dress with crèma Mexicana or sour cream.

Just Some Good Old Roasted Chicken..

January 20, 2010 / Ren

You wouldn’t be wrong to describe this as just some good old roasted chicken, but that would partly miss the point.

This is chicken that spent it’s entire life outdoors on grass, breathing fresh air and pecking at bugs and dirt. These birds were processed on the same farm that raised them, just about an hour’s drive from here. Jane and Terry want nothing to do with chemicals or cages, and their healthy, happy birds are evidence of that stewardship.

This is God’s food, delicious, nourishing and sustaining. And that is the larger point..

Just Some Good Old Roasted Chicken

1 very fresh, whole chicken
2 tablespoons pastured butter, melted
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon sweet or smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 cup assorted fresh herbs such as sage, thyme and rosemary, coarsely chopped
coarse sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
a squeeze of fresh lemon

Cut the chicken into 8 pieces, rinse with plenty of cold, filtered water and pat dry. Sprinkle liberally with coarse salt, then wrap loosely in butcher paper and refrigerate overnight.

Remove chicken from the refrigerator, wipe away any remaining salt, blot dry and allow to stand 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, herbs and paprika, reduce heat to low and steep for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool enough to handle. Toss the chicken pieces in the herb butter and arrange skin side-up in a heavy skillet (use multiple pans if necessary to prevent crowding). Season lightly with salt and pepper and roast in a 385 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn chicken pieces over and roast 15 minutes. Turn chicken once more and roast until skin is crisp and juices run clear, about 10 minutes. Allow to rest 5 minutes, then brighten with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Serve with seasonal vegetables, perhaps.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Red Chile Pork with Pineapple Habanero Salsa, Guacamole and Fresh Corn Tortillas

January 18, 2010 / Ren

Todays’ recipes are posted at The Nourished Kitchen..

Red Chile Pork with Pineapple Habanero Salsa, Guacamole and Fresh Corn Tortillas

North African-style Kefta Kebab with Vegetable Couscous

January 14, 2010 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb is ground with cinnamon, coriander, cumin and mint before being skewered, seared and flash-roasted with fiery harissa..

Kefta Kebab with Vegetable Couscous

For the Harissa

8-10 dried red chili peppers such as arbol (hot) or ancho (mild)
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
rose water

Split the chilies and remove the stems and seeds. Toast briefly in a dry skillet then set aside to cool. Toast the whole spices until fragrant, then pour into the bowl of a food processor. Add chilies, garlic and oil and pulse into a thick paste. Adjust consistency with water and store in the refrigerator for up to one month.

(the following are adapted from recipes by Claudia Roden)

For the Couscous

Pour 1 cup couscous into an oven dish. Gradually pour in 1 cup warm salted water and allow to stand 10 minutes. Mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil, then rub the grains between your hands to break up any lumps. Place the dish into a 400 degree oven until steaming hot (about 15-20 minutes). Stir in 1/2 cup hot vegetable stock, then toss with additional olive oil, chopped parsley and mint. Add a little salt if you think it needs it.

For the Lamb

1/2 pound freshly-ground lamb, about 75% lean
1/3 small onion, grated
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
small handful fresh coriander leaves, chopped
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Roll seasoned lamb into large balls, then thread onto skewers. Press lamb into something resembling a short, thick cigar. Allow to stand 20 minutes, then sear over medium-high heat until well-browned and a crispy outer crust has formed. Paint the kebabs with harissa, then flash in a 400 degree oven until pink on the inside, about 10 minutes.

To serve family-style, place a bowl of vegetable broth in the center of a serving dish and spoon couscous around the perimeter. Drizzle the couscous with a little oil and/or broth to keep it moist, then arrange lamb kebabs over the top. Offer a pinch pot of ground cumin on the side.

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Braised “Fresh Bacon”

January 13, 2010 / Ren

Fresh pork belly is pan-seared, then braised until tender in a rich stock with fresh herbs and vegetables..

Braised Braised Fresh Bacon

Serves 2 (adapted from a recipe by Tom Colicchio)

2 6-7 oz pieces fresh, skin-on pork belly, at least 2 inches thick
2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons unroasted organic peanut oil
1 stalk celery plus a little extra, sliced
1 small carrot plus a little extra, sliced
1 large green bulb onion plus a little extra, chopped
1/4 cup arugula chiffonade
1 teaspoon dried red tomatoes, crumbled
1 clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon savory
1 teaspoon raw cider vinegar
coarse sea salt
smoked black pepper

thick slices of wild yeast sourdough
homemade coarse mustard
raw cheddar cheese
fresh rosemary

Heat the oil in a large small skillet over medium heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and put in the skillet fat side down. Cook until the skin is browned (about 15 minutes), then transfer to a plate.

Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat and add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the skillet. Cook until the vegetables are tender and slightly brown, about 20 minutes.

Return the pork belly to the skillet, fat side up, and add about 1 1/2 cups of stock (it should surround but not cover the meat). Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to a 350 degree oven. Gently simmer the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour, then add another 1/2 cup of stock. Continue cooking until tender, about 1 hour longer.

Allow the pork to cool in the braising liquid. Remove the pork from the liquid, then gently lift off and discard the skin. Score the fat, making a crosshatch pattern.

Turn up the oven to 400°F. Strain the braising liquid, discarding the solids. Return the liquid to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and skim off the fat. Return pork, fat side up, to the skillet. Add vinegar, dried tomatoes, herbs and freshly chopped vegetables, then transfer the skillet to the oven and cook until the pork is heated through and the fat nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Add arugula and serve hot with thick slices of toasted sourdough thinly-spread with coarse mustard and topped with melted asiago or raw cheddar cheese and fresh rosemary.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Pan-seared Venison Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables and Cranberry Port Reduction

January 10, 2010 / Ren

The term ‘foodshed’ is similar to the concept of a watershed: while watersheds outline the flow of water supplying a particular area, foodsheds outline the flow of food feeding a particular area. Your foodshed encompasses the farm, your table and everything in between. –foodroutes.org

Our foodshed, the Edwards Plateau of central Texas, offers an amazing abundance of food from deer, rabbit and feral hog to freshwater crayfish, bass and catfish and every manner of fruit and vegetable.

This local dish features whitetail deer, smoked bacon, sage, cranberries, sweet potatoes, parsnips and green garlic..

Pan-seared Venison Loin with Roasted Root Vegetables and Cranberry Port Reduction

For the Reduction

1/2 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1/3 cup filtered water
1 teaspoon clarified butter
1 teaspoon freshly-squeezed Mayer lemon juice
1 teaspoon more-or-less guajillo honey
1 teaspoon shallot, minced
1 tablespoon port wine
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add shallots and sauté until softened, about 2 minutes. Add cranberries and water and simmer until cranberries pop and begin to soften. Add port wine and simmer until reduced in volume by about half. Stir in lemon, season to taste with salt and pepper and add just enough honey to smooth out the tartness (the sauce should be balanced rather than sweet). Keep warm.

For the Vegetables

A seasonal variety of root vegetables, perhaps including sweet potatoes, green garlic, carrots and parsnips, cut in smallish pieces
1 teaspoon pastured butter, melted
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Toss vegetables in melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, then remove and set aside. Vegetables will be underdone at this point.

For the Venison (serves 2)

12 oz fresh, unsliced venison loin (backstrap)
2 pieces applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons sage, crumbled
1 tablespoon pastured butter
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Fry bacon in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until crisp and all the fat has rendered. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon and sage to a side dish, leaving the hot bacon fat behind. Rinse the venison, pat dry and season with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium and add butter to bacon fat fat. Once shimmering, add the venison and sear until well browned, about 3 minutes per side. Add par-roasted vegetables to the pan and place in a 400 degree oven until the venison is about 125-130 degrees at the thickest part (use a thermometer). Remove from oven and allow to stand at least 5 minutes.

To serve, spoon cranberry reduction onto the center of a serving plate. Slice venison into 3/4 inch-thick medallions and arrange around the plate along with roasted vegetables. Garnish with crumbled bacon and sage and dress with a spoonful of pan juices. Offer coarse salt on the side.

Asian Orange-Fried Pork with Braised Greens

January 5, 2010 / Ren

Local, pastured pork cutlets are marinated with sesame oil, ginger, garlic, green onions, fresh oranges and coriander before being quickly fried in chili oil and served over braised greens..

Asian Orange-Fried Pork with Braised Greens

Recipe serves 2

For the Chili Oil

8-10 small dried red chilies
1/3 cup unroasted organic peanut oil
1 1/2 tablespoons unrefined organic sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled

Remove stems and seeds from chilies, then toast in a dry, hot skillet until fragrant, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into flakes. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

Heat peanut oil and garlic in a heavy skillet over medium heat just until the 1st wisp of smoke appears. Remove pan from heat and allow to cool to about 230 degrees. Pour over pepper flakes and allow to cool 15 minutes. Stir in sesame oil, cover and allow to stand 2 hours before straining into a clean jar and transferring to the refrigerator for up to a month.

For the Marinade

1 fresh orange, peeled, sectioned, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1/4 cup sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarsely-ground Szechuan pepper
1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
2 stalks Louisiana shallots or green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons red bell pepper, chopped

2-4 pastured pork cutlets, about 3 oz each

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, taste and adjust to your liking. Add pork cutlets, toss to cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

To Prepare

Allow the pork to come to near room temperature, then heat a tablespoon of chili oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it shimmers. Remove pork from marinade, brushing away as much of it as you can before slipping it into the hot oil. Sear about 5 minutes per side, until just cooked through. Transfer the pork to a side dish, wipe out the pan and add the solids from the marinade bowl. Fry until softened, about 2 minutes. Push the fried food aside, tilt the pan and add fresh greens. Braise until wilted, about 30 seconds.

To serve, place wilted greens in the center of a serving plate, place fried pork over the top and dress with the orange mixture. Serve with red chili sauce if desired.

Fergus Henderson’s Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad

January 1, 2010 / Ren

Unctuous is the word that comes to mind when describing Fergus Henderson‘s signature Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad..

unctuous, from Latin unguere, ungere (‘to anoint’), adjective; rich, lush, intense, with layers of concentrated, soft, velvety flavor.

1872, Bayard Taylor, Beauty and The Beast; and Tales of Home, ch. 3:

The halls and passages of the castle were already permeated with rich and unctuous smells, and a delicate nose might have picked out and arranged, by their finer or coarser vapors, the dishes preparing for the upper and lower tables.

Prized by Native Americans for centuries, this CLA, kcal, mineral and vitamin-rich LDL cholesterol-lowering fat is absolutely delicious served with grilled bread and a simple salad of parsley, capers, shallots, fresh lemon and crunchy sea salt flakes..

Fergus Henderson's Roast Bone Marrow & Parsley Salad

Serves 4 (adapted from Fergus Henderson)

8 to 12 center-cut beef or veal marrow bones, 3 inches long, 3 to 4 pounds total
1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2 teaspoons capers
1 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse sea salt to taste
At least 4 1/2-inch-thick slices of crusty bread, toasted.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put bones, cut side up, on foil-lined baking sheet or in ovenproof skillet. Cook until marrow is soft and has begun to separate from the bone, about 15 minutes. (Stop before marrow begins to drizzle out.)

Meanwhile, combine parsley, shallots and capers in small bowl. Just before bones are ready, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle dressing over parsley mixture until leaves are just coated. Put roasted bones, parsley salad, salt and toast on a large plate. To serve, scoop out marrow, spread on toast, sprinkle with salt and top with parsley salad.

Spanish Chicken and Rice with Roasted Vegetables, Butifarra, Morcilla and Chorizo

December 31, 2009 / Ren

Pastured chicken pieces are roasted with winter vegetables then baked with stock-soaked bomba rice with saffron, garlic, fire-roasted tomatoes, piquillo peppers and butifarra, morcilla and chorizo sausages..

Spanish Chicken and Rice with Roasted Vegetables, Butifarra, Morcilla and Chorizo

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces
1 large carrot, oblique-cut
1 leek, split, rinsed and sliced
1-2 bulb onions, sliced
6 cloves whole, unpeeled garlic
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 cup filtered water
3/4 cup fire-roasted tomatoes
3-4 piquillo peppers, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
1 cup bomba rice, rinsed
1 quart homemade chicken stock, divided
saffron threads, crushed
1/3 pound morcilla (blood sausage), sliced
1/3 pound butifarra (white garlic sausage), sliced
1/3 pound Spanish cooking chorizo, cubed
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Melt butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in paprika, then add chicken and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, add water then roast in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and add carrot, leek, onion and garlic and put back in the oven for another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, begin cooking rice in chicken stock with saffron threads.

Remove pan from the oven and transfer chicken and garlic to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to be handled. Transfer the vegetables and cooking liquid to a Dutch oven. Add in rice and stir to combine.

Briefly sauté the sausage then add to the pot with vegetables and rice. Stir in fire-roasted tomatoes.

Peel and chop the garlic. Pull the chicken meat from the bones and tear into chunks. Add to the pot with the vegetables and pour in 1 cup of chicken stock. Cook uncovered until most of the stock has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and parsley and piquillo peppers and allow to stand 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary and serve hot.

Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings

December 29, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured bone-in rib-eye steak is basted with garlic-lime butter as it is grilled over a wood fire, then served with crispy chili-fried onion rings..

Grilled Rib-eye Steak with Garlic-Lime Butter and Chili-Fried Onion Rings

For the Compound Butter

1/4 cup pastured butter, softened
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white onions, finely diced and rinsed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
sea salt and smoked black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside until ready to use.

For the Onion Rings

1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced into rings
1 cup fresh milk
1 cup sprouted wheat flour
2 tablespoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
beef tallow for frying

Soak the onion rings in the milk for 30 minutes. Combine flour and seasonings in a bowl and set aside. Heat tallow in a heavy, high-walled skillet over medium heat just until a wisp of smoke appears, then quickly drain the onions and toss in the seasoned flour. Working in batches if necessary so as not to crowd the pan, fry the onions until golden brown. Drain briefly on a clean kitchen cloth before serving hot.

For the Steaks

Lightly oil the steaks with peanut oil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Allow to stand at room temperature for 1 hour while the fire is prepared. Grill the steaks on the hottest part of the grill for 3 minutes without moving them, then turn 90 degrees and grill 2 minutes more. Turn the steaks over, move them to the cooler side of the grill and cook to the desired degree of doneness (approximately 8 minutes for medium-rare, depending on thickness), basting frequently with compound butter.

Remove from grill, baste again and allow to stand 10 minutes before serving topped with onion rings.

Steak Tacos Clásico

December 21, 2009 / Ren

Grass-fed sirloin is quickly seared in a blazing hot skillet with garlic and onions, then slowly simmered with ancho purée and served atop roasted jalapeño tortillas with chopped yellow tomatoes, tomatillo-avocado salsa and fresh cilantro..

Steak Tacos Clásico

Ancho-Seared Duck Breast with Mole Rojo and Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

December 19, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Duck breast pan-seared in ancho and garlic-infused rendered duck fat and served with crispy duck skin, classic mole rojo and crunchy tomatillo-avocado salsa..

Ancho-Seared Duck Breast with Mole Rojo and Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

For the Ancho-Infused Duck Fat

1/3 cup rendered duck fat
1 large ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and torn
1 clove garlic, mashed
1 teaspoon organic annatto seeds
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano

Melt duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add ancho, garlic, annatto and oregano and cook just until it begins to sizzle a little. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and allow to steep 1 hour before straining into a clean container. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

For the Crunchy Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa (recipe by Rick Bayless)

8 ounces (about 4 medium) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
1/2 cup (loosely packed) coarsely chopped cilantro
Hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 small serranos or 1 small jalapeño), stemmed and roughly chopped
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin
1 small white onion, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
Salt

Roughly chop half of the tomatillos and scoop them into a food processor with the cilantro and green chiles. Measure in 1/4 cup water and process to a slushy, coarse puree. Roughly chop half the avocado, add it to the processor and pulse until it is incorporated into the salsa. Scrape into a serving dish. Scoop the onion into a small strainer and rinse under cold water. Add to the salsa. Finely chop the remaining tomatillos and add them, too. Finally, chop the remaining avocado into 1/4-inch pieces and stir them into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 3/4 teaspoon.

For the Mole Rojo

Made right, classic mole is a rather elaborate and time-consuming affair. If you haven’t made it before, I would suggest studying Rick Bayless’ recipe for Mole Rojo Classico. In a pinch, you can use store-bought El Conquistador Teloloapan Red Mole.

For the Cracklings

1/4 cup duck skin with fat, julienned
1 teaspoon Ancho-Infused Duck Fat
1/2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
coarse sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Heat duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the julienned duck skin and sauté, stirring continuously, until dark golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a napkin to drain and toss with cilantro, salt and pepper while still hot.

For the Duck

Use a sharp, thin knife to score a cross-hatch pattern into the fat side of the duck breast, taking care not to cut into the muscle. Season on all sides with salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg, then lay bay leaves against the flesh, loosely wrap in butcher’s paper and refrigerate overnight (Thomas Keller).

Allow to duck breast to sit on the counter for 20 minutes while you pre-heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the duck breast skin-side down to the hot pan, then reduce heat to medium low and cook, moving often, until the skin is golden brown and much of the fat has been rendered out.

Flip the breast over and sauté for 1 minute, then pour off the fat and place the pan in a 375 degree oven and cook until until rare, about 8 minutes. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow to rest at least 15 minutes.

Heat ancho-infused duck fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add inch-thick slices of rare duck breast and quickly sear on all sides until medium rare.

To serve, spoon mole into the center of a dinner plate. Position duck on top of the mole standing upright, dress with tomatillo-avocado salsa and garnish with cracklings.

Southwestern Ham Hash with Fried Eggs and Homemade Ancho Ketchup

December 17, 2009 / Ren

Here’s an easy and inexpensive way to use up a bit of leftover ham..

Ham Hash, Fried Egg and Ancho Ketchup

For the Ancho Puree (makes 3/4 cup)

1 cup filtered water
3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and allow to steep 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.

Combine 2 parts homemade ketchup with 1 part ancho puree, more-or-less to taste. Refrigerate up to 1 month.

For the Hash

1 tablespoon butter
2 slices ham, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 small red potatoes, cut into 1/4 dice
1/2 small Spanish onion, diced
1/4 cup poblano pepper, diced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon dill
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 scallions, sliced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped

Boil the potatoes in lightly-salted water until not quite tender. Drain, and shake the pan until that the potatoes take on a slightly “fuzzed” texture.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and fry until lightly browned. Add potatoes, peppers, ham and garlic and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until browned and slightly crusty. Mix garlic salt and spices together in a small dish and use this mixture to season the hash to taste. Add scallions and parsley and stir to combine.

To serve, spoon hash onto a serving plate and top with a fried egg. Dress with ancho ketchup and serve hot.

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

December 14, 2009 / Ren

Linguiça is a meaty-flavored, brined and lightly-smoked Portuguese sausage made with pork butt, oregano, and paprika. Reminiscent of feijoada or a small cassoulet, it is combined here with uncured, smoked bacon, garlic sausage, onions and fava beans and simmered with tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg..

Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

Serves 2

2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 large link Portuguese linguiça, sliced
1/4 cup garlic sausage, diced
2 slices uncured, smoked bacon, diced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry fava beans, blanched and peeled (use fresh when in season)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 4″ stick of cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg seed, abraded
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Fry bacon until nearly crisp. Add onions, linguiça, garlic sausage and cumin and sauté until very well browned. Pour off grease and transfer meat to a strainer and allow to drain thoroughly. De-glaze pan with a little stock, scraping up all the brown bits with the back of a wooden spoon.

Add cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, celery and the rest of the stock, reduce heat and simmer until beans are nearly tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove cinnamon and nutmeg and add the meat, tomatoes and tomato paste, celery leaves and parsley and simmer 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls. Drizzle a little good olive oil over the top and serve hot.

Red Chili Grits

December 13, 2009 / Ren

Stone-ground corn grits simmered in chicken stock with green onions and ancho puree, served with pork belly and fried eggs..

Red Chili Grits with Pork Belly and Fried Eggs

Serves 3-4 (adapted from a recipe by Taylor Ranch)

For the Grits

3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
3/4 cup organic, stone-ground coarse corn grits
1/4 cup ancho puree
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3/4 cup raw milk cheddar, grated, divided

Bring the stock to a boil, then add onion, garlic and salt & pepper. Slowly whisk in the grits and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the ancho puree, butter and half of the cheese. Spoon onto serving plate and top with additional cheese, onions and a dollop of ancho puree. Serve with fried eggs and pork belly.

For the Ancho Puree (makes 3/4 cup)

Santa Fe Hot Pot

December 10, 2009 / Ren

Human occupation of New Mexico stretches back at least 11,000 years to the Clovis culture of hunter-gatherers, who left evidence of their campsites and stone tools. After the invention of agriculture the land was inhabited by the Ancient Pueblo Peoples who built houses out of stone or adobe bricks. They experienced a Golden Age around AD 1000 but climate change led to migration and cultural evolution into the modern Pueblo peoples who lived primarily along the few major rivers of the region. (Wikipedia)

A contemporary New Mexican-style pork stew with dried beans, toasted chilies, onions, peppers, onions and sweet potatoes with cinnamon, cloves, green garlic, cumin and corn flour..

Santa Fe Hot Pot

Serves 2

1/3 cup mixed dried heirloom beans such as yellow Indian woman, tepary, pinquito & black
4 cups chicken stock, divided
1/2 pound braised feral hog (substitute leftover pork belly or pork shoulder roast), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons leaf lard (substitute bacon grease)
1/4 cup mild chili powder
2 dried New Mexico chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground cloves
1 large tomatillo, husked, rinsed and chopped
2 red Fresno chilies, sliced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/4 cup poblano pepper, chopped
1 bulb green garlic, including leaves, chopped
1/3 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon smoked black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon corn flour (not corn meal)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Rinse, pick over and soak a variety of dried beans overnight. Place in a pot with 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.

Heat lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add diced sweet potatoes and cook until browned along the edges and somewhat tender. Add onions, fresh and dried chilies, peppers and green garlic and sauté until softened.

Add tomatillo, pork, beans, stock, pork, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon and cloves, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Add corn flour, stir and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with wedges of lime and corn chips or cornbread.

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Tangerine-Glazed Pork Belly with Ginger and Green Garlic

December 9, 2009 / Ren

Fresh pork belly is cured for 24 hours with sea salt, chilies and spices before being braised in stock, white wine, cinnamon and garlic. Chilled overnight en confit, then pan-fried with green garlic, fresh ginger and tangerines..

Tangerine-Glazed Pork Belly with Ginger and Green Garlic

(adapted from recipes by Michael Symon and Emeril Lagasse)

2 pounds fresh pork belly (Prairie Pride Farm of Minnesota)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon dried red chiles, crushed
grated zest of 1 tangerine
1 red onion, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
4 garlic cloves, bruised
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry white wine
1 quart chicken stock
1 cinnamon stick

juice of 2 tangerines
2 bulbs green garlic, thinly-sliced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, julienned
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon wildflower honey
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon safflower threads
1 teaspoon roasted paprika
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Skin, trim and rinse the pork belly and pat it dry.

Combine salt, coriander, chilies and tangerine zest in a small bowl. Coat the pork belly with the mixture, cover and refrigerate 24 hours.

Place the pork belly in a Dutch oven and cover with red onion, carrot, garlic, bay, stock and wine. Put the lid on the Dutch oven and braise in a 275 degree oven until tender, about 5 hours depending on size.

Refrigerate cooled pork belly its the poaching liquid overnight.

Combine tangerine juice, safflower, paprika and cider vinegar in a small, non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in honey and cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut pork belly into 2 inch by 4 inch slabs and fry in a tablespoon of rendered pork fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown on all sides. Drain briefly on a napkin or clean kitchen towel, then place on a dinner plate and spoon tangerine mixture over the top.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

That 70’s Dinner

December 6, 2009 / Ren

If you grew up during the 60’s and 70’s (especially in the Midwest), there’s a good chance you saw your share of chopped beefsteak with mushroom gravy, real mashed potatoes and blue lake green beans. Here is that iconic comfort food made with local pastured beef, wild mushrooms, just-dug potatoes and Meredith’s homegrown green beans..

Chopped Beefsteak with Mushroom Gravy

For the Beefsteak (serves 2)

12 oz freshly ground pastured beef with at least 15% fat
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1/3 wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
3 whole cloves garlic, peeled
2 tablespoons pastured butter, divided
2 oz burgundy
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 tablespoon demi-glace
1 bunch of thyme, tied
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Form the ground beef into 2 oval-shaped patties about 1 inch thick. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

Sauté onions, garlic and mushrooms in half of the butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until well browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon the transfer the vegetables to a plate, then turn up the heat to medium-high and sear the patties to rare, using additional butter if needed.

Transfer the meat to a plate, then de-glaze the pan with the wine, scraping up all the brown bits with the back of a wooden spoon. Add beef stock and thyme and cook until reduced in volume by 1/3, about 15 minutes.

Whisk in demi-glace, then add the meat and vegetables (except the garlic, which is for the potatoes) back to the pan, reduce heat and simmer until meat is medium-rare to medium, about 5 minutes.

For the Potatoes

1 1/2 cups red potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 oz pastured butter, room temperature
1/3 cup fresh cream
3 cloves garlic, roasted and minced
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Slowly boil potatoes in salted water over medium-high heat until fork-tender. Drain and return to pan set over low heat and allow to dry 5 minutes. Cut the butter into small pieces, then whisk into the potatoes. Stir in the garlic and cream and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Beans

16 5-6 inch blue lake green beans, trimmed
1 quart filtered water
1 teaspoon pasture butter
1 teaspoon salt
bowl of ice water
2 pieces uncured, applewood smoked bacon
1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Plunge green beans into rapidly-boiling salt water and cook 1 1/2 minutes. Drain, then transfer beans to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Brown bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until almost done. Pour off grease and add butter and green beans. Sauté, turning often until tender, about 3-4 minutes. De-glaze pan with vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper.

BBQ Heritage Pork Cheeks with Charro Beans and Vegetable Escabèche

December 5, 2009 / Ren

Heritage pork cheeks are slow-roasted with tomatoes, onions, peaches and chipotle and served with long-simmered charro beans and vegetable escabèche..

BBQ Heritage Pork Cheeks with Charro Beans and Vegetable Escabèche

Melt 1 tablespoon leaf lard (substitute bacon grease) in a Dutch oven. Add trimmed pork cheeks and turn to coat lightly with melted fat, then season with salt, pepper and chipotle powder. Cover with a mixture of chopped onions, tomatoes and garlic and pour in just a little water. Seal the lid and cook until the pork is tender, about 90 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked pork to a platter, then place the Dutch oven on the burner over medium-low heat, add chopped peaches and a teaspoon of molasses and cook until thickened, about 30 minutes. Return the pork to the pot and simmer 10 minutes. Serve with charro beans and vegetable escabèche.

Smoked Duck Tostadas with Guajillo Salsa, Fried Black Beans and Avocado

December 3, 2009 / Ren

Thinly-sliced apple wood-smoked duck breast, toasted guajillo salsa, crèma Mexicana, pickled red onions & jalapeños, field greens with cilantro, fresh avocado, fried black beans and pumpkin-balsamic vinaigrette. If this doesn’t wake up your senses, you may need to consult a trained medical professional..

Smoked Duck Tostadas

For the Fried Beans

2 tablespoons leaf lard
1 cup cooked black beans
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon epazote
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt

Melt lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat and sauté cumin and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add beans with a little of their cooking liquid and mash with potato masher or the back of a spoon. Stir in epazote, oregano and salt and cook until much of the liquid has been absorbed. Cover and hold.

For the Salsa (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2 tablespoons fat or oil (I’m using leaf lard)
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
filtered water

Heat fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Split the chiles and remove the seeds. Place the chiles flat in the pan and cook, turning continuously, until bright red and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a napkin and drain.

Pour off fat, then add tomatillos and garlic. Cook until browned, about 3 minutes, then turn, sprinkle with salt and brown on the other side. Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until slightly chunky. Add water as necessary to form a thick but pour-able salsa. Taste and adjust accordingly.

For the Vinaigrette

3 oz pumpkin seed oil
1 oz aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon guajillo honey

Slowly whisk the oil into the vinegar to form an emulsion, then whisk in honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Assemble

Shallow-fry pumpkin tortillas (I got these from my local tortilleria) in a little very hot leaf lard until crisp, about 30 seconds per side, then transfer to a napkin to drain. Be sure the fat is hot, otherwise the tortillas will be greasy.

Thinly slice smoked duck breast, season with pepper and heat briefly in the tortilla pan.

Spread one tostada with guajillo salsa and crèma Mexicana, then arrange duck slices on top. Dress with pickled red onions and garnish with pickled jalapeños and fresh cilantro.

Toss assorted fresh field greens (thanks, Meredith!) in vinaigrette and place on top of the other tostada. Spoon fried beans over the top and garnish with slices of fresh avocado. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over all.

Place the tostada with the duck on top the the one with the avocado and serve immediately.

Keep Austin Weird!

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Thursday

Pan-Grilled Pork Cheeks with Toasted Guajillo Salsa

December 2, 2009 / Ren

Heritage Berkshire cheeks are marinated with lime, garlic, red onions, smoked chile powder and cumin before being pan-grilled and served with sweet potato wedges, jalapeños and toasted guajillo salsa..

Pan-Grilled Pork Cheeks with Toasted Guajillo Salsa

For the Salsa (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2 tablespoons fat or oil (I’m using leaf lard)
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
filtered water

For the Pork

1 pound pastured pork cheeks, trimmed
1 quart filtered water
1/2 lime, wedged
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 teaspoon toasted cumin
1 tablespoon smoked chili powder
1 tablespoon wildflower honey
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients and pour over pork. Allow to marinate 4 hours or overnight in the refrigerator

To prepare, drain pork and blot dry. Rub lightly with melted leaf lard and season with roasted paprika, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Grill to medium doneness, about 15 minutes. Serve with grilled sweet potato wedges or bulb onions, guajillo salsa and grilled jalapeño.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo

December 1, 2009 / Ren

Coarsely-ground pastured chicken, spinach, sweet onions, garlic and yellow tomatoes tossed with conchiglie pasta, cream, saffron, Grana Padano and fresh herbs..

Conchiglie con Salsiccia di Pollo

Serves 2

10-12 oz chicken meat (I use thigh meat), coarsely ground with 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
2 tablespoons rendered chicken fat, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh oregano, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
2 sweet bulb onions, sliced
2 fresh yellow cluster tomatoes, cored and choped
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz spelt conchiglie
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in water
1/3 cup fresh cream
1/3 cup grated Grana Padano
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
fresh lemon

Grind chicken meat with fresh spinach and stir in 1 tablespoon cold rendered chicken fat. Heat the other tablespoon of chicken fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Pinch off pieces of chicken sausage and sauté until lightly browned and crispy on the outside. Add garlic, tomatoes, onions and herbs and sauté, stirring continuously until the tomatoes release their moisture, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta al denté in 1 1/2 quarts salted boiling water, about 8 minutes. Drain, then return to burner over medium-low heat. Stir in cream and saffron, then slowly stir in grated cheese until sauce is thick and creamy.

Toss sausage mixture with pasta and sauce, brighten with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately.

Amuse-Gueules à la Canard

November 30, 2009 / Ren

What to do with a bit of leftover duck breast?

Amuse-gueule (amuse-bouche) is a small, one or two-bite creation intended to stimulate one’s taste buds prior to a meal. Here, I’ve prepared slices of seared duck breast served on garlic croûtons, topped with duck liver mousse and alternately garnished with blackberry chutney & chives, slivered ginger & red onion and fig jam & tarragon. A bit of herb salad tossed with olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar on the side..

Amuse-Gueules à la Canard

Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Blackberry and Cranberry Chutney

November 27, 2009 / Ren

Succulent, aged Moulard duck breast with thyme, bay and a hint of freshly-grated nutmeg is pan-seared, then quickly roasted to a perfect medium-rare. Served with Armagnac-flamed pan juices, asparagus with garlic and parsley root, and gingered wild blackberry and cranberry chutney..

Pan-Roasted Moulard with Blackberry/Cranberry Chutney

For the Chutney

1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon rendered duck fat
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup wild blackberries
salt and pepper

Sauté the onions in duck fat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, vinegar, honey and cranberries. Lower heat, cover and simmer until all the cranberries have popped, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Adjust sweetness/tartness with a little vinegar or honey if you think it needs it, then season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper. The finished mixture should be thick.

For the Duck (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

1/2 fresh Moulard duck breast (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Armagnac

Flip the breast over and sauté for 1 minute, then pour off the fat and place the pan in a 375 degree oven until almost medium-rare, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, de-glaze the pan with Armagnac, and add a small knob of butter. Sauté diced parsley root until tender/crisp, then add garlic and thinly-sliced asparagus (a great way to use up leftover stalks) and sauté until the asparagus is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice the duck breast on a 1/4-inch bias and arrange on a warmed plate. Spoon asparagus and pan juices over the top and garnish with blackberry/cranberry chutney.

Lamb Vindaloo with Cardamom Pea Puree

November 24, 2009 / Ren

Lamb is slow-simmered in coconut milk, onions, garlic and coarse mustard, then topped with curry-fried onions and served with puréed peas with cardamom. A classic Goan dish..

Lamb Vindaloo with Cardamom Pea Puree

For the Vindaloo

1 1/2 pounds boneless lamb (I’m using leftover roast leg of lamb)
1 yellow onion, quartered and thinly sliced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ghee
1 teaspoon cracked coriander seeds
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons coarse mustard
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
1-2 fresh hot chiles, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups thick coconut milk

Combine the vinegar, mustard and spices in a bowl. Stir into a thick paste.

Fry the onions in ghee until golden brown, then add the garlic and ginger and sauté 30 seconds. Add the spice paste and fry for 1 minute, stirring continuously. Add the lamb and fry for 3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, stir in coconut milk, cover and simmer until tender, about 75 minutes. Stir occasionally and add a little water if needed.

For The Peas

12 oz fresh English peas
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground green cardamom
1 cup filtered water or stock, approximately
1 tablespoon curly parsely
salt and pepper

Boil the peas in 1/4 inch of water with butter and cardamom until just tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor , add parsley and pulse until nearly smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Curry-Fried Onions

1/4 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
sprigs of fresh parsley

Heat ghee over medium heat until shimmering, then add onions and curry powder and fry until crisp. Add parsley and fry a few seconds more. Season with a little salt and let drain on a napkin for a few moments.

To Serve

Spoon pea purée onto a serving plate and ladle vindaloo over the top. Garnish with curry-fried onions and parsley and serve immediately.

Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb with Minted English Peas

November 22, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Local pastured leg of lamb is coated with fresh rosemary, garlic, coarse salt and cracked pepper then slow-roasted and served au jus with fresh peas, spearmint and fried shallots..

Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb with Minted English Peas

Rinse leg of lamb and pat dry. Remove the fell (a thin membrane covering the fat) if present, then coat with extra virgin olive oil and liberal amounts of fresh rosemary, garlic, sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Chop enough equal parts celery, white onion and carrots (mirepoix) to cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Pour in 1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon then set the lamb on top. Roast uncovered in a 325 degree oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest section reads 125-130 degrees, about 75 minutes depending on size. Transfer lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely and allow to rest 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 cups cold filtered water to the roasting pan and stir to scrape up the brown bits. Place over medium heat and cook until reduced by half. Strain into a clean pan and adjust flavor with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Blanch fresh English peas in 1/4 inch of filtered water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. Heat butter in a heavy skillet and add a thinly sliced whole shallot. Fry until golden, then add minced lemon peel and cook 30 seconds. Add drained peas and lots of chopped fresh mint and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon peas onto a serving plate and arrange 1/2 inch-thick sliced of lamb over the top. Dress with reduced pan juices and serve immediately.

Ancho-Grilled Sirloin with Avocado and Papaya Pesto

November 21, 2009 / Ren

Grass-fed sirloin is dry-rubbed with freshly-ground ancho chiles, roasted paprika, cumin, smoked pepper and sea salt and then pan-grilled and served with a raw avocado oil-based pesto containing cilantro, garlic, bits of dried papaya, macadamia nuts and chipotle powder..

Ancho-Grilled Sirloin

For the Dry Rub

2 ancho (dried poblano) chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 tablespoon roasted paprika
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon rapadura
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked black pepper

Place all ingredients into a coffee or spice grinder and pulse into a fine powder. Place in an airtight container and store away from heat and light for up to 3 months.

For the Pesto

1/3 cup raw avocado oil
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1/2 fresh lime
1 tablespoon unsweetened dried papaya
1 1/2 tablespoons macadamia, pistachio or hazlenuts
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder
salt and pepper

Place all ingredients except oil into the cup of a food processor and pulse a couple of times until coarsely chopped. Stir in oil then adjust flavor with salt and pepper.

To prepare

Rinse and pat dry 1 or more 1 inch-thick sirloin steaks. Coat all sides with spice rub, then wrap loosely in butcher paper and refrigerate 3 or more hours.

Allow steaks to sit on the counter 30 minutes, then grill 3 minutes per side in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Transfer skillet to a 400 degree oven and cook until medium-rare, about 10 minutes.

Transfer steaks to a cutting board and allow to stand 5 minutes before carving into 1/2 inch-thick slices. Garnish with crumbled goat cheese and dress with pesto.

Mesquite Grilled Beef Heart Burrito

November 18, 2009 / Ren

Be sure to read Millie’s post about the nutrient value of traditional foods!

Grass-fed beef heart is marinated and grilled over a mesquite fire before being simmered with tomatoes, garlic and smoky chipotles en adobo..

Mesquite Grilled Beef Heart Burrito

For the Chile con Queso Asadero

1 cup fresh whole milk
2 cups grated Asadero cheese (substitute Monterrey jack)
2 fresh Serrano chiles, thinly sliced
1 fresh red jalapeño chile, thinly sliced
sea salt
freshly-ground black pepper

Heat milk and chiles over a double boiler, stirring frequently until small bubbles begin to break the surface. Slowly whisk in grated cheese and stir until thick and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper, reduce heat and keep warm.

For the Burritos (serves 4)

1 fresh grass-fed beef heart
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
1/2 Spanish onion, diced
juice of 1 fresh lime
1/3 cup melted beef tallow (substitute leaf lard or rendered bacon fat)
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted paprika
2 chipotles en adobo
sea salt
freshly-ground black pepper
4 large flour tortillas

Trim fresh beef heart of any sinew and gristle, rinse with fresh water, cut into 3-inch chunks and place in a colander set over a sink and allow to drain 20 minutes. Transfer heart to a non-reactive bowl and marinate in melted tallow, garlic and lime juice while you prepare the grill.

Transfer marinated beef heart to a medium-hot mesquite fire and grill to medium rare as you would a steak. Transfer grilled heart to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle, then chop roughly. Kill the fire, but leave grill covered to retain heat.

Place 2 tablespoons of the tallow marinade in a heavy skillet over medium heat. As soon as the fat begins to shimmer, add the onions, garlic and chopped beef heart and sauté until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat and add tomatoes, oregano, paprika and chipotles en adobo. Add 1/4 cup water, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, partially cover and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes.

To assemble, heat fresh tortillas on the grill or on a comal then heap filling in the center. Spoon a little cheese sauce over the filling, then fold envelope-style. Place burritos back on the grill, cover and heat 5 minutes. Transfer burritos to plates and spoon cheese sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with pickled cabbage or pickled red onions for a nice contrast to the richness of the burritos.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Potatoes Gratiné

November 17, 2009 / Ren

A slightly different take on a classic dish, these Potatoes Gratiné forgo the usual cheese and cream in favour of bacon, onions and fresh tri-color sage..

Potatoes Gratiné

Serves 2-3 as a side dish

approx. 18-20 fingerling potatoes, quartered
1/2 small yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 pound un-cured bacon or fresh pork belly, diced
1 small bunch tri-color sage (Salvia officinalis Tricolor)
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground smoked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
2 pieces of stale bread
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Sauté bacon or pork belly in a heavy skillet until about half cooked, then add potatoes. Cook, stirring often, until the potatoes are golden brown and tender and the bacon is nearly crisp. Add onions, garlic and sage and cook until onions are translucent. Pour of excess fat then season potatoes to taste with sea salt and smoked pepper. Transfer to a small casserole and set aside.

Cut or tear stale bread into small pieces and combine with chopped parsley and melted butter. Scatter the gratin over the top of the potatoes then place the casserole 8 inches under the broiler until toasted.

Chicken Neeka

November 14, 2009 / Ren

Paprika-roasted chicken with Spanish onion, Roma tomatoes, sweet peppers, lemon, garlic and fresh herbs, served with pecorino-safflower orzo..

Chicken Neeka

Serves 2-3

For the Orzo

1 cup orzo (semolina pasta)
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups filtered water
2 tablespoons safflower threads (Carthamus tinctorius), crushed
1/4 cup aged pecorino, shredded
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

Bring chicken stock and water to a boil. Stir in orzo, reduce heat, cover and cook until barely tender (about 10 minutes). Drain off all but a little water, then stir in the pecorino and parsley.

For the Chicken

2 pastured chicken breasts, cut in thirds
2 pastured chicken thighs, cut in half
melted butter
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon roasted paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1 Spanish onion, chopped
4-6 sweet peppers, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes cut into wedges
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped
1 fresh lemon

Rinse the chicken and pat dry. Place chicken in a heavy skillet, brush with melted butter and season with roasted paprika, sea salt and pepper. Chop tomatoes, onions and peppers and scatter around the pan. Place in a 400 degree oven until the chicken is crisp and juices run clear, about 20-25 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a side dish and put the skillet containing the vegetables on a burner over medium heat.

De-glaze the skillet with the juice of a lemon, then stir in garlic and sauté 30 seconds. Stir in the chopped oregano, basil and parsley, then whisk in the butter, one piece at a time.

To serve

Spoon orzo into the center of a plate and place chicken pieces on top. Spoon vegetables and sauce over the chicken, garnish with herbs and serve immediately.

: Neeka

Chili con Calabaza Asada (Roasted Pumpkin Chili)

November 11, 2009 / Ren

Oven-roasted pumpkin, fried pork belly, fresh & dried chiles, onions, toasted corn, cumin and oregano..

Chili con Calabaza Asada (Roasted Pumpkin Chili)

Serves 2

1-2 small pie pumpkins, roasted
3-4 dried chiles such as Ancho, Pasilla, New Mexico and Chipotle
1 fresh poblano pepper, chopped
1 Serrano or 2 jalapeño peppers, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/4 pound pork belly, diced (can eliminate if vegetarian)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup black beans, cooked (optional)
3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
salt & pepper
water

Split the pumpkins lengthwise through the stem and scrape out the seeds and stringy material. Season with salt and pepper and roast in a 400 degree oven until softened, about 15 minutes. Set aside to cool, then scrape out the flesh with the edge of a spoon.

Meanwhile, place the dried chiles in a bowl of hot water for 15 minutes. Remove from water, split and remove stems and seeds. Process in a food processor until a smooth paste is formed., corn,

Cook pork belly over medium-low heat until crisp. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, then add the cumin seed and toast until fragrant.

Add the peppers and onions and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the corn, garlic, pumpkin and oregano and stir to combine.

Stir in the the chile paste, then thin with a little water (use the soaking water if you like). Add beans if using, then reduce heat to low, partially cover and simmer until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls and serve with fried corn tortillas.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Penang Goat Curry

November 6, 2009 / Ren

Pastured goat seared, then slowly simmered in coconut red curry with fried tomatoes, onions and Thai dragon peppers, with fresh ginger, garlic and Kaffir lime leaves..

Penang Goat Curry

Serves 2

1 pound goat stew meat
2 plum tomatoes, diced
1 small white onion, diced
1 teaspoon freshly-grated ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 red or green chiles
1 tablespoon traditionally-fermented soy sauce
1 tablespoon poivron rouge
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon true cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves, ground
2 kaffir lime leaves, slivered
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup thick, raw coconut milk
1 cup filtered water
coconut oil or ghee for frying

In Austin, pastured goat and kaffir lime are available from Farmhouse Delivery.

Trim goat meat of fat and silver-skin and cut into 1-inch cubes. Thoroughly rinse then pat dry. Heat raw coconut oil or ghee in a heavy skillet over medium heat until the first wisp of smoke appears. Add the goat and sear until dark brown with a slight surface crustiness. Transfer meat to a plate.

Stirring frequently, fry tomatoes, onions and chiles until until the onions are translucent and the tomatoes lose some of their moisture. Add ginger, garlic and dry spices and cook until a thick paste is formed.

Add coconut milk, goat meat and lime leaves and simmer until goat is tender, about 75 minutes. Stir the pot now and then, adding water as needed to keep it from thickening too much.

Taste for salt, then add chopped cilantro just before serving.

This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

Lamb Keftedes

November 5, 2009 / Ren

A traditional Greek offering of local, pastured lamb, toasted spices and fresh herbs, garlic, lemon and extra-virgin olive oil..

Lamb Keftedes

Makes about 8-10 Meatballs (adapted from a recipe by Michael Symon)

1/4 cup white onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup day-old bread, torn into cubes
1/4 cup fresh, whole milk
1/2 pound freshly-ground lamb, 75% lean
1 pastured egg
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon nibs
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
sprouted wheat flour for dusting
clarified butter
fresh oregano, torn
fresh mint, torn
1 fresh lemon

Toast the cinnamon, cumin and coriander in a dry skillet until fragrant, then set aside to cool. Meanwhile, sauté the onion with a pinch of salt in a little clarified butter over medium heat until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until softened, about another 2 minutes. Set aside.

Soak the bread in the milk.

Grind the toasted spices and cinnamon together in a mortar, then combine with the black pepper and nutmeg.

In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, garlic and lamb. Squeeze out the bread and add to the lamb along with the spices, pepper and torn oregano. Mix everything together by hand.

Form the meat mixture into golf ball-sized balls then roll in the flour, gently shaking off any excess.

Heat clarified butter in a heavy pan over medium heat, then add the meatballs to the pan. Pan-fry until golden brown and crusty on the outside, then drain briefly on paper towels.

Arrange the meatballs on a plate, drizzle with olive oil then season with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper. Garnish with lemon zest and oregano and serve with olives and lemon wedges.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!

Roast Squash Coloradito

November 4, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Roasted sweet dumpling squash stuffed with poblano peppers, Spanish onions, smoked bacon and toasted corn, served over a spicy mole Coloradito..

Roast Squash Coloradito

For the Sauce

Simmer 1/4 cup mole Coloradito paste (a somewhat complicated combination of Ancho and Guajillo chiles, almonds, sesame seeds, tomatoes, garlic, oregano, cinnamon, banana and pumpkin seeds) with 3/4 cup vegetable stock. Keep warm.

For the Roasted Squash

Split, trim and seed one or more small, suitable baking squash (such as the thin-skinned sweet dumpling variety, shown here). Scoop out and discard the stringy fibers, leaving 1/2 inch flesh. Brush with ghee or melted butter, season with salt and smoked pepper and roast in a 375 degree oven until tender and caramelized, about 40 minutes. Keep warm.

For the Filling

4 pieces of un-cured smoked bacon, cut into large dice
1 Poblano pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 red bell or sweet pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup fresh corn kernels
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon in a heavy skillet until nearly crisp. Add vegetables and continue to cook until barely tender. Fill the cavity of the squash with the vegetable mixture, season with salt and pepper and return to the oven until heated through, about 7 minutes.

To Serve

Spread mole in the center of a warmed plate and place roasted squash on top. Toss some toasted pumpkin seeds and a little chopped cilantro at it and serve immediately.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Pan-Roasted Quail with Wild Rice Stuffing and Blackberry Jus Lie

November 2, 2009 / Ren

Semi-boneless quail seasoned with sea salt and smoked pepper and stuffed with wild rice, pecans, scallions and porcini mushrooms. Served with blackberry jus lié.

I wish the plate presentation were better, but I was scrambling like mad before losing the light. Oh, well..

Pan-Roasted Quail with Wild Rice Stuffing and Blackberry Jus Lie

Serves two

For the Rice

1 cup wild rice
chicken stock instead of water, in the quantity specified on the rice package
2 whole porcini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/4 chopped pecans
1 clove garlic, minced
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
sea salt and black pepper

Cook the rice and set aside to cool. Sauté mushrooms, pecans, garlic, scallions and sage until the pecans are golden brown then stir into the cooled rice. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.

For the Quail

4 semi-boneless quail
2 tablespoons pastured butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon poivron rouge
sea salt and smoked blacked pepper

Rinse and pat dry the quail. Tuck the wing tips. Use a teaspoon or your fingers to stuff in as much rice as the bird will comfortably hold.

Transfer the birds to a skillet. Mix together the melted butter and paprika and use that to paint the birds with. Place in a 375 degree oven until golden brown and the juices run clear, about 18 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.

For the Jus Lié

2 pieces uncured, applewood-smoked bacon, diced
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup blackberries
2 oz port
2 tablespoons glace de poulet
2 tablespoons filtered water

Sauté bacon and shallots in a tablespoon of the drippings from the pan that the quail was roasted in. Once the bacon is crisp, de-glaze the pan with port and add the blackberries. Stir and cook until the berries begin to break apart, then add demi-glace and water. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, then strain or not, as you see fit.

To Serve

Split quail in half lengthwise and spoon sauce over the top. Serve immediately.

Smoky Pork Tinga Tacos

October 31, 2009 / Ren

Smoky pulled pork, pickled red onions, avocado and crumbled goat cheese on roasted jalapeño tortillas..

Pork Tinga Tacos (Tacos de Tinga Poblana)

For the Pickled Onions (adapted from a recipe by David Lebovitz)

3/4 cup organic white vinegar
3 tablespoons rapadura
pinch of sea salt
1 bay leaf
5 allspice berries
5 whole cloves
a small, dried chile pepper
1 star aniseseed
1 clove garlic, bruised
1 large red onion, peeled, and thinly sliced into rings

Bring all ingredients except onions to a boil in a non-reactive saucepan. Reduce heat and add the onions. Simmer 30 seconds, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Pickled onions may be eaten the day they are made, but taste best after 3 days in the refrigerator.

For the Tinga Poblana (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2/3 pound pulled pork (I’ve used yesterday’s leftover Cuban pork)
1 red potato, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 Roma tomato, cut into 1/4″ dice
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 tablespoon leaf lard or pastured butter
1 cup chicken stock
1-2 chipotle chiles en adobo, chopped, plus 1-2 tablespoons sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon smoked chile powder (optional)
sea salt

Sauté diced potatoes and cumin seed in a tablespoon of leaf lard until soft but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, chipotle en adobo and oregano and cook until tomatoes have released all their water, about 5 minutes.

Add pork, chicken stock, chile powder and Worcestershire, cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add chicken stock as necessary to keep the pork from drying out. Season to taste with sea salt.

To serve, place pork mixture in the center of a tortilla (steamed corn or freshly griddled flour tortillas) and dress with pickled red onions. Add slices of fresh avocado, crumbled goat cheese and chopped cilantro.

Lechon Asado (Cuban Roast Pork)

October 30, 2009 / Ren

Mojo-marinated, slow-roasted pork shoulder with sour orange juice, cumin, oregano and fresh peppers, served with black beans and saffron rice..

Lechón Asado (Cuban Roast Pork)

For the Mojo (Cuban Marinade, Three Guys from Miami)

8-10 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup sour orange juice, or 1/2 cup orange juice plus 1/4 cup each fresh lemon and lime juice

Use a large mortar and pestle to mash all the ingredients (except orange juice) into a paste. Transfer paste to a bowl and combine with the orange juice. Allow to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

For the Pork

Marinate the pork in the mojo for 4 hours (refrigerated). Remove the pork from the marinade and pat dry. Heat some fat in a Dutch oven set over medium heat, then brown the pork well on all sides. Transfer the pork to a plate and pour off all but a tablespoon or two of fat from the Dutch oven.

Toast a tablespoon of whole cumin seeds in the Dutch oven, then add a cup of chopped red onion, 3 minced garlic cloves and 1/3 cup of Cubanelle, bell and/or jalapeño peppers and sauté until softened and fragrant.

Nestle the pork shoulder (fat side up) in the vegetables, then pour in 1 cup of chicken stock and the marinade. Add some wedges of lemon and lime and a palm-full of chopped fresh oregano. Cover and cook in a 200 degree oven until fork tender, about 3-4 hours depending on the size of the roast.

Remove from the oven, uncover and let stand 20 minutes.

For the Rice

Cook long-grain aged basmati in chicken stock until tender, adding water-soaked saffron during the last few minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt & pepper and garnished with chopped parsley.

For the Beans

Soak black beans overnight in filtered water before preparing in the usual fashion. Stir in some of the vegetables from the Dutch oven during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

To Serve

Spoon rice onto a serving plate then top with beans. Use 2 forks to pull the pork into chunks and place alongside the rice and beans. Spoon some of the vegetables and pan juices over the pork and serve immediately.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

This post is part of the Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays!

Rustic Roast Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Sausage

October 29, 2009 / Ren

Pastured chicken, sweet peppers, sausage, fresh herbs and garlicky croûtons. One of my personal favorites..

Rustic Roast Chicken with Sweet Peppers and Sausage

For the Bone Broth (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

5 pounds chicken parts such as necks, bones, backs, wings and feet
1 gallon cold, filtered water
1 3/4 cups carrots cut into 1-inch cubes
2 heaping cups leeks cut into 1-inch pieces (white and light green parts only)
1 1/2 cups Spanish onions cut into 1-inch pieces
1 bay leaf

Keller writes “As with all stocks, the goal is to remove impurities while extracting as much flavor and gelatin as possible from the bones, and the maximum flavor from the vegetables and aromatics. You do this not only through gentle heat, but through gradual heat transitions as well; in other words, you don’t start with hot water, you begin with cold and bring it slowly up to heat”.

Rinse the chicken parts thoroughly under cold water to remove any remaining blood. This helps to ensure that the resulting stock is clear, not cloudy.

Put all the bones into a large stock pot and add a gallon of cold water, just enough to cover the bones. Slowly bring the liquid to a simmer and begin to skim as soon as the impurities rise to the top. Continue to simmer and skim until as much of the impurities have been removed as possible.

Add the vegetables and bay leaf and continue to simmer and skim for 45 minutes. This recipes produces a lightly-flavored, gelatinous stock suitable for soups and braising. For a stronger stock, simply continue to simmer and skim until the liquid has been reduced by 1/3 in volume.

Turn off the heat and let the stock rest 10 minutes to allow any particles left in the stock to settle to the bottom.

Ladle the finished stock through a strainer lined with a tea towel into a suitably large container, then transfer into quart jars set in a pan of ice water. Allow to cool to room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator to keep for up to 3 days.

For the Vegetables

Split a number of sweet peppers, Spanish onion and plum tomatoes in half lengthwise and place cut side down in a skillet or on a parchment paper-lined tray. Roast in a 375 degree oven until blistered but not blackened, about 30 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool enough to handle, then pull the skins off the peppers and tomatoes.

Coarsely chop the vegetables with fresh basil and oregano and set aside.

For the Chicken

Split large breasts and thighs into 2-3 pieces each and season lightly with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper. Melt a couple of tablespoonfuls of chicken fat in a heavy skillet. Add the chicken as soon as the fat is shimmering but not smoking, and brown well on all sides. Transfer chicken to a plate.

Cut 1-2 pieces of Italian sausage on a deep bias so that there is a lot of exposed surface area. Brown the sausage in the same pan that you used for the chicken.

Arrange chicken and sausage in a Dutch oven containing 1 cup of bone broth as shown below. Scatter roasted vegetables over the top, and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place uncovered in a 375 oven until the chicken has finished cooking, about 15 minutes.

For the Croûtons

Steep a clove of garlic in pastured butter for a few minutes, then toss in roughly-torn pieces of bread and fry until golden brown. Add chopped parsley and give the croûtons one more toss before setting aside.

To assemble, arrange alternating pieces of chicken and sausage on a plate and top with vegetables. Tuck in some croûtons here and there, then drizzle all with some of the roasting juices. Garnish with additional chopped herbs and serve immediately.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday

Beef Heart Chili

October 27, 2009 / Ren

I’ve been making and eating chili for a very long time now (some examples here and here), but I can honestly say that this is the most intensely-flavored, beefy–tasting pot I’ve ever had. The secret? Well, there are a couple.

Beef Heart Chili

Let’s look at the ingredients..

its all about the ingredients

This is a fairly mild chili, but you can certainly increase the heat with jalapeño or Serrano peppers if you desire.

Clockwise from the bottom-left, we have 70% lean coarse-ground grass-fed beef, chiles Chipotle Dorado, New Mexico and Ancho, beef tallow, white onion, ripe plum tomato, Mexican Oregano, annatto seeds, cumin seed, sea salt, black pepper, long-neck garlic, coarse corn flour and freshly-ground beef heart.

Start by splitting the chiles with a scissors and removing the stems and seed clusters. Its a good idea to wear gloves while doing this- I keep of box of recyclable medical gloves for this purpose.

Lay the split chiles out flat on a dry comal or heavy skillet along with some whole cumin seeds and toast over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Don’t let anything burn or it will be bitter.

Transfer the toasted chiles, cumin and annatto seeds to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into a semi-fine powder. Set aside.

Melt beef tallow in a heavy skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Working in batches so as not to crowd the pan, add ground beef and heart and sear until well browned. Transfer meat to a Dutch oven, then sauté onions and garlic in the same pan.

Add the onions, garlic, oregano and diced tomato to the meat along with about 2 cups of filtered water for each 1 1/2 pounds of meat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Stir in the corn flour and simmer another 15 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if necessary and serve garnished with finely minced tomato, white onion and cilantro. Offer beans and/or tortillas on the side if you wish.

Beef heart is very high in iron, riboflavin, selenium and vitamin B12 and high in niacin, phosphorus and zinc, and has an extraordinary amount of cancer-fighting CoQ10. The appearance, texture and taste are indistinguishable from that of high-quality ground beef, except that it has a beefier flavor than hamburger.

Kentucky Bourbon-Glazed Chicken

October 23, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured chicken brined overnight with garlic, peppercorns and lemon peel, then slow-roasted with homemade coarse mustard, wild honey, fresh tarragon and Kentucky bourbon..

Kentucky Bourbon-Glazed Chicken

For the Brine (adapted from a sub-recipe by Thomas Keller)

8 cups filtered water
1/3 cup kosher salt
2 oz raw honey
6 bay leaves
10 unpeeled garlic cloves
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a pot and boil for 1 minute to dissolve the salt. Transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Add chicken pieces to the brine and press to submerge. Refrigerate overnight.

For the Glaze

1/4 cup homemade coarse mustard
2 tablespoons raw honey
2 tablespoons pastured butter, melted
1 1/2 oz good Kentucky bourbon
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white onion, minced
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, minced
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, minced
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

To prepare

Drain chicken and pat dry. Lightly coat on all sides with glaze , then place in a 325 degree oven for 20 minutes. Turn up the heat to 375 and cook another 10-15 minutes until the skin has crisped and the juices run clear.

Traditional Maryland Fried Chicken, Cream Gravy

October 22, 2009 / Ren

While the exact origin of Maryland Fried Chicken isn’t known for certain, a dish by this name did show up on the menu of New York’s Grand Union Hotel as early as 1878..

Traditional Maryland Fried Chicken

Serves 2-4 depending on appetite and accompaniments

1 whole pastured frying chicken, cut up
3 cups fresh whole milk plus the juice of 1 fresh lemon

2 cups sprouted wheat flour
1 tablespoon freshly-ground pepper
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon each dried thyme, oregano and basil

4 oz ghee or clarified, pastured butter
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced

1 cup fresh cream
1 cup chicken stock

fresh parsley, chopped

Wash chicken and place in a non-reactive bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover then refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Combine flour, pepper, salt, paprika and dried herbs in a bowl. Lift a piece of chicken with one hand, let the milk run off, then place into the flour mixture. Use the other hand to coat the chicken and place onto a plate. Repeat until all the chicken has been lightly but thoroughly dredged.

Heat the butter in a high-walled iron skillet over medium heat to about 325-330 degrees (this is why you need a fat such as clarified butter with a high smoke-point), then carefully place the chicken in the pan, working in batches if necessary. Don’t crowd the pan too much. Turning as little as possible, cook until well browned on all sides. Transfer chicken to a heat-proof dish and finish in a 275 degree oven while you make the gravy (assuming another 15 minutes or so).

Add the onion and garlic to the pan that the chicken was cooked in and fry until golden. Scrape up the brown bits with the side of a wooden spoon, then whisk in enough of the remaining seasoned flour to form a thick paste (roux). Stirring continuously, cook until the flour is no longer raw, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, heat cream and chicken stock just to the boiling point. Whisk in roux and cook until gravy has thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The chicken may be served with the gravy over the top or on the side, as you prefer.

: Traditional Maryland Fried Chicken

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Thursday

Roasted Asparagus and Maitake Soup

October 20, 2009 / Ren

Oven-roasted asparagus tips, maitake mushroom, ginger, green onions, poached duck egg and brown rice in a healing miso bone broth..

Roasted Asparagus and Maitake Soup

Lightly coat fresh asparagus tips and Maitake mushrooms (Hen of the Woods) with melted pastured butter. Season with freshly-cracked pepper (no salt) and roast in a 400 degree oven until the asparagus begins to caramelize and the mushrooms begin to crisp on the edges. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook organic short-grain brown rice in homemade chicken stock with the melted butter and juices from the roasted vegetables until just tender, about 50 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low and add crushed garlic, minced fresh ginger, thinly sliced green onions and coarsely chopped maitake. Stir to combine.

Carefully pour one or more duck eggs from a dish directly into the simmering soup. Cover and cook until the eggs are set, about 7 minutes more-or-less.

Remove from heat a stir in a spoonful of miso.

Garnish with a little red pepper and some pea shoots or micro-greens and serve immediately.

: Roasting vegetables intensifies their flavor

: Roasted Asparagus and Maitake Soup

Sweet Potato, Bacon and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

October 18, 2009 / Ren

Fresh flour tortillas spread with mole rojo and topped with pan-roasted sweet potatoes, bacon, red onions, poblano peppers with crumbled goat cheese and fresh cilantro..

Assembling Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Sauté diced bacon in a heavy skillet until some of the fat has rendered and it begins to brown. Add diced sweet potatoes and continue to cook until browned and softened.

Add cumin seeds, diced red onions, diced poblano peppers and sauté until softened. Add Mexican oregano and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Lightly spread fresh tortillas with thinned mole rojo (a thick paste of Ancho and Guajillo chiles, onion, tomatoes, pecans, peanuts, sesame, garlic, oregano and a hint of chocolate).

Top tortillas with sautéed vegetables, fresh cilantro and crumbled goat cheese. Place a second tortillas over the top and press the edges together to form a seal.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly, then cut into wedges and top with fresh diced avocado, quartered grape tomatoes, diced white onion, garlic, s&p and avocado or olive oil.

Classic Pot Roast

October 17, 2009 / Ren

Slow-cooked grass-fed chuck roast with mushroom pan gravy, fresh herbs and roasted winter vegetables..

Classic Pot Roast with Mushroom Pan Gravy and Roasted Root Vegetables

Blot roast dry with paper towels and sprinkle all surfaces with kosher salt. Wrap loosely and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Pre-heat a Dutch oven over medium heat and pre-heat oven to 225 degrees.

Melt 1 tablespoon pastured butter in Dutch oven. Blot roast dry, wiping off any remaining salt and add to the pot. Brown 5 minutes per side without moving in between.

Add 1/2 cup Burgundy or other hearty red wine, 1 small yellow onion, chopped, 1 carrot chopped, 2 cloves of garlic, chopped, a few peppercorns and a mixture of fresh herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and sage.

Cover and braise for 1 1/2 hours. Remove from oven, add 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes, turn the roast, cover and return to oven until fork-tender, about 1 1/2 – 2 hours.

Meanwhile, prepare root vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, leeks and fingerling potatoes. Dress with melted butter, season liberally with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper and roast alongside the beef for 1 hour.

Remove the beef from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Cover loosely with foil and allow to rest. Meanwhile, turn the oven up to 375 degrees and let the vegetables get well browned.

Meanwhile, strain the liquid from the Dutch oven into a clean pot. Reduce slightly over medium heat, then thicken by whisking in a bit of roux. Add sautéed mushrooms and a little demi-glace if you have it. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper if needed.

Slice roast against the grain into 1/2 inch slices and arrange on a plate. Tuck roasted vegetables alongside and ladle mushroom gravy over the beef. Serve with horseradish on the side if you like.

Asian Beef Noodle Soup

October 16, 2009 / Ren

A little bit like ramen and a little bit like Phở, this healthy, nourishing soup is made from homemade beef stock, shiitake mushrooms, buckwheat soba, fresh scallions, grass-fed beef, herbs and whole spices..

Preparing Asian Beef Noodle Soup

Serves 2

(adapted from a recipe by Jennifer Iserloh)

4 shiitake mushroom caps
4 oz grass-fed beef (I’m using a small muscle cut from a chuck roast)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2-inch piece ginger, peeled & minced
1 finely minced hot chile pepper
1/2 teaspoon star anise
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Szechuan pepper
1/2 package organic buckwheat soba
1 cup beef stock
2 cups seasonal herbs and greens (I have pea shoots, cress, cilantro and basil), coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon traditional fermented shoyu

Set the trimmed beef in the freezer to firm up so that it is easier to slice.

Grind the anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon and Szechuan pepper together in a spice grinder (you’ve just made Chinese Five Spice).

Pre-heat a heavy skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes. Add the butter, then quickly sauté the mushrooms, ginger, chiles and garlic until fragrant. Sprinkle a little of the 5 spice over the top and stir to combine. Unused 5 spice will keep in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Add the broth, noodles and shoyu. Cover and cook until the noodles are tender, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice the beef across the grain as thinly as you possibly can. As soon as the noodles are tender, drop the meat into the boiling broth and give it a swirl. Add the fresh herbs, greens and scallions and heat until wilted, about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

Chili Cheese Grits

October 15, 2009 / Ren

Tonight’s challenge was to make something nourishing, tasty and inexpensive using mostly SOLE foods (sustainable, organic, local and ethical).

These chili cheese grits, made from local grass-fed beef and stone-ground yellow grits succeed on all points, I think..

Chili Cheese Grits

For the Grits

1/2 cup organic, coarse yellow grits
2 cups fresh whole milk
1/4 teaspoon organic turmeric (optional)
1/4 teaspoon organic annatto powder (optional)
1 small jalapeño, finely diced
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 cup raw cheddar cheese, grated
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper
filtered water

Slowly bring the milk to a slow boil over medium heat. Add grits in a slow, steady stream while whisking vigorously.

Add jalapeño (and turmeric & annatto if using), reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, until grits are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Stir in butter, cheese and cilantro. Thin with water if necessary and season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Chile

1/2 pound 80% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon beef tallow
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 small dried New Mexico or Ancho chile, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 plum tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chile paste
1/4 cup filtered water
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Toast cumin seeds in tallow. Add ground beef, dried chiles and onions and cook until browned.

Add tomatoes, oregano, chili paste and water and simmer 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

To serve, spoon chili into a bowl. Make a well in the center, spoon in the grits and serve piping hot.

This post is part of The Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter

Shirred Eggs with Grilled Ham, Peppers and Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

October 12, 2009 / Ren

What comes to mind when you think of ham and eggs?

Shirred duck eggs with grilled smoked ham & peppers, roasted tomatillo salsa and fried tortillas..

Shirred Eggs with Grilled Ham & Peppers, Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

For the Salsa

(adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

1 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
4 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed
1 small white onion, sliced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon non-refined sugar (optional)
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons whey (optional)
filtered water

Broil the tomatillos and chiles until cooked through and blackened in spots, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to 425 degree and roast onions and garlic (turning often) until well browned, about 15 minutes.

Pulse the chiles, onions and garlic until chunky and pour into a bowl. Purée the tomatillos and cilantro and combine with the chile mixture. Add whey if using, thin with water, season to taste with salt and add sugar if its too tart or spicy for you.

If you’re using whey, jar the salsa and allow it to stand on the counter overnight before transferring to the refrigerator for up to several weeks. Otherwise, jar, refrigerate and use within 3 days.

For the eggs, crack 2 duck eggs (substitute chicken eggs) into a buttered ramekin. Pour 1 tablespoon cream over the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Place the ramekin inside another larger ramekin and pour in enough hot water to come 1/2 way up the smaller ramekin. Bake at 325 degrees until set, about 12 minutes.

Cut tortillas into thin strips then fry in a bit of oil or leaf lard. Griddle the ham and roast the peppers. Slice the peppers on the bias. Arrange everything on a plate as shown, and drizzle with salsa.

: Shirred Eggs

Keep it Simple

October 9, 2009 / Ren

Ethically-raised cattle spend their entire lives eating quality forage, not the byproducts of industrial ethanol production. Free from hormones, pesticides and antibiotics, traditional ranching is a sustainable, environmentally friendly practice, as is intended by God and nature.

Evidence is very strong that grass-fed, grass-finished beef is lower in total fat and calories and significantly higher in vitamin E, beta-carotene, omega-3 fatty acid and CLA’s than animals raised in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs).

Far superior in taste, grass-fed beef is at its best when simply prepared using just a few ingredients..

Rib-eye Steak

Take a 1 1/2 inch-thick bone-in ribeye steak and season it liberally with coarse salt and freshly-ground pepper. Drizzle it with raw olive oil and cover it with fresh rosemary, parsley and lemon slices (Steamy Kitchen). Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.

Allow steak to come to room temperature for 1 hour while pre-heating a cast iron skillet in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes. Take the skillet from the oven and place it on a burner over high heat. Place the steak in the pan and allow to sear undisturbed for 30 seconds. Turn the steak and sear for 30 seconds more. Put the lemons and herbs on top of the steak and place the pan back into the oven for 2 minutes. Turn the steak and cook 2 minutes more for medium-rare (Alton Brown). Remove the steak to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil and allow to rest for 2 minutes.

: Rib-eye Steak

Buy healthy foods directly from your farmer and fight for your right to keep traditional view and values.. be a Food Renegade!

Roasted Winter Squash, Locked and Loaded

October 7, 2009 / Ren

Roasted winter squash with smoked bacon, poblano peppers, onions and toasted cumin seed..

Winter Squash, Roasted & Loaded

Split a firm, thick-walled winter squash lengthwise through the stem. Remove seeds and pulp, oil lightly and season with sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper.

Place the squash halves into a skillet or onto a baking sheet along with half of an onion, half of a poblano, half of a red bell pepper and additional chunks of peeled squash and roast at 400 degrees until the peppers are blackened.

The squash halves might need more or less time depending, but don’t let them cook until they collapse. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook diced, thick-cut smoked bacon in a heavy skillet with a spoonful of whole cumin seeds. Add roasted vegetables, toss in some roughly-chopped fresh cilantro and taste for salt and pepper. Add a little vegetable or chicken stock to keep things moist.

Place roasted squash halves on a plate and fill with the vegetable mixture. Serve with charro or black beans on the side if you like.

Roasted Chicken Posole Soup

October 4, 2009 / Ren

Achiote roasted chicken, homemade chicken stock, posole corn, yellow onions, fresh chile peppers, smoked chile powder, lime and vermicelli.

Roasted Chicken Posole Soup

Soak 1 1/2 cups dried posole overnight in cool, filtered water. Drain and put into a Dutch oven with 1 quart homemade chicken stock. Cover and simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add 1 yellow onion, chopped, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 large jalapeño, chopped, and a cup of mild red, yellow and orange peppers cut into varying shapes and sizes.

Add leftover roast chicken (skin removed) cut into large chunks 1 teaspoon smoked chile powder and 1 tablespoon toasted cumin seed and simmer until posole is tender, about 1 hour. Add additional chicken stock as needed.

Add crumbled saffron and cooked and drained vermicelli and simmer another 5 minutes.

Ladle into bowls and serve with fresh lime and/or wedges of avocado.

Pollo de Campo

October 3, 2009 / Ren

Pastured chicken brined overnight in smoked chile powder and annatto, then roasted with peppers, onions and a cilantro, lime & pumpkin seed pesto.

Made in a Dutch oven, this Pollo de Campo (camp chicken) is easy to prepare at home or on the trail..

Pollo de Campo

For the brine

1/2 gallon filtered water
3 oz kosher salt
5 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon sweet cinnamon shards
8 allspice berries
2 teaspoons smoked chili powder
1 tablespoon organic annatto powder
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Bring the water to a bowl. Stir in salt and annatto powder and stir to dissolve. Allow to cool then add the rest of the ingredients.

For the Pesto (can be made a day ahead)

1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup fresh parsley
juice of 1 small lime
1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
pinch of salt
olive oil

For the Chicken

1 3-4 pound whole pastured chicken, rinsed
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 poblano pepper, chopped
2 red Fresno or jalapeño peppers
1 teaspoon paprika
sea salt and cracked pepper

For the Rice

1/2 cup Bomba rice (a short-grain Spanish rice that holds 3x its weight in stock)
2 1/2 cups water + roasted chicken stock in situ
Roasted onions and peppers in situ

Method

Submerge the chicken in the brine and refrigerate overnight. Remove the chicken, pat it dry and place it on a bed of chopped onions and peppers in a Dutch oven. Roast fro 40 minutes in a 400 degree oven.

Remove chicken from the pan and scrape the vegetable and juices into a clean pan with the rice and water. Cook the rice 20 minutes, season to taste and hold under cover.

Meanwhile, place the chicken back into the Dutch oven and use a spoon or spatula to coat it with the cilantro pesto. Return to oven and continue to roast until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes.

Allow the chicken to rest 10 minutes before carving and serving with the rice.

Pork Belly, Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos

October 2, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured pork belly, organic black beans, pan-roasted sweet potatoes, poblano peppers..

Pork Belly, Black Bean and Roasted Sweet Potato Tacos

(click image to enlarge)

Makes about 4 large tacos

1/4 pound pork belly, cut into large dice
1 poblano pepper, cut into strips
1 aji mirasol or New Mexico dried chile, seeded and chopped
1 cup cooked black beans
1 large tomatillo, diced
1/4 cup bean cooking water
1 cup sweet potatoes, cut into cubes
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon rendered fat, if needed
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon epazote
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
freshly-made flour tortillas
sea salt and cracked pepper

Brown pork belly in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add additional rendered fat if needed, then add diced sweet potatoes, cumin and dried chiles and cook until browned on all sides.

Add onions, poblano peppers and garlic and cook until onions begin to brown.

Add tomatillos, oregano, epazote and just enough reserved bean cooking water to keep everything moist. Toss in the cilantro, season to taste with salt & pepper and give it one last stir before loading onto fresh tortillas straight off the comal.

I like to serve these tacos with lots of jalapeño Tabasco and Cholula hot sauce on the side.

This post is both part of the Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays and
the October Fest Carnival of Super Foods at Kitchen Stewardship!

Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup with Tasso Ham

October 1, 2009 / Ren

Here’s a super-nourishing and frugal dish that doesn’t skimp on flavor.

Roasted San Marzano tomatoes, yellow onions, garlic and peppers with spicy Tasso ham, celery, fresh herbs and raw olive oil..

Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup with Tasso Ham

(click image to enlarge)

Serves 2-3 as a main dish

A specialty of Cajun cuisine, tasso ham is a spicy, peppery smoked pork butt

1 28 oz can organic San Marzano tomatoes, drained (juice reserved) OR equiv. fresh plum tomatoes
1 can organic cannellini beans, drained and rinsed, OR equiv. soaked and cooked dry white beans
8 oz tasso ham, cut into cubes
1/2 large yellow onion
1 head garlic
1/2 red bell pepper
1 large Italian grilling pepper
1/3 cup celery, diced
1 bay leaf
1 6-inch sprig rosemary
3-4 basil leaves
1 small bunch thyme
2 blades mace
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon hulled cardamom
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon black pepper more-or-less
3/4 teaspoon sea salt more-or-less

Lay the tomatoes, onions, garlic and peppers on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and roast in a 500 degree oven until browned/blistered. Set aside to cool.

Sauté celery, tasso and whole spices with butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until celery is soft and spices are fragrant, about 7 minutes.

Working in batches if necessary, squeeze garlic from their skins and pulse roasted vegetables in a food processor until slightly chunky. Transfer to Dutch oven with celery and ham.

Stir in cooked beans, ground spices and minced fresh herbs. Adjust consistency with reserved tomato juice and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To serve, ladle soup into bowls and dress with a tablespoon of good olive oil. Accompany with slices of toasted alternative-grain bread if that’s to your liking.

This post is both part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet and
the October Fest Carnival of Super Foods at Kitchen Stewardship!

Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

September 30, 2009 / Ren

(you might also like this recipe)

Local, pastured chicken livers pan-fried on rosemary skewers with garlic smashed purple potatoes and mushroom & onion gravy..

Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

For 2 servings

Garlic Smashed Potatoes

3 medium purple potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1-2 cloves Chesnok or other strong garlic, minced
1 tablespoon pastured butter
2 tablespoons fresh whole milk
sea salt and cracked pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Pour off all but 2 ounces of water and keep hot until 5 minutes before ready to serve. To finish, pour off any remaining water and stir in butter and garlic. Mash with a flat-faced potato masher and thin slightly with milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Mushroom and Onion Gravy

1 tablespoon pastured butter
1 palm-full pearl onions
1 palm-full large brown mushrooms, quartered
1 oz Armagnac or brandy
4 oz roasted chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons roux
sea salt and cracked pepper

Sauté mushrooms and onions in butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat until well browned. Off-heat, de-glaze the pan with 1 oz Armagnac or brandy. Return to heat and add chicken stock. Reduce slightly, then whisk in a little roux to tighten. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in a knob of cold butter just before serving.

Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

12 oz fresh, pastured chicken livers, cleaned, rinsed and patted dry
4 6-inch rosemary skewers
1 tablespoon rendered chicken fat
1 tablespoon pastured butter
sea salt and cracked pepper

Thread 2-3 plump chicken livers onto each of 4 6-inch rosemary skewers. Set on paper towels and pat dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Sear livers on all sides in chicken fat and butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until nicely browned and medium-rare to medium doneness. Add 2 tablespoons chicken stock and allow to sit 2 minutes.

To serve, mound smashed potatoes in the center of a large plate. Place 2 skewers on top of the potatoes then spoon gravy over the top. Garnish with bits of herbs and greens.

: Rosemary Chicken Liver Skewers

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Filet de Bœuf Béarnaise

September 27, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

(Like steak? You might also like this and this)

Pan-roasted grass-fed filet mignon, asparagus tips, shiitake mushrooms, heirloom tomato and sauce béarnaise..

Filet de Bœuf Béarnaise

Lightly coat all sides of a thick-cut beef tenderloin filet with coarse sea salt. Wrap in brown paper and refrigerate overnight, turning once.

Blot the filet with paper towels to remove the surface moisture and any remaining salt. Allow to come to room temperature.

Combine asparagus tips, quartered shiitake mushrooms, chopped garlic, shallots, melted butter, sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper. Set aside.

Make sauce béarnaise. Keep warm.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat for 15 minutes. Sear the filet on all sides until well browned but still rare. Remove from heat.

Remove the steak from the pan and put thick circles of heirloom tomato in its place. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Center the steak on top of the tomatoes, and spread the asparagus mixture around the perimeter.

Place the pan in a 400 degree oven and roast until the filet is barely medium rare, about 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to stand 5 minutes (the steak will continue to cook).

Use a spatula to transfer the steak and tomato to a dinner plate. Top with roasted asparagus mixture, then dress with sauce béarnaise.

Duck Egg Migajas

September 26, 2009 / Ren

A variation of the traditional Tex-Mex migas, this is a shirred duck egg with pork sausage, poblano peppers, queso cotija, pico de gallo and fried corn tortilla strips..

Duck Egg Migajas

Cook pastured ground pork seasoned with salt, cumin seed and Mexican oregano in a heavy skillet until brown and crumbly.

Pour off all but a teaspoon of fat, then use a wooden spoon to make a well in the middle of the pan. Crack one or more duck eggs (substitute chicken eggs) into the well, and season lightly with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Scatter diced poblano peppers and fresh tomato wedges around the perimeter of the pan, then sprinkle queso cotija (substitute Parmesan) over the top.

Place the pan in a 400 degree oven until the eggs are shirred (baked) to your preferred degree of doneness.

Meanwhile, fry strips of corn torillas in a bit of leaf lard or reserved pork fat until crispy. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, use 2 wide spatulas to transfer the contents of the skillet to a dinner plate. Dress with fresh pico de gallo and garnish with tortilla strips. Beans and hot sauce may be offered on the side if you like.

: Duck Egg Migas

Antidote Salad

September 25, 2009November 15, 2016 / Ren

Today’s post isn’t so much about any particular dish (although this salad was really good) as it is a reminder to myself of why I choose to eat clean, healthy nourishing food.

Earlier today I ate a cheeseburger & fries with the guys at a local joint. While the food tasted OK at the time, I knew I was in trouble less than an hour later when the industrial CAFO burger & potatoes fried in God-knows-what kind of unnatural hydrogenated oil together felt like a greasy, soggy bowling ball in my gut. Back at work, I resisted the urge to crawl under my desk & sleep it off.

It is readily apparent why America is so sick.

At home this evening, I knew I needed to make up for the nutritionally empty & otherwise damaging lunch, so I gathered up what I could from the garden, pantry and fridge and made this Antidote Dinner Salad..

Antidote Salad

Kamut pasta, raw virgin olive oil, raw and pickled peppers, olives, scallions, Lupini beans, avocado, anchovies, fresh basil and oregano, tomatoes, watercress, pea shoots, prosciutto, white balsamic and lots of coarse sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

I swear I felt completely restored almost immediately!

: Antidote Salad

Be a Food Renegade – Fight back against the Standard American Diet (SAD) !

Loin of Rabbit with Pancetta, Porcini and Wild Onions

September 23, 2009 / Ren

Loin of rabbit with pancetta, porcini, wild onions, garlic and sage..

Sauté pancetta in a teaspoon of clarified butter until most of the fat has been rendered. Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add thick pieces of porcini mushroom and continue to cook until golden brown.

Season strips of rabbit loin with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper and add to the hot pan with garlic, onions and sage. Let the rabbit brown, but keep it to no more than medium doneness.

De-glaze the pan with an ounce of Armagnac and stir up all the brown bits with the edge of a wooden spoon. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock and reduce slightly.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add a couple of ounces of fresh cream and a good spoonful of coarse mustard. Stir until thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Toss in some coarsely-chopped curly parsley and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Serve over rye spaetzle or egg noodles.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Pan-seared Lamb Chops with Mint, Garlic and Grape Tomatoes (a recipe in progress)

September 21, 2009 / Ren

I stuck my hungry face in the fridge this evening and spotted 3 lamb loin chops that had been marinating in olive oil, rosemary and garlic for a couple of days.

I threw the chops into a super hot skillet with some of the oil & a tiny bit of butter and seared them to a perfect rare+ doneness, then tossed in some halved grape tomatoes, slivered garlic and lots of fresh mint, sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

I hadn’t planned on posting anything tonight, but this primal, ad-hoc dish was so good that I wanted to document it for future development 🙂

Pan-seared Lamb Chops with Mint, Garlic and Grape Tomatoes

Chicken a la King

September 20, 2009 / Ren

Tender pieces of pastured chicken simmered in bone broth with fresh cream, sherry, nutmeg, peas and mushrooms. Invented in the late 1800’s, this retro dish is every bit as good now as it was then..

Chicken à la King

To make roux, melt 4 oz. pastured butter over medium-low heat until it just begins to sizzle. Add 5 oz. by weight sprouted wheat or spelt flour and whisk to combine. Stirring continuously, continue to cook until it smells like baked bread, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

To make topping, toast a piece of sprouted wheat or spelt bread in the toaster, then tear it up into small pieces and sauté in butter and parsley until golden brown.

Gently simmer chunks of pastured chicken (I’m using thighs, skin removed) in chicken stock with a little sherry and fresh thyme until just done.

Lightly sauté halved pearl onions, wild mushrooms and a bit of red bell pepper, then stir into the chicken.

Add fresh cream, green peas and freshly-grated nutmeg and simmer 5 minutes.

Whisk roux into the chicken and simmer, stirring continuously until thickened, 3-5 minutes.

Season to taste with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

To serve, simply spoon chicken mixture into a deep dish and top with toasted bread crumbs.

: Chicken à la King

Deep Chili

September 19, 2009 / Ren

Nobody knows for sure exactly when and where chili con carne was first made, but we can generally agree that the original recipes read something like this..

“Cut up as much meat as you think you will need (any kind will do, but beef is probably best) in pieces about the size of a pecan. Put it in a pot, along with some suet (enough so as the meat won’t stick to the sides of the pot), and cook it with about the same amount of wild onions, garlic, oregano, and chiles as you have got meat. Put in some salt. Stir it from time to time and cook it until the meat is as tender as you think it’s going to get.” –Texas, early 1800s

With deep, dark beef and chile flavors, this is an intensely flavored dish.

Deep Chili

Smoke onions, garlic, jalapeños and a plum tomato over mesquite for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, roast a variety of chiles such as Guajillo, ancho, arbol and New Mexico in a slow oven for an hour.

Pull the stems from the peppers and shake out the seeds. Transfer to a food processor and chop into a fine powder. Add the roasted onion, garlic, jalapeños and a tablespoon of cider vinegar and blend into a paste.

Brown a couple of pieces of pork belly in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add small chunks of grass-fed beef chuck or bison and sear until seriously browned.

Add 1/2 cup of the chili paste and just enough water to cover the meat.

Add toasted cumin seed, Mexican oregano, a little sea salt, a few shards of true cinnamon and 3-4 whole cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours, adding the chopped, smoked tomato during the last half hour.

Add 1 ounce of Mexican chocolate and stir until melted. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with beans, cornbread or tortillas on the side if you like.

: Deep Chili

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

September 18, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb loin chops with rosemary garlic demi-glace, fresh peas with fried shallots and mint, and mushroom wild rice.

C’est si bon!

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

lamb loin chops from premiumlamb.com via greenling.com

Marinate lamb chops in olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh rosemary, freshly-ground pepper and a three-fingered pinch of coarse sea salt for 4 or more hours (refrigerated). Allow to come up to room temperature before cooking.

Rinse and prepare true wild rice according to package directions, about 1 hour. Add sautéed wild mushrooms, a teaspoon of pastured butter and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Lightly steam fresh peas until about 2/3 done, then transfer to a skillet with pastured butter and chopped shallots. Fry until browned, then season with chopped fresh mint, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Quickly sear lamb chops in a very hot skillet with butter and a little of the marinade until well browned but still rare. Transfer to a side plate.

De-glaze the pan with burgundy then scrape up all the brown bits with the side of a wooden spoon. Add a little brown stock, reduce and finish with demi-glace and fresh rosemary.

Set the rare lamb chops in the pan with the demi-glace until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.

To serve, heap wild rice in the center of a dinner plate and arrange lamb chops around the perimeter. Spoon demi-glace over the top, then spoon peas in between the chops and garnish with additional mint and parsley.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Creole Beans and Rice

September 13, 2009 / Ren

A densely nutritious dish with tender kidney beans, Andouille sausage, okra, kale and aged Basmati rice..

Creole Beans and Rice

Soak dried red beans overnight. Rinse, cover with fresh filtered water and bring to a boil. Add a bay leaf, reduce heat and simmer until just tender, about 2 hours.

Sauté bias-cut Andouille sausage with a little pancetta or fatty bacon until browned. Add diced yellow onions, celery and bell peppers and cook until vegetables soften.

Add okra, seeded jalapeño, garlic, and chiffonade of kale and sauté 2-3 minutes.

Add cooked beans, black pepper, caraway, dill, oregano, cumin, thyme and paprika and simmer 20 minutes, adding bean-cooking water as needed to keep moist.

To serve, mound Basmati rice in the center of a bowl or dinner plate and ladle bean mixture around the perimeter. Offer Louisiana hot sauce on the side.

: Creole Beans and Rice

Salsa de Tomate Verde Asado

September 11, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Time was when I’d come home at the end of the work week and just pull out a frozen pizza or microwave dinner and plop down in front of the TV.

Not anymore. Even when I don’t much feel like cooking or fiddling around with the camera or the blog (i.e., tonight), a simple, comforting meal is within reach because I only keep fresh, whole foods on hand. The TV? Gave it away years ago.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa..

Salsa de Tomate Verde Asado

Husk, rinse and halve fresh tomatillos. Place cut side down in a heavy skillet along with a few cloves of garlic, a jalapeño and a poblano chile. Brown well on both sides.

Seal the peppers inside a paper bag and allow the steam 15 minutes. Peel away most of the skin (leaving a few charred bits), split and remove stems and seeds.

Transfer peppers to the bowl of a food processor along with tomatillos, garlic and a handful of cilantro. Moisten with 1/4 cup or so of filtered water and pulse into a coarse puree.

Stir minced onion into the salsa and season to taste with sea salt and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Leftover salsa will keep 2-3 days in the fridge.

Bacon & Eggs

Fry uncured streaky bacon or pork belly with yellow onions until the onions are brown and the bacon is crisp.

Pour off all but a teaspoon of fat, then crack eggs directly into the pan and allow to set for just a moment.

Spoon roasted tomatillo salsa over the eggs and toss in some chopped cilantro. Stir and scramble to your preferred degree of doneness and serve with frijoles and fresh tortillas.

: Huevos con Tocino y Salsa Verde

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

The Thing About Brussels Sprouts

September 10, 2009 / Ren

In the same plant family as cabbage, broccoli and kale, Brussels sprouts have been cultivated in Belgium (hence the name) since the 1200’s.

Extremely high in Vitamin C and a good source of iron, a lot of people dislike Brussels sprouts, reporting that they have a bitter or sulphur-like flavor. The objectionable taste actually comes from a compound called sinigrin (CAS 3952-98-5), which is released when the vegetables are overcooked.

So to ensure mild, sweet-tasting Brussels sprouts, simply do not overcook them..

Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce

Place washed, untrimmed Brussels sprouts in a covered steamer for 6-7 minutes until bright green but underdone. Shock the sprouts in ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color.

Trim off the stems and peel away the outer leaves. You want the sprouts to be as uniform in size as possible, so you might cut the larger ones in half (or even in quarters) and leave the smaller ones whole.

Heat some fat (bacon grease, butter or leaf lard all work well) in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and Brussels sprouts and cook until both are well browned.

Add uncured ham and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add fresh cream and coarse mustard (preferably homemade) and simmer until it sprouts are fork-tender.

Add cheese such as raw-milk cheddar with caraway seeds and stir to combine. Add some chopped parsley for visual appeal if you like.

Season with sea salt, freshly-ground pepper and perhaps a few red pepper flakes and serve hot from the pan.

: Brussels Sprouts and Ham in Mustard Cheese Sauce

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Pork Stew with Chipotle and Plantains

September 9, 2009 / Ren

Smokey braised pork with peppers, onions, piloncillo and plantains..

Pork Stew with Chipotle and Plantains

Trim pork shoulder, removing any heavy fat. Cut into 1 1/2 inch chunks, arrange on a foil-lined baking tray and broil, turning once, until golden brown. Some pieces will be crisp, others less so. This is a good thing.

Transfer meat to a Dutch oven and add minced fresh garlic, diced fresh peppers, red and/or yellow onions, sliced ripe plantains and 1-2 diced chipotle peppers with 1-2 tablespoons adobo sauce.

Season with a little toasted cumin, a pinch of Mexican oregano and just enough shaved piloncillo (a traditional, unrefined sugar common to Central and South America) to balance the heat of the peppers.

Add enough dark beer (preferably a Munich-style beer such as Negra Modelo) to almost cover the contents of the pot. Cover tightly and braise in a 300 degree oven until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 hours.

Serve with fresh tortillas.

: Chipotle Banana Pork Stew

Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

September 6, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured chicken roasted with raw coconut oil, lemongrass, onion, garlic, coriander and fermented soy..

Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

Rinse and pat dry a 3-pound pastured chicken. Place in a large glass bowl.

Melt raw coconut oil over low heat. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor with cumin, coriander, garlic, onion, lemongrass, fermented soy, turmeric, paprika and fresh lime juice.

Pour mixture over chicken, taking care to coat all sides. Allow to sit 1 hour, turning occasionally.

Place chicken in a heavy skillet and roast in a 400 degree oven until the skin is crisp and brown and the juices run clear, about 50-60 minutes.

Pour the fat, oil and juices from the pan into a glass measuring cup and use that and some filtered water as the cooking liquid for the rice.

Add fresh ginger, minced lime leaves, cilantro and thinly sliced peppers to the rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking.

: Thai-Spiced Roast Chicken, Ginger Jasmine Rice

Smoked Beef Brisket

September 5, 2009 / Ren

Hickory-smoked local, pastured beef brisket with chili BBQ sauce..

Smoked Beef Brisket

Trim a beef brisket of most fat and all connective tissue. Rinse and pat dry.

Liberally coat all sides with your favorite dry rub (I use smoked chili powder), cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Place seasoned brisket in a hickory chip-impregnated smoker bag along with 1/4 cup of filtered water and some coarsely chopped celery, yellow onions and carrots.

Seal the bag and place in a 500 degree oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and continue to cook until meat is tender, about 2 hours for a 3-pound brisket.

Remove brisket from bag and allow to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the vegetables and juices from the bag into a blender and pulse until smooth. Add tomato paste to thicken, a little molasses for sheen and chili base for flavor.

Carve brisket against the grain into 1/4 inch slices and serve with chili BBQ sauce.

: Smoked Beef Brisket

Eggs Toscana

September 3, 2009 / Ren

Eggs Toscana

Fresh local eggs fried in a bit of cultured butter with chorizo, Italian grilling peppers, red & green onions, flat-leaf parsley and roasted salsa. Sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Huevos Rancheros, Salsa de Aji Mirasol Asado

September 2, 2009 / Ren

If you’ve never made roasted salsa from scratch before, you owe it to yourself to try it – you just can’t buy anything this good in a store at any price. This dish is easy and inexpensive enough to feed the whole gang.

Fresh, pastured eggs poached in roasted tomato salsa with fresh tortillas. Garlic, cumin, Aji Mirasol (this Peruvian chile’s name means looking at the sun), onions and cilantro..

Huevos Rancheros, Salsa de Aji Mirasol Asado

Coarsely chop tomatoes, tomatillos, red & green onions, garlic, jalapeño peppers, cumin and Aji Mirasol chiles. Season lightly with sea salt and smoked pepper and roast in a 450 degree oven until blistered, about 15 minutes.

Working in batches if necessary, transfer the roasted vegetables to the bowl of a food processor and pulse to a semi-coarse texture.

Pour the salsa into a skillet and simmer over moderate heat until thickened, about 15-20 minutes.

With the back of a large spoon, form a well in the just-bubbling salsa then crack an egg into the well. You can prepare as many as a dozen eggs at once, depending on the size of your pan and the quantity of salsa that you’ve made.

Cover the pan and cook eggs to your liking, about 3-4 minutes for runny yolks.

Meanwhile, heat fresh tortillas (corn tortillas are traditional for this dish) in a lightly greased comal or skillet.

To serve, nestle an egg inside a tortilla and spoon some of the salsa around the edges. Dress with a squeeze of lime.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter Thursday at The Nourishing Gourmet

Grilled Mango Salad with Aji Mirasol Bacon Dressing

September 1, 2009 / Ren

Fresh ripe mangoes, avocados and an aji mirasol-infused balsamic bacon dressing over watercress and field greens..

Grilled Mango Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing

Wash and dry field greens, watercress and fresh herbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Fry cubes of uncured, pastured bacon and chopped red onions until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat.

Add white balsamic vinegar and 1 small aji mirasol pepper (mild chile and apricot-like flavor) and simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes. Adjust sharpness with a spoonful of raw honey, but don’t make it particularly sweet. Add the bacon and onions and keep warm.

Split and score a ripe mango. Push up from the bottom so that the sections pull apart, dress with coconut oil (unctuous and high-heat stable) and season with sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.

Grill the mango halves flesh side down until caramelized, about 5 minutes depending on heat source.

Arrange warm grilled mango over crisp greens. Dress with hot bacon dressing and garnish with avocado slices and quartered grape tomatoes.

Cabrito Chili-Stuffed Poblano

August 31, 2009 / Ren

Mild, pastured Texas cabrito chili with onions, peppers, garlic, tomatoes in a roasted poblano pepper..

Roasted Goat Chili-Stuffed Poblano

Cut a lengthwise strip off one side of a large poblano pepper. Remove and discard seed cluster and ribs.

Roast the pepper in a heavy skillet in a 400 degree oven until the pepper begins to blister. Set aside.

Dice the remaining raw strip of poblano and set aside.

Brown freshly-ground cabrito (young goat) in 2 tablespoons bacon fat or leaf lard. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.

Add peppers and onions and sauté until vegetables begin to brown.

Add tomatoes, garlic and 1 tablespoon homemade chili base and stir to combine. Simmer 10 minutes.

Add green onions and cilantro and stir to combine.

Spoon chili mixture into the cavity of the roasted pepper, top with raw goat milk cheddar and roast until pepper is hot and cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes.

: Roasted Goat Chili-Stuffed Poblano

Tunisian BBQ Meatloaf

August 29, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Spicy ground lamb, harissa & mint BBQ sauce and artichoke couscous..

Tunisian BBQ Meatloaf

For a 1 pound loaf

1 pound pastured ground lamb
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 small yellow onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 small carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic
2 pastured eggs
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon grains of paradise
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 teaspoon caraway seed
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cracked pepper

1/4 cup harissa
1/4 cup homemade ketchup
2 tablespoons filtered water
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

1 cup couscous
1/2 can organic artichoke hearts
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon turmeric
sea salt
saffron threads

Sweat the celery, onion, carrots and garlic in a dry skillet until soft. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, simmer harissa, homemade ketchup, water and fresh mint in a small pan.

Crush the whole spices in a mortar.

Combine the lamb, spices, eggs, vegetables and parsley together in a bowl. Fold in enough dry bread crumbs so that the mixture feels damp but not too wet.

Put lamb mixture into a greased loaf pan. Set the loaf pan inside of a baking dish and pour enough water into the baking dish to come 1/2 way up the sides of the loaf pan.

Spread harissa mint sauce over the top of the meat loaf.

Place the nested pans in a 350 degree oven until cooked through, about 50-60 minutes. Allow meatloaf to rest 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare couscous, adding quartered artichoke hearts, turmeric, parsley, cilantro, sea salt and saffron threads (optional).

To serve, place thick slices of meatloaf over couscous. Dress with additional BBQ sauce if desired.

: Tunisian BBQ Lamb Loaf

Bacon, Kale and Caraway Cheddar Tartine

August 29, 2009 / Ren

An open-faced sandwich of uncured bacon, Tuscan kale and local, raw milk caraway cheddar on toasted wild yeast sourdough..

Bacon, Kale and Caraway Cheddar Tartine

Fry bacon in a heavy skillet over medium heat until done, but not overly crisp. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat and set the bacon on paper towels to drain.

Add a teaspoon a butter to pan, and lightly toast the bread on both sides. Set aside with bacon.

Add minced fresh garlic and chiffonade of kale to the pan and sauté for 60 seconds.

Place kale and garlic on toasted bread and top with bacon. Shred cheese and scatter over the top of the sandwich.

Season with cracked pepper and place the pan into a 400 degree oven until sandwich is crisp and cheese is melted.

Butter Burger

August 27, 2009 / Ren

1/3 pound local, grass-feed beef pan-fried in pastured butter, homemade smoked chili powder, green onions, aged cheddar, fresh tomato, sea salt, cracked pepper and a toasted sprouted wheat bun..

Butter Burger

Frijoles Rojas, Chayote, Crema Fresca

August 20, 2009 / Ren

(This is part 2 of a 2-part post- part 1 is here)

Dinner-on-the-cheap.. red beans, fried bacon, onions and tomatoes simmered in a homemade chili base, with shaved raw chayote squash, crèma fresca and fresh tortillas..

Frijoles Rojas, Chayote, Crèma Fresca

click to enlarge; take a look at the pool of thick, mahogany-colored juices on the left side

Fry diced, uncured bacon in a heavy skillet until well browned. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of the fat.

Add chopped onions and cook until browned.

Add tomatoes and cook until the water is released but not yet evaporated.

Add 1 tablespoon homemade chili base (more or less, depending on how spicy you like it) and stir to combine.

Add red beans (dried and cooked or from a BPA-free can) and some of the bean cooking liquid and a teaspoon of epazote, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and cracked pepper if needed.

Garnish with a little salad of shaved raw chayote squash (crispy & tastes rather like a cucumber with no bitterness), chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice and dress with crèma fresca dusted with smoked chili powder. Serve with Spanish rice or fresh tortillas.

: Frijoles Rojas, Chayote Crema Fresca

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

A Summer’s Lunch

August 18, 2009 / Ren

Aged cheddar, heirloom tomatoes, peppered bacon and arugula micro-greens on grilled sourdough with medjool dates and calimyrna figs..

Sourdough Grilled Cheese

Numbles, Umbles, Humble Pie

August 15, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Originally a pie made of numbles, or umbles—i.e. the liver, kidneys, etc., of a deer, humble pie was made to be eaten by servants and huntsmen, while the lord of the manor and his guests dined on venison. “The keeper hath the skin, head, umbles, chine, and shoulders.”—Holinshed: Chrouicle, i. 204.

Samuel Pepys makes many references to such pies in his diary, writing on the 5th of July 1662 “I having some venison given me a day or two ago, and so I had a shoulder roasted, another baked, and the umbles baked in a pie, and all very well done” and on the 8th of July the next year “Mrs Turner came in and did bring us an Umble-pie hot out of her oven, extraordinarily good.”

While this isn’t medieval Europe and I don’t have a freshly-killed deer on hand, I do have some very nice pastured beef liver and a fair selection of herbs and root vegetables..

Humble Pie

Minimally-processed whole foods, in a manner recognizable by our ancestors

For the pie dough (adapted from a recipe by Michael Ruhlman)

6 oz (by weight) sprouted whole wheat flour
4 oz (1 stick) pastured butter, cold, cut into small pieces
1 oz filtered ice water
1 pinch sea salt

Combine the flour and butter in a glass bowl, rubbing the butter between your fingers until pea-sized. Add the salt and ice water gradually and mix gently until just combined. Don’t over-work the dough, or it will become tough. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the filling

Set 1 1/2 cups beef stock, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon coarse mustard and 2 oz red wine to simmer on the back burner.

Chop such root vegetables as you have available. I’m using purple potatoes, leek, carrots, celery, garlic and a few just-dug field onions.

Mince fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, curly parsley and rosemary.

Dice a bit of pork belly or uncured bacon and put in a heavy skillet over medium heat and cook until browned. Add the potatoes and brown quickly.

Add the carrots, leeks and celery and allow to brown.

Add the garlic, onions and herbs and stir to combine. Remove from heat.

Cut partially-frozen beef liver into long strips, then cut the strips into bite-sized lengths. Dredge lightly in sprouted wheat flour season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Melt pastured butter in a heavy skillet over medium high heat until slightly browned. Add the liver and sear quickly until browned but still rare on the inside.

Add the liver to the cooked vegetables and stir to combine.

Make a small amount roux from equal part sprouted wheat flour and butter, cooking out until the raw flour taste is gone (about 5 minutes of constant stirring).

Thicken the now-reduced beef stock by whisking in the roux. Allow to simmer a minute, then pour over the liver and vegetables. Stir to combine.

Roll out the pie dough until large enough to just fit inside the 1st skillet, then place it on top of the liver mixture and lightly press into place.

Brush the dough with a an egg beaten with a little water, then cut some vent holes to allow the steam to escape.

Place the pie in a 350 degree oven and bake until golden brown, maybe 30 minutes.

Allow to cool slightly before serving.

“Samuel Pepys, FRS (pronounced /ˈpiːps/ “peeps”; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament, who is now most famous for his diary. Although Pepys had no maritime experience, he rose by patronage, hard work and his talent for administration, to be the Chief Secretary to the Admiralty under both King Charles II and subsequently King James II. His influence and reforms at the Admiralty were important in the early professionalization of the Royal Navy.

The detailed private diary he kept during 1660–1669 was first published in the nineteenth century, and is one of the most important primary sources for the English Restoration period. It provides a combination of personal revelation and eyewitness accounts of great events, such as the Great Plague of London, the Second Dutch War and the Great Fire of London.” –Wikipedia

This post is part of the Clean Your Plate August: Liver! Recipe Challenge
at The Nourished Kitchen

A Better Breakfast Taco

August 14, 2009 / Ren

Breakfast. “The word is a portmanteau of ‘break’ and ‘fast’, referencing the end of the fast of the previous night; it is widely referred to as the most important meal of the day.” And for good reason..

Skipping breakfast can increase your body’s insulin response, leading to both increased fat storage and decreased physical activity, placing you at significantly higher risk for obesity and disease.

I skipped breakfast for years. And for years, I would find myself in the office break-room at 10:00, staring ravenously at the garbage in the vending machines. You know the drill..

Forget the drive-through. Here’s a faster, healthier take on breakfast tacos..

A Better Breakfast Taco

Heat freshly-made tortillas in a lightly-greased comal or skillet (check out Homesick Texan or CHEESESLAVE for help making tortillas). Keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat a teaspoon of pastured butter in a skillet until it just begins to brown, then crack pastured eggs into one side of the pan.. fried, scrambled, however you prefer..

Add bits of chorizo, green onion, tomato and jalapeño to the other side of the pan and sauté for just a minute or two.

Season all with sea salt and cracked pepper and a pinch of cumin and oregano. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve wrapped in warm tortillas.

Better, faster, cheaper.

¡A su salud!

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Simple Things

August 12, 2009 / Ren

The more distance we put between ourselves and the profoundly broken industrial commercial food system the better. The better for our health, for the local economy, the environment and our own pocketbooks.

Do what you can to become more self-reliant. Turn off the TV, plant some herbs and vegetables, take a class about food preservation. Learn to cook. With practice, these things become second nature.

Consider today’s lunch.. homemade sauerkraut frittered in pastured butter, onions and peppers from the garden, locally made sausage, homemade fermented mustard..

Real. Simple. Lunch.

What have you been eating for lunch all these years? Is it time for a change?

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival

wget -m http://ginatrapani.googlepages.com

Hard-Boiled Eggs Masala

August 9, 2009 / Ren

A delicious late-Sunday breakfast, this is one of my favorite ways to eat eggs. The dish can be put together in about 20 minutes..

Masaledar Ublay Unday (Hard-Boiled Eggs Masala)

To prepare hardboiled eggs, place eggs in a pan and cover with cold, filtered water. Eggs should be 2 inches below the surface. Bring the water to a fast boil, then immediately remove from heat, cover and let stand exactly 10 minutes. Drain the water, roll the eggs around to crack the shells, then fill the pan with ice water and allow to stand another 5-10 minutes.

Masaledar Ublay Unday (Hard-Boiled Eggs Masala)

(adapted from a recipe by Madhur Jaffrey)

1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
1/2 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
4 green or 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 cup chopped fresh tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro
6 hard boiled eggs

Combine the cayenne, turmeric, ground coriander, salt, pepper, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon water in a bowl. Mix and set aside.

Fry cumin seeds in ghee in a heavy skillet set over medium heat until brown and fragrant, about 20 seconds.

Add onions and ginger and fry until the onions are lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes.

Add the spice paste and stir until combined.

Add the tomatoes, cover the pan and simmer 5 minutes.

Add halved eggs and chopped cilantro. Cover the pan for 2 minutes to warm the eggs, then spoon into a serving dish.

Pulled Pork Posole

August 8, 2009 / Ren

(you might also like this recipe for Pozole Roja)

Simmered for 12 hours in a chili-tomato base, this traditional pork and corn stew has incredible depth of flavor..

Pulled Pork Posole

Soak nixtamal (traditional, lime-slaked dried maize) overnight in cool, filtered water.

Brown pork (I’m using ribs, but you can use butt or shoulder) in a little annatto oil in heavy skillet over medium heat.

Transfer pork to a Dutch oven and submerge in homemade chicken stock and a bottle of tomato puree. Add chopped onion, celery with tops, dried chilies, cumin, bay leaf and whole peppercorns.

Seal the pot with foil, cover and place in a 200 degree oven overnight.

Remove the pot from the oven and allow to cool enough to handle.

Transfer the ribs to a cutting board.

Strain the pot into a clean pan and boil gently until reduced in volume by about a third. Periodically skim away any foam.

Drain the corn and add to the pot.

Pull the pork from the bones, shred and add to the pot.

Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the corn is tender, about 2 hours.

To serve, ladle stew into a bowl or dinner plate and garnish with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro. Serve fresh tortillas on the side.

Murgh Jalfrezi Pilau

July 30, 2009 / Ren

A simple, inexpensive, healing curried chicken with rice..

Murgh Jalfrezi Pilau

Pastured chicken thighs, peppers, onions, tomatoes, ginger, cardamom, coriander, lemon juice, cilantro, cumin, chili pepper, turmeric, sea salt, black pepper and saffron.

Toast whole spices in a dry skillet over medium-low until fragrant, perhaps 5 minutes.

Add ghee, pastured butter or coconut oil to the pan and sauté chicken until brown on both sides. Add vegetables and a little filtered water or chicken stock and remaining spices, cover and simmer until fork-tender (about 30 minutes). Brighten with fresh cilantro and a little lemon juice just before serving.

Meanwhile, cook basmati rice in filtered water and/or coconut water and/or chicken stock with curry leaves (optional) until most of the liquid is absorbed, add saffron threads (optional) and seedless raisins, cover two minutes until raisins are plump.

Serve garnished with a dollop of yoghurt or Crème fraîche for a cooling contrast to the spicy curry.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Southwest Grilled Pork Ribeye with Fried Nixtamal

July 28, 2009 / Ren

Tender, pastured pork rib-eyes marinated in annatto oil, garlic and mild Adobo seasoning served with nixtamal fried in butter with green onions, yellow tomatoes, pumpkin seeds and fresh jalapeños..

Soak nixtamal (traditional, lime-slaked dried maize) overnight in cool, filtered water. Boil slowly in a heavy pot of fresh water until just tender, about 2 hours. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, marinate pork in annatto oil, fresh garlic, Mexican oregano and adobo-style seasoning for at least 2 hours.

Fry nixtamal, whole cumin and pumpkin seeds in pastured butter until browned. Add green onions, peppers, tomatoes, sea salt, cracked pepper and just a pinch of coarse, non-refined sugar and sauté quickly until the tomatoes give up most of their liquid, perhaps 5 minutes. Toss with chopped cilantro just before serving.

Meanwhile, grill the pork rib-eyes until medium-done and nicely marked, but still plump and juicy. Hit everything with a modest squeeze of fresh lime and serve hot from the pan.

To make annatto oil, toast achiote seeds in a hot, dry skillet until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add good olive oil and infuse over low heat for about 20 minutes. Strain the resulting annatto oil and store indefinitely in a cool, dark place.

Sunday Chicken

July 26, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

You might also like this recipe for Zuni Roast Chicken with Bread Salad

Roast chicken and vegetables is a densely nutritional, healing meal. Here’s a really tasty all-in-one-pan recipe using olive oil, lemon and fresh herbs..

Herb Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Partially peel and par-boil a few potatoes in salted water. Drain, bash and set aside.

Wash a fresh, pastured chicken inside and out with plenty of kosher salt and cold, filtered water. Pat dry.

Stuff the cavity of the bird with fresh rosemary, sage and thyme and set in a large heavy skillet.

Surround the bird with potatoes and coarsely chopped garlic, leeks, purple carrots, beets or whatever root vegetables you have on hand.

Cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice over the contents of the pan. Add fresh herbs and drizzle everything with olive oil and season with sea salt and cracked pepper.

Roast at 400 degrees until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Allow to rest 10 minutes before carving and serving with pan juices.

Save the bones for soup stock.

(not your average) Liver and Onions

July 23, 2009 / Ren

Sometimes described as metallic or overly strong tasting, mushy or tough or simply uninteresting, beef liver has gotten a bad rap over the years. It doesn’t have to be that way..

Liver and Onions with Bacon and Sage

click to enlarge

Pastured beef liver fried with bacon, just-dug onions, brown mushrooms and fresh sage leaves brings this inexpensive, nutritional powerhouse back to the dinner table. Even the kids will dig it.

Select only the freshest, pastured beef liver, never the frozen feed-lot stuff from the supermarket. Cut into 1/2 strips and lightly dredge in sprouted flour seasoned with sea salt and cracked pepper. Set aside.

Fry uncured, pastured bacon until crisp and all the fat has rendered out.

Add sliced onions and continue to cook until well browned.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon grease and reserve for another use.

Add 2 tablespoons pastured butter to the hot pan and swirl to combine with the remaining bacon fat.

Add sliced brown mushrooms (I like the dark, earthy-flavored varieties) and sauté until they begin to crisp on the edges.

Make sure that the skillet is still good and hot, then add strips of floured liver and coarsely chopped fresh sage and flat-leaf parsley. Cook until well browned, turn and brown on the other side.

Arrange on a plate, drizzle with pan juices and enjoy.

Pan-fried beef liver is a good source of Iron and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein (approx. 22g per 4oz), Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Phosphorus, Copper and Selenium.

This post is part of the Pennywise Platter at The Nourishing Gourmet

Chicken Accomplished

July 15, 2009 / Ren

Dear Dewberry Hills Farms, please keep those birds coming!

Do you Zuni?

Keep it Simple

July 15, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Books, movies, TV, the Internet.. its easy to be overwhelmed by the ton of health and diet information that’s out there, some of it good, some not so much. How do you tell the difference?

What it really all comes down to is that we must stop eating those mass-produced things that contribute to diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity and get back to eating fresh, whole, minimally processed foods. You know, the stuff that our great grandparents ate and would still recognize today.

Throw away the processed sugar and flour, the pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, preservatives and synthetic vitamins and eat the way nature intended. Eat as if your life depends on it.

Here’s a simple, healthy and nutritious summer lunch of hard-cooked pastured eggs, homemade mayonnaise & mustard and just-gathered tomatoes, herbs and wild greens. Totally delicious. I’m heading back to work feeling good today..

For egg salad, place pastured eggs in a deep pan and cover with cold filtered water; the eggs should be 2 inches below the surface. Turn the heat to high and bring the water to a boil. Immediately cover the pan, remove from heat and allow to sit 10 minutes.

Drain the water, roll the eggs around to crack the shells, and cover the eggs with ice water. Allow to cool 5 minutes before handling.

Peel the shells and dice the eggs into a bowl. Add approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons of homemade mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon of coarse, homemade mustard for every 4 eggs, along with a squeeze of fresh lemon and good bit of sea salt and cracked pepper. I’m adding fresh chives and tarragon, just because that’s what looks good in my container garden today.

To serve, dress field greens with oil & vinegar, mound egg salad on top and garnish with tomatoes and black olives.

(Mother Earth News) Eggs from hens allowed to peck on pasture are a heck of a lot better than those from chickens raised in cages! Most of the eggs currently sold in supermarkets are nutritionally inferior to eggs produced by hens raised on pasture.

Eggs from hens raised on pasture may contain:

• 1⁄3 less cholesterol
• 1⁄4 less saturated fat
• 2⁄3 more vitamin A
• 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids
• 3 times more vitamin E
• 7 times more beta carotene

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival

Chopped Liver

July 13, 2009 / Ren

If you like country paté, liverwurst or braunschweiger, chances are you’ll enjoy this deliciously rich, easy-to-make spread..

Sauté a chopped onion in a bit of rendered duck or chicken fat until browned. Add a pound of fresh, clean chicken liver and cook until firm and browned, but still very slightly pink on the inside. Set aside to cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, prepare hard-boiled pastured eggs. Cool, remove shells and chop.

Transfer liver to food processor and pulse with marjoram, allspice, sea salt and cracked pepper to taste. Add a teaspoon of cognac or vermouth if you like.

Spread toasted pumpernickel or dark sprouted rye with a very thin layer of duck or chicken fat (in place of butter), then spread liver over the top.

Dress with chopped eggs and chives.

Chicken liver is a good source of Thiamin, Zinc, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Phosphorus and Selenium.

Savory Lamb Wraps

July 12, 2009 / Ren

Local pastured lamb, green onions, vine-ripened tomatoes, garlic, fresh oregano, fresh mint, Greek yogurt, sea salt, cracked pepper.

Sauté freshly-ground lamb in a small amount of ghee, coconut or olive oil until browned. Add slivered green onions, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring to combine.

Spread yoghurt on the inside of pita or other flat bread and spoon lamb filling over the top. Dress with fresh chopped tomatoes and a squeeze of fresh lemon garnish with fresh mint.

Shop this recipe at Wheatsville

Co-op's - questioning authority since 1844

Cowboy Steak & Mexican Corn

July 4, 2009November 15, 2016 / Ren

1 1/4 inch thick grass-fed bone-in ribeye from Betsy Ross in nearby Granger, Texas. Mopped in homemade BBQ sauce (lacto-fermented ketchup, organic molasses, vinegar, chili powder) and grilled over cured mesquite. Served with roasted corn, green onions, red peppers, adobo seasoning, cilantro, cotija cheese and lime.

meat and vegetables delivered by http://awesome.greenling.com

Vote for your favorite Farmers’ Market, America!

July 1, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

No Farms No Food

The message is simple and couldn’t be more clear—America’s farms and ranches provide an unparalleled abundance of fresh, healthy and local food, but they are rapidly disappearing.

Eighty-six percent of America’s fruits and vegetables are grown near metro regions, where they are in the path of development. And every hour we lose 125 acres of farm and ranch land. That’s why supporting local food and farms is more important than ever!

Take action to support healthy farms, healthy farmland, and healthy communities

Ham and Eggs Redux

June 18, 2009 / Ren

Poached pastured duck egg on a thick slice of uncured, local ham with chili con queso and a grilled pepper..

Duck eggs have something like three times the vitamin B12 and twice the vitamin B6 and vitamin A of chicken eggs and are somewhat richer in taste as well. Skip the drive-through, poach an egg, grab a pepper from your garden and grill that with some real ham & see just how good you feel today!

“USDA’s proposed program could be compared to afinely crafted blueprint for a concrete blimp.”

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Breakfast Burritos

June 17, 2009 / Ren

“A chicken that in addition to grain has access to pasture and a natural diet of grasses, forbs, and insects produces eggs that are higher in nutrients. Pastured eggs have been found to contain less fat, less cholesterol, twice as much vitamin E, 40-62% more vitamin A and up to four times as much omega-3 fatty acids compared to the standard values reported by the USDA for commercial eggs. Pastured eggs also typically contain higher levels of carotenoids such as lutein and zexanthin.

The other great thing about pastured eggs is the taste! As soon as you crack one open you can tell-that deeply colored yolk carries with it an enhanced nutritional value, and a better, richer flavor.” LocalHarvest

Pastured eggs, chorizo, fresh peppers, onions and cilantro wrapped up in an organic paprika/cayenne tortilla..

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food," Hippocrates.

Dice Spanish chorizo, red bell and pickled jalapeno peppers, slice green onions. Sauté in pastured butter with a little Mexican oregano over medium-low heat until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat fresh tortillas on a dry comal or skillet.

Crack eggs directly into pan with vegetables- rather than sticking, they should float over the thinnest of layers of butter and fat rendered from the sausage.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the eggs onto themselves several times, allowing them to spread back out in between times until set, about 4 minutes.

Arrange mixture in the center of a tortilla (I’ve spread a little chili con queso on mine), fold the edges inward then roll up like a fat cigar. Pico de gallo makes a great side.

This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays

Rabbit Fricassée

June 15, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Local, pastured rabbit in a sauce of game stock, shallots, mushrooms, thyme and fresh cream..

Rabbit Fricassée

Break down a fresh rabbit by removing and splitting the leg quarters and removing the saddle, backbone and ribs and splitting the loin into 2 boneless halves. Be sure to examine the liver- it should look and smell perfectly fresh and clean. Clean kidneys and reserve with liver for another use (if you like liver, try frying rabbit liver & kidneys in butter and seasoning with plenty of salt and pepper- the taste is absolutely revelatory).

Lay the loins out on a cutting board. Use a piece of wax paper and the flat side of a meat mallet to pound the loin into an even thickness. Spread the loins with raw honey (heather, Tupelo or Guajillo work nicely) and season with fresh thyme, a little salt and black pepper.

Roll the loin up in lean, uncured bacon and secure with toothpicks about 1 1/2 inches apart. Cut between the toothpicks to form little loin fillets. Refrigerate.

Make a stock of the bones and trimmings, cold filtered water, celery, onions, carrots and garlic. Bring to a boil, skim the scum, reduce heat and simmer 3-4 hours.

Poach the leg quarters in the stock until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from stock and set aside.

Sauté the loin pieces in a little olive oil with minced shallots, mushrooms and garlic until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with white vermouth and reduce.

Add stock and reduce.

Add fresh cream, thyme and homemade coarse mustard. Add reserved loin and leg pieces and gently simmer until sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper and serve.

This post is part of the Nourished Kitchen’s Clean Your Plate Recipe Challenge

Wild things: Why foodies are hunting for game (independent.co.uk)

Schmaltz, Gribenes and Chopped Liver

June 14, 2009 / Ren

Its hard to take a pretty picture of chopped liver, but this nutritional power food is one of my favorites.

Schmaltz is a Yiddish term for rendered chicken fat. Gribenes are the cracklings, a byproduct of schmaltz. Both are used in making this traditional chopped liver spread..

Remove the skin and trim the fat from a few joints of chicken and place into a heavy skillet over low heat. Cover and cook 15 minutes, then remove cover and continue to cook until all the fat has melted and the skin is opaque, about 15 minutes more. Pour off the rendered fat (this is the schmaltz) into a clean container and set aside. Transfer cooked skin to cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.

Chop onions and mince reserved chicken skin. Cook in the same pan over medium-low heat, stirring often until well browned, about 15 minutes (these are the gribenes); add fresh thyme if desired. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a cutting board and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, hard boil and cool and peel a couple of pastured eggs.

Add reserved schmaltz to the pan, increase the heat to medium and add the rinsed and cleaned chicken livers. Fry until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove to the cutting board until cool enough to handle.

It is important to use only fresh, pastured chicken livers; what you find in the supermarket is generally full of chemicals and antibiotics.

Chicken livers are a good source of Thiamin, Zinc, Copper and Manganese, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Iron, Phosphorus and Selenium.

Mound together the eggs, livers and gribenes and chop through as if you were chopping parsley.

To serve, pile chopped liver on top of toasted rye or sourdough, season with lots of kosher salt and black pepper and dress with chopped eggs and parsley accompanied by a selection of tidbits such as gherkins, olives and yellow tomatoes.

Smoked Knuckle Bean Soup

June 10, 2009 / Ren

Dried beans are a great source of fiber, protein, B vitamins including folic acid and essential minerals. Rounded out with fresh vegetables and a smoked pork knuckle in a healing bone broth, it becomes transcendent..

Rinse, pick over and soak dried heirloom beans in filtered water overnight. If sprouting your beans first, allow 3 days for the beans to produce 1/4″ sprouts.

Bring chicken bone broth, water, knuckle and beans to a boil, then skim and discard the scum. Lower the heat to medium and let cook until a second layer of foam forms, then skim and discard it.

Add chopped onions, celery, mustard seeds, bay leaf and black pepper. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer until beans are tender, about 4 hours.

Remove the knuckle and allow to cool enough to handle. Trim away the excess fat, then dice the remaining meat and crisp in a pan as you would bacon. Add the meat, chopped tomatoes and tender lima beans to the soup and simmer another 20 minutes before serving.

Posted as part of Real Food Wednesdays

Roasted Asparagus with Capicola and Balsamic Grilled Peppers

June 9, 2009 / Ren

Fresh pan-roasted asparagus wrapped in balsamic grilled peppers and capicola, with basil leaves, pecorino Romano and black olives..

Wash and trim fresh asparagus, then steam until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Immediately plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process and retain color and nutrients. Pat dry.

Lay out thin slices of capicola on a flat surface and place olive oil and balsamic marinated grilled peppers on top. Add whole basil leaves and asparagus and roll up jellyroll fashion. Secure with toothpicks.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat with just enough olive oil to prevent sticking. Pan-roast until the edges of the meat begin to crisp and the asparagus starts to brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.

Drain briefly on paper towels, then transfer to a plate and dress with pecorino Romano, black olives and freshly ground pepper.

Coconut Curry Chicken

June 7, 2009 / Ren

Yoghurt-marinated coconut curry chicken with jasmine rice, toasted cashews, raisins and creamed spinach..

Remove the skin and bone from fresh, pastured chicken (I prefer thigh pieces for this) and cut into large pieces. Marinate 4 hours or overnight in a combination of plain, whole milk yoghurt, coconut milk, turmeric, curry powder and black pepper.

To prepare, heat ghee in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chopped onions, garlic, ginger, and cracked green cardamom pods, coriander, cloves, black pepper, shards of Ceylon cinnamon and a whole red or green chili that has been slit open with the tip of a knife. Sauté, stirring continuously until brown.

Add chicken pieces and all of the yoghurt marinade to the pot, and stir to comine with the onions. Thin with a little filtered water or chicken stock, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally until tender, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash and rinse a bunch of fresh spinach, cilantro and parsley. Blanch in boiling water for several seconds, then purée with an immersion blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Meanwhile, prepare jasmine rice according to package directions. Remove from heat, add raisins and cover until raisins are plump and all the water has been absorbed.

To serve, ladle spinach onto the center of the plate, top with rice and spoon curried chicken over the top. Dress with toasted cashews and chopped parsley or cilantro.

White Bean Soup w/Caramelized Leeks, Fennel & Venison Sausage

February 5, 2009 / Ren

Soak dry white beans overnight or use drained canned white beans if that’s what you have.

Cook diced pork belly and venison sausage until the meat is brown and all the fat has rendered. Drain well, reserving 1 tablespoon of fat.

Add meat to simmering stock with cracked pepper, fresh thyme and marjoram.

Caramelize leeks and fennel in reserved fat, about 15 minutes.

Deglaze pan with white wine and add garlic, roasted red bell pepper and green chilies. Add to the stock and simmer 20 minutes. Skim away any accumulated grease.

Add beans and cooked orzo. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add 1 leaf softened gelatin.

Add a few squeezes of fresh lemon to brighten, and taste for salt.

Serve with smoked paprika and additional fresh herbs.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –

Moroccan Lamb with Grilled Tomatoes

February 4, 2009 / Ren

Crush together coriander, cayenne, cumin, cloves, pepper, cinnamon, allspice and sea salt and add ginger, bruised garlic, lemons and olive oil. Marinate locally raised lamb loins in this mixture for at least 4 hours.

2 hours before dinner put together flat bread dough from flour, water, yeast, ghee, salt, yoghurt and Za’atar with sumac. Let it rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Roll or stretch by hand and bake in a lightly oiled pan at 400 degrees until brown on both sides (flip once), about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove the lamb from the marinade and cut into 1 inch thick medallions. Sauté in a little of the marinade with garlic over medium-high heat until cooked rare. Transfer to side to keep warm (it will continue to cook off-heat). Sauté fresh spinach and tomato wedges in same pan, season as you like.

To serve, alternate lamb medallions and tomato wedges on top of spinach, with flat bread, harissa and yoghurt on the side.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Duck Leg Demi-Confit, Wild Rice, Root Vegetables and Grand Marnier Demi-Glace (favorite)

February 1, 2009 / Ren

Traditional French confit (kahn-FEE) of duck takes up to 8 weeks to make; its flavor is unparalleled. This recipe uses similar techniques, approximating the flavor of traditional confit in just 24 hours (hence duck leg demi-confit). Served with Grand Marnier demi-glace, root vegetables and wild rice..

The day before, rinse duck legs and pat dry. Place on top of a 1/8 inch bed of kosher salt in a non-reactive dish. Add a dozen bruised garlic cloves to the dish. Season duck with ground bay leaf, thyme, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cinnamon, corriander and cumin. Cover duck completely with kosher salt, cover dish and refrigerate for 18-24 hours.

2 hours before dinner, remove the duck and garlic from the refrigerater and brush away all of the salt.

Brown the duck legs in rendered duck fat, remove to a side dish and pour off (and reserve) all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Sauté celery, leeks, carrots, thyme and garlic in same pan until browned, about 10 minutes.

Return duck to pan and add enough homemade chicken stock to cover all but the tops of the duck. The goal is to braise the duck until tender, but still have a crispy skin. Season liberally with fresh cracked pepper and place in 400 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Reduce oven to 300 degrees and remove pan. Add wild rice and more stock if neccessary. Baste duck with reserved fat and return to oven for 1 hour.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the duck and vegetables to a side dish and keep warm. Degalze pan with Grand Marnier, add chicken stock and reduce quickly. Finish with demi-glace.

To serve, arrange duck on top of vegetable rice mixture, dress with demi-glace and garnish with slivered scallions and orange pieces.

Tagliatelle with Chicken Ragù

January 31, 2009 / Ren

Fresh tomatoes and savory chicken thighs, redolent of fresh herbs..

In a Dutch oven, brown chicken leg quarters in olive oil. Add celery, onions, carrots and garlic and continue to cook until vegetables are browned.

Add cold water with bay leaf and peppercorns to cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer 2 hours.

Remove chicken with skin to cutting board to cool. Strain chicken stock and reserve for another purpose.

Sauté red & green bell peppers, garlic, shallots, carrots, celery. Add white wine, tomatoes and pulled chicken and simmer until most of the water is evaporated, about 30 minutes.

As for Jewish gribenes, crisp reserved chicken skin with a bit of onion, julienne and set aside.

Prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and add chopped parsley.

Add fresh herbs such as basil, oregano and marjoram to the sauce. Add sea salt and fresh black pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle ragù over pasta and top with parmesan, romano, asiago fresco and strips of crisped chicken skin.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Grilled Lamb w/Roast Tomato Tapenade, Feta & Spicy Hummus (favorite)

January 25, 2009 / Ren

2 hours before dinner, marinate center-cut lamb steak in olive oil, garlic, lemon slices, pepper, sea salt fresh Greek oregano, spearmint and marjoram, turning occasionally. Reserve additional marinade to dress cooked lamb.

Meanwhile, make a tapenade by roasting quartered Roma tomatoes drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with S&P. Allow to cool, then chop with Kalamata olives, capers and red onions. Moisten with balsamic vinegar and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate.

For the hummus, mash chickpeas with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, S&P, cumin, paprika and red pepper.

Remove lamb from marinade and grill (indoors or out) until rare to medium rare. Transfer to cutting board to rest 10 minutes, then arrange on a platter with roast tomato tapenade, hummus and crumbled feta. Drizzle reserved marinade over lamb and serve.

Figs and dates make a nice treat afterwords.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Swedish Pot Roast – Läcker!

January 24, 2009 / Ren

With buttered egg noodles and gooseberry chutney, this recipe is something of a mad cross between Heather’s Swedish meatballs and my own pot roast.

Salt the chuck steak liberally on both sides and allow to sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, reduce 1/2 bottle of red wine with a cup of unsalted or low-salt beef broth until volume is reduced by half.

Chop bacon, shallot and garlic and sauté in a Dutch oven over medium heat until well colored, about 10 minutes. Transfer cooked ingredients to a side dish, and pour off all but 1-2 tablespoons of the rendered fat.

Pat the salted meat dry and brown well in the Dutch oven with the reserved fat, about 5 minutes per side. Give silent thanks to Louis Camille Maillard for the beautiful color.

Return the bacon, shallots and garlic to the pot along with fresh thyme, bay, pepper and the wine & stock reduction. Ensure that there is sufficient liquid to cover the browned meat.

Seal the pot with foil, and place in a 350 degree oven until fork tender (about 1 hour in the case of my rather thin chuck). Remove to cutting board and cover with the foil to keep warm.

Strain the cooking liquid into a clean pan, and quickly reduce in volume by half. Thicken slightly with roux and allow to cook slowly for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles, drain, toss with butter and parsley, cover and set aside.

Slowly whisk whole milk into the thickened gravy. Add freshly grated nutmeg and adjust seasoning, being glad that you haven’t used any salt up to this point. Add sautéed mushrooms if you like.

Slice the meat across the grain, and arrange over noodles. Dress with gooseberry chutney (thanks, Sandhill Farm!) and enjoy!

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Herb & Nut Roasted Pork Tenderloin w/Bourbon Cream

January 22, 2009 / Ren

Served with maple butter glazed sweet potatoes and sautéed haricots verts with shiitake mushrooms..

Trimmed pork tenderloin dredged in seasoned flour, dipped in egg wash with a little sweet sorghum syrup and cider vinegar then rolled in chopped pecans, walnuts, pistachios, almonds and fresh sage, rosemary and thyme.

Sorghum cooking at Sandhill Farm

Seal tightly, pressing nuts into the pork. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

To cook, unwrap pork and place in a 350 degree oven until internal temperature reaches 150 degrees (mine took about 25 minutes). Transfer meat to cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, deglaze the skillet with a little bourbon then add some stock and quickly reduce in volume by half. Add heavy cream and continue to reduce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in a spoonful of coarse mustard and finish with a knob of whole butter.

Arrange sliced pork tenderloin on a platter and dress with the bourbon sauce.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Frugal Friday

January 16, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Roasted chicken with vermicelli and fresh vegetables & herbs..

Leeks, celery, carrots, garlic, sage, thyme, rosemary, some dried tomatoes that I put up at the end of the summer, tumeric, roasted red pepper, freshly ground caraway and brown mustard seed, S&P, vermicelli, stock/broth and chicken pieces (I’m using inexpensive thighs).

Season the chicken well with S&P and half sharp paprika and brown in a Dutch oven with a little olive oil. Transfer chicken pieces to another skillet and finish in a 400 degree oven (about 15 minutes).

Meanwhile, sauté the vermicelli, mustard/caraway and vegetables in the same Dutch oven until the vegetables soften and the pasta is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the garlic, herbs, red peppers, turmeric and just enough stock or broth to cover the vegetables. Cook until the vermicelli is just done, about 8 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, make a nest of pasta on the plate and dress with raw sprouts and microgreens. Place the chicken on top of the pasta and drizzle with a little of the stock and drippings from the chicken pan. Garnish with chopped Italian parsley.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ –

Steak Sandwiches, Austin Style

January 10, 2009November 15, 2016 / Ren

Grass-fed skirt steak from Bastrop Cattle Company and fresh cilantro tortillas from Paqui Tortillas along with other local ingredients, all delivered by Greenling Organic Delivery. Get your locavore on!

Adapted from a recipe by Whole Foods

The day before, coat the meat with coarsely ground peppercorns, cumin seed, corriander, granulated garlic, onion powder, cumin, sea salt and non-refined sugar (optional). Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Tomato, cilantro, tomatillo and garlic for the pice de gallo (I’ve eliminated the usual jalapenos because the meat is highly spiced). Onion, bell and poblano pepper for the steak.

Moisten the steak with a little olive oil and liquid aminos with a few drops of mesquite liquid smoke. This will give it a healthy, smokey soy flavor.

Grill the steak to rare in hot skillet, about a minute per side. Transfer to cutting board and allow to rest while you julienne the vegetables. Slice the steak very thin and sauté over high heat with vegetables.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in a comal or iron skillet.

Pile steak and vegetables into the tortillas and top with pico, queso quesadilla and a squeeze of lime.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

White Chicken Chili

January 7, 2009 / Ren

Say, isn’t that a lot of peppers? you might ask. Yes, I’d say. Yes, it is. But this is about flavor, you see, not about sending a heat-seeking missile into your nasal cavity. We’ll do that some other day. I promise.

Adapted from a recipe by Cooks Illustrated

Onion, cilantro, chicken broth, chicken, white beans, scallions, garlic, cumin seed, corriander, Mexican oregano, guajillo (medium), jalapeno (medium), chile de arbol (hot) and ancho (mild) peppers.

Brown the chicken (in a little olive oil) in a Dutch oven. Set aside.

Soak the dried chilies in hot water, prep the vegetables.

Toast the cumin and corriander in a dry skillet then coarsley grind.

Mince the rehydrated chilies.

Sauté the onions, peppers, garlic, oregano, cumin and corriander. Add diced chicken and cook another 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the beans and broth. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Serve garnished with scallions and cilantro.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Calf’s Liver w/Mushroom and Onions, Sauce Poivrade

December 30, 2008November 15, 2016 / Ren

A mild, tender, rich and savory dish prepared in a classical French meets modern shortcuts manner.

Start with very fresh slices of peeled and deveined calves’ liver obtained from a healthy animal of known origin. True calves’ liver is paler in color and milder in taste than the much redder baby beef liver typically found in US supermarkets. If using the latter, it often helps to soak the slices in fresh, whole milk for up to 2 hours to lessen the strong flavor.

“Calf’s liver is less likely to have the accumulations of toxins such as pesticides, hormones and antibiotics found in the liver of older animals. Selecting organic calf’s liver provides the greatest assurance that the liver is free of these toxins. Calf’s liver also is more tender and has better flavor than beef liver (including baby beef liver).”

For the sauce, gather mushrooms, green peppercorns, vinegar, tomato paste, onion, celery, carrot, parsley, butter, lemon, stock and (optionally) demi-glace.

Sauté the mirepoix in butter until well colored, about 10 minutes. Add a good spoonful of tomato paste and continue to cook until all moisture is evaporated and the tomato begins to brown. Moisten with a splash of vinegar and a little sherry and stir to combine.

Add stock and a mashed clove of garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until reduced in volume by half, about 45 minutes. Strain into a clean saucepan and add demi-glace. Simmer until thickened and shiny, about 20 minutes.

Sauté thinly sliced mushrooms and onions in very hot butter until brown and slightly crisp. Add to the pan with the brown sauce.

Pat the liver dry and lightly dredge in unbleached flour. Sauté quickly in a generous amount very hot butter, turning only once. Add chopped parsley and a squeeze of lemon to brighten the flavor before saucing.

A big thanks to my son-in-law Jeff, whose amazingly delicious liver & onions revived my interest in this classic dish!

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Roast Caribou w/Port Wine Reduction, Cranberries and Gingerbread Muffins

December 25, 2008 / Ren

Informed by a recipe from Stein Eriksen Lodge

Butter, bay, coriander, cardamom, juniper berries, non-refined sugar, pepper, paprika, salt and a caribou loin or roast.

Grind spices in a coffee grinder. Add enough unbleached flour to double the volume and thoroughly dredge the roast. Brown the roast on all sides in butter in a Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add port and cook uncovered in 350-degree oven until internal temperature reaches 125 degrees.

Prepare salt & pepper gingerbread muffins and put in oven with roast.

After the roast has been cooking about 20 minutes, slice a potato and season with rosemary, sage, thyme and S&P. Season green beans with cracked mustard seed and S&P. Top with raw pine nuts. Drizzle a little olive oil and melted butter over all, and put pan in oven with roast.

Remove muffins from tin and sprinkle with spiced sugar.

Cook cranberries in the juice and zest of 1 orange and a little sugar until moisture is evaporated.

Remove roast from oven and set on cutting board to rest.

Saute minced shallot, celery, carrot and garlic in butter until soft. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until moisture is evaporated. Transfer vegetables to the pot that the caribou was roasted in. Add additional port wine and stock. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced in volume by half.

Serve slices of roast with pan gravy and cranberries accompanied by roast potatoes and green beans.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

मेमने Lamb Rogan Josh

December 23, 2008 / Ren

Yoghurt and spice-marinated lamb shoulder in a thick red-colored curry.

Curry powder, ajwain seed, rogan josh blend, charnushka, plain yoghurt with live acidopholus, onion, tomatoes, lamb, fresh ginger, garlic, paprika, cilantro and ghee.

Stir the spices into the yoghurt, add the lamb and refrigerate 2-4 hours.

Sautee the onions, ginger and garlic in ghee in a heavy pan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until soft, about 3 minutes. Take care not to burn the garlic.

Add the lamb and its marinade and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add enough lamb, beef or vegetable stock to barely cover the meat.

Reduce heat, cover (offset) and simmer until the sauce is thick and the meat is tender, about 1 hour.

Add wedges of tomato and cilantro and cook uncovered another 5 minutes.

Serve topped with yoghurt and cashew butter with saffron basmati.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Carne de Venado Incrustada de Cacao y Cafe con Crèma de Comino Tostado

December 13, 2008 / Ren

Cocoa & Coffee Crusted Venison w/Toasted Cumin Crèma

Make a dry rub of annatto seeds, cumin, cinnamon, pepper, coffee, cocoa, corriander and cinnamon. For best flavor, use whole spices toasted in a dry skillet before grinding. Coat the venison with the spice rub and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Gather the rest of the ingredients: pumpkins seeds, fresh thyme, sesame seeds, cloves, reserved dry rub, tomato puree, achiote paste, deied peppers, jalapeno, dark chocolate, onion and tomatoes.

Split the dried peppers and steep in hot water for a few minutes to soften.

Sautee the onion, jalapeno and rehydrated peppers in a little oil until softened.

Add chopped tomatoes, crushed toasted pumpkin seeds, achiote paste and a spoonful of the dry rub mix. Cook until tomatoes release all their liquid, about 10 minutes.

Add tomato puree, orange juice, fresh thyme and chocolate and simmer for 10 minutes.

Sweeten with enough agave or honey to provide a nice balance with the heat of the peppers.

Sear the venison in olive oil as you would a pan-fried steak. Deer that was properly field dressed, chilled and processed is generally as tender and flavorful as pastured beef.

Thicken the sauce with toasted bread cubes. Place thick-sliced venison over sauce and top with toasted pumpkin seeds and Mexican crema flavored with toasted cumin and S&P. Polenta fried in butter with cilantro makes a nice side.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Pan Seared Pork Medallions with Port, Wild Mushrooms and Fried Sage (favorite)

December 7, 2008 / Ren

Wild mushrooms, stock, sharp feta or goat cheese, fresh sage, pork tenderloin filets, garlic, shallot, S&P and port. Assorted vegetables such as carrots, parsnips, fennel and beans.

Toss the vegetables with S&P and a little bit of olive oil. Roast in a 425 degree oven for 30 minutes, turning once.

Saute mushrooms, garlic and shallots in butter until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.

Season filets with S&P and saute in olive oil until well browned and internal temperature reaches 140 degrees, about 8 minutes per side. Set aside.

Deglaze the pan with port, scraping up all the brown bits. Add stock and bring to boil. Reduce volume by half.

Meanwhile, fry the sage by making a thin batter of 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup water and S&P. Holding the stem between your thumb and forefinger, dip the leaves into the batter and then into hot olive oil. Fry for a minute or so then transfer to a plate to drain.

Add the filets and mushrooms back to the pan with the port and heat through, about 5 minutes.

Serve topped with crumbled goat or feta cheese and fried sage.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Coconut Chicken Curry

December 5, 2008 / Ren

Moisten unsweetened organic coconut with maple syrup- just enough to give it a pale tan color, then place into a 250 degree oven until dry and deep golden brown in color, about 30 minutes.

Poach skinless bone-in chicken in stock with celery, onion, carrot and peppercorns until just cooked. Transfer chicken to a cutting board to cool. Reserve the stock.

Gather cardamom, corriander, cloves, turmeric, cayenne and cumin. Toast the whole spices in a dry skillet over medium-low heat until they pop, then grind and combine with the other ground spices.

Saute onions and spices in ghee until onions are soft.

Add reserved poaching stock and the juice of 1 lemon to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.

Add torn, poached chicken, raisins and coconut milk and continue to simmer until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Add garbanzo beans, stir and simmer another 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with basmati rice and top with scallions, chopped peanuts and toasted coconut

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Carne Guisada

December 3, 2008 / Ren

Stew meat, stock, fresh tomatoes, garlic, onion, peppers and spices.

Simple. Delicious.

Brown about 1 pound of local grass-fed beef in a spoonful of annatto oil.

Add in about 4 chopped tomatoes, one or two chopped chipotles en adobo and a cup of good beef stock and simmer, stirring occasionally until meat is tender, about 90 minutes.

Add fresh jalapeno, cumin, Mexican oregano, parsley and cilantro and simmer 5 minutes.

A dollop of crema Mexicana or a spoonful of agave nectar will cool it down if its too spicy for you.

Serve with tortilla chips, rice, beans or whatever suits your fancy tonight.

Chicken and Smoked Sausage Gumbo

November 29, 2008 / Ren

Cooked chicken, andouille sausage, onions, jalapeno, parsley, Cajun spices, scallions, celery, garlic, bell pepper, oil, flour, chicken stock, S&P, cayenne and bay.

Begin by browning sausage in a tablespoon of oil. Remove sausage to drain, reserving rendered fat.

Brown chicken in reserved fat with dry herbs and spices. Remove chicken to drain, reserving fat.

Add enough butter to approximately double the amount of fat in the ban and allow to brown slightly. Add flour in batches, cooking and stirring continuously until thickened, about 10 minutes. Continue stirring and cooking until the roux has the color of chocolate, about 20 mintes.

Add the vegetables (except scallions and parsley) to the roux and cook 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock and the reserved chicken and sausage. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat for 1 1/2 hours. Adjust seasoning.

Put a mound of cooked rice in a soup bowl and top with scallions and parsley. Ladle hot gumbo over the top and serve with lots of hot sauce.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Thanksgiving, part two

November 27, 2008 / Ren

For the bird: fresh sage, dry rub, garlic, butter, honey, stock, bourbon. remove the bird from the brine and rinse it thoroughly inside and out. Pat dry. Cream together softened butter, snipped sage and minced garlic. Use your fingers to carefully seperate the skin from the flesh, creating a pocket on either side of the breast. Put the butter mixture into these pockets, pressing with your fingers to distribute as far as possible. See how the whole breast area looks yellow now? Thats the herb butter. Dress the outside of the bird with melted butter, honey, bourbon and dry rub mixture. Put into a preheated 500 degree oven and immediately reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

For the garlic mashed potatoes: diced red potatoes with some skin left on, garlic, onion chives, milk, truffle butter and S&P.

For the dressing: dried herbs, celery, onion, parsley, baguette, stock, butter and S&P.

After 30 minutes, baste the bird with honey and bourbon and return to the oven.

For the bean dish: haricot vert, half & half, mustard seed, mushrooms, onion, buckwheat flour (I made this by grinding hulled buckwheat in a spice grinder), olive oil, nutritional yeast and S&P.

Toast the bread for the dressing. Saute the celery, onion, herbs and spices. Moisten with stock, then put the pan in the oven with the bird.

Remove the bird when the internal temperature reaches 155-160 degrees – it will continue to cook a little while on the counter.

Boil the potatoes. Drop the bundle of beans in the same pot for 3 minutes, then remove to a bowl of ice water.

Dredge thinly sliced onions in seasoned buckwheat flour and fry in olive oil until golden brown. Set aside to drain.

Saute the beans and mushrooms. Add half & half and cracked mustard seed and reduce over medium-low heat until thickened. Season with S&P.

Mash the potatoes with milk, onion chives, garlic and truffle butter. Season with S&P.

Assemble the plate: thick slices of honey bourbon roasted fowl, bread dressing, green beans with mushrooms and fried onions, garlic mashed potatoes with pan gravy and cranberry rhubarb chutney with sliced persimmon. Serve with a glass of chilled hibiscus mead.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Thanksgiving, part one

November 27, 2008 / Ren

Brining solution: kosher salt with peppercorns, herbs and garlic, honey, bourbon and fresh sage. Bring a small pot of water to the boil and add the salt and bourbon, stirring until the salt is dissolved. Turn off the heat and add snipped sage and honey. Allow to cool to room temperature before pouring over the bird with sufficient additional water to submerge the bird. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Mead: Add simmered hibiscus calyses to traditional mead. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Cranberry rhubarb chutney: cloves, ginger, coarse mustard, onion, rhubarb, cranberries, salt, allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, non-refined sugar, raisins and apple cider vinegar. Cook rhubarb, cranberries, onions and sugar together until the cranberries pop and the juices that are released dissolve the sugar, about 15-20 minutes. Add raisins, mustard, ginger, vinegar and spices and cook over low heat until thickened, about 10-15 minutes. Allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Turkey stock: celery, carrot, thyme, bay, peppercorns, parsley, onion and turkey necks. Brown the necks in a little until well colored, about 15 minutes. Add vegetables and cook until glazed, about 5 minutes. Cover necks and vegetables with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and skim away any foam. Add herbs and simmer 4 hours. Strain into a clean container and allow to cool, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

Middle Eastern Lamb Chops with Curried Kuskus

November 24, 2008 / Ren

Lamb chops in spicy Tunisian harissa and Mediterranean curried kuskus with peas and carrots.

Curry blend with dried vegetables, harissa, cumin, cinnamon, mint, savory, chicken stock, tomato puree, kuskus, kosher salt, lemon juice, lamb chops, tomato, carrot, celery, green onion, garlic and peas.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sprinkle kosher salt on lamb chops and set aside at room temperature.

Peel, seed and crush 2 tomatoes, setting 1 aside. Cook the other tomato over medium-low heat with garlic, tomato puree, cumin, cinnamon, mint, savory and harissa to taste until thickened, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to lowest setting.

Arrange the lamb chops in an iron skillet with enough port wine to just cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon spicy tomato sauce over each chop, coating well. Place in oven and cook 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip the chops, cover with more sauce and add more port if the pan is dry. Cook another 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 125 degree for medium-rare. Remove pan from oven and allow chops to rest 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the coussous. Saute the carrots, celery and green onions in a little oil until soft, about 3-4 minutes. Add the curry mix and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the kuskus and peas, reduce heat to low cover, and cook until done, about 8 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Add reserved chopped tomato to the sauce and heat through.

Serve the chops with additional sauce over the top.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Steak night

November 23, 2008 / Ren

Sirloin steak, red pepper, garlic, shallot, jalapeno, sweet corn, thyme, onion chives, black truffle butter, russet potato, pasture butter, kosher salt, olive oil and black pepper.

With a stiff brush, scrub the potato under cold running water. Remove any bad spots with the tip of a sharp knife. Pat the potato dry, then rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle all over with kosher salt. Poke with a fork, then roast in a 400 degree oven until internal temperature reaches 210 degrees, about 45-60 minutes.

Lightly sprinkle the steak with kosher salt then set it aside at room temperature for 30 minutes. This will help to ensure that we get the all-important Maillard reaction later.

Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables as shown. I’ve decided to add chili powder and cilantro for the corn.

15 minutes before the potato is ready, pat the steak dry and put it into a hot iron grill pan. Sear it for 5 minutes without moving it. Flip the steak over and smear it all over with butter containing minced shallot, garlic and thyme.

Saute the corn with the peppers until light golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add cilantro and chili powder.

Remove steak to a cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes to redistribute the juices. Meanwhile, deglaze the steak pan with a little red wine.

Plate the steak and top it with pan juices and a little of the garlic butter. Serve with the corn and baked potato topped with truffle butter and onion chives.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Beef Stock

November 18, 2008 / Ren

No sodium, hydrolyzed yeast extract, butylated hydroxyanisole, sugar or artificial anything here.

Nothing you can buy in the store costs less or tastes anywhere near as good as homemade beef stock. It could not be any easier.

Roast meaty beef bones at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once. Add about 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and coarsely chopped celery, onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and roast another 30 minutes.

Transfer the browned bones to a Dutch oven, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam then transfer the vegetables to the pot with the bones. Discard the rendered fat or set aside for another purpose if that’s your want- just don’t let it near the stock pot.

Deglaze the roasting pan with red wine, scraping up all the brown bits. Add this to the pot with parsley, thyme, peppercorns, bay leaf and a couple of whole cloves.

Reduce heat and simmer slowly for 4 or 5 hours, occasionally skimming away any accumulated foam.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate and use within 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Steak Udon

November 16, 2008 / Ren

Good stir-fry demands a proper, seasoned wok. Properly cared for, this $15 wood-handled carbon steel model will last for years.

Cilantro, white miso, ginger, chili pepper, chives, scallions, red bell pepper, garlic, tofu, shiitake mushrooms, fresh udon noodles, sirloin steak, plum vinegar, sesame oil, brown rice vinegar and soy sauce.

While preparing the vegetables, marinate the steak in a non-reactive container with soy sauce, sesame oil and vinegars for about 20 minutes.

Heat the oil (I’m using a high-heat tea oil made for this purpose) until it shimmers. Test its readiness by dropping a small piece of beef onto the sloped side- it should sizzle and brown immediately.

Add the meat to the hot oil, drawing it up the sides and around the perimeter of the wok. Let sizzle undisturbed until the pan recovers all its heat. Add the vegetables to the center of the pan and stir to combine.

Continue to cook by drawing the meat and vegetables up the side of the pan. Add a few tablespoons of the marinade to the pan and quickly heat the tofu, udon noodles, miso and cilantro. Stir to combine.

Serve with additional soy sauce, hot chili sauce and sake, if desired.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Chicken & Biscuits

November 14, 2008 / Ren

A one-skillet dinner, adapted from a recipe at the always-tasty What Geeks Eat

Fresh rosemary, sage and thyme, celery, onion, potato, carrots, milk, baking powder, S&P, roasted chicken stock concentrate, all-purpose flour, white wine, butter and bone-in chicken thighs.

Prep the vegetables. Cook the potatoes to about half done in a little olive oil and butter. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to cook until colored but slightly underdone (the flavor of root vegetables is enhanced by browning). Set the vegetables aside.

Add a little more butter & olive oil to the pan and brown the chicken well on all sides. Continue to cook the chicken until slightly underdone. Set the chicken aside.

Deglaze the pan with white wine, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add herbs, liquid chicken stock and a spoonful of the concentrate to pan and reduce over high heat until reduced by half. Sauce should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Add the chicken and vegetables back to the pan and simmer over low heat while preparing the biscuits.

Make a basic biscuit dough from flour, salt, baking powder, milk and cold butter. Roll the dough into a cylinder then cut into 1 inch thick biscuits. Place biscuits on top of chicken then put the skillet into a 400 degree oven until the chicken is cooked through and the biscuits are golden brown, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve 2 thighs and biscuits per adult.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Adobado Turkey with Pomegranate Molasses and Cornbread Dressing

November 10, 2008 / Ren

Turkey breast tenderloin, brining mixture, dried chili blend, cornmeal, non-refined sugar, butter, pomegranate, cilantro and lemon juice.

Dissolve brine mix in cold water, add chili blend and pour over turkey. Cover and refrigerate 4 hours.

Gather the rest of your ingredients.

Prepare the turkey by coating in melted butter then rolling in a mixture of coarse corn meal cut with a little flour, cilantro and chili blend. Place into a 350 degree oven and cook until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees, about 1 hour.

Prep the ingredients for the cornbread dressing. Butter, pomegranate seeds, leftover cornbread cut into cubes, onion, celery, jalapeno and poultry seasoning.

Bring 2 cups pomegranate juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice and 1/4 cup non-refined sugar to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 1 hour or until the consistency is that of a thick syrup.

Drizzle the pomegranate molasses oven the turkey and return to the oven until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.

Saute celery, onion and jalapeno in buter until softened and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add cornbread and cook until it begins to brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Moisten with chicken stock and stir in the pomegranate seeds.

Slice the turkey on a bias and top with pan drippings and a little reserved molasses.

Crispy, tender, juicy, sweet/tart and spicy.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Beeff in a Faire Possenet

November 8, 2008 / Ren

Beef Pot Roast, adapted from 16th century recipes using techniques suggested by Cooks Illustrated.

“Take faire ffresh beef, and (if thou wilt) roste hit til hit be nygh ynowe; theñ put hit in a faire possenet”

Beef chuck, garlic, thyme, bay, bacon, horseradish root, gelatin leaves, celery root, onion, wine, S&P, stock, parsley, carrots and turnips (I decided not to use the potatoes after the picture was taken). Not shown: barley, barley malt, mushrooms and flour.

Following the natural seam, pull/cut the roast in two. Trim away thickest fat, but leave some thin layers intact.

Sprinkle roasts on all sides with kosher salt and place on a rack to rest for 1 hour at room temperature. After about 15 minutes, you will begin to see moisture (containing sugars and proteins) forming on the surfaces of the meat. The osmotic effect will begin to reverse after about 30 minutes as the salt partially dissolves and the liquids are reabsorbed. Salting the meat helps to ensure a proper Maillard reaction which is critical to the success of this recipe.

While the meat is resting, cut the bacon into 1/2 inch dice and cook over medium-low heat in a Dutch oven until all the fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Set cooked bacon aside and pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the melted fat.

Meanwhile, reduce an entire bottle of decent red wine (more fruity than dry) until the volume is halved.

Blot any remaining moisture from meat, pepper it on all sides and brown well on all sides in the bacon fat. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan, cook the onions until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cooked bacon and about 1 tablespoon of flour and cook another minute.

Add reduced wine and broth to the pan with the onions, scraping the sides and bottom to release the fond.

Put the browned meat and its juices into the pot. Seal the pot with foil, cover and place into a 300 degree oven for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the pot from the oven and turn the meat over. Replace foil and lid and put back into the oven for another hour.

Prep the rest of the ingredients- celery leaves, stalks, celery root, carrots, barley, mushrooms and turnips.

After 2 hours of cooking, remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the meat to a rack and cover with the foil to keep warm.

Turn up the heat on the cooking liquid and reduce its volume by half.

Meanwhile, saute the celery root and turnips in butter until soft, about 10 minutes. Add this to the pot of cooking liquid.

Saute carrots and celery stalks in butter until browned, about 5 minutes. Glaze with a spoonful of barley malt before transferring to the pot with the turnips.

Salt the mushrooms and saute in butter until browned and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms to the pot with the rest of the vegetables.

Add the cold-water softened gelatin to the pot and stir until dissolved.

Cut meat into thick slices and ladle gravy and vegetables over the top. Garnish with chopped celery leaves and grated horseradish and serve accompanied with a glass of wine and a dish of hot, roasted chestnuts.

By far the best pot roast and one of the most satisfying meals in recent memory.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Chili

November 5, 2008 / Ren

“…During the 1880s, brightly-dressed Hispanic women known as “Chili Queens” began to operate around Military Plaza and other public gathering places in downtown San Antonio. They would appear at dusk, building charcoal or wood fires to reheat cauldrons of pre-cooked chili, selling it by the bowl to passers-by. The aroma was a potent sales pitch…” (Wikipedia) Visit npr.org for more information about The Chili Queens of San Antonio.

Chili con carne, Texas-style chili, Pedernales River chili, white chili, Cincinnati-style chili, Louisville style chili, chile verde. All very different. All very good.

This unique chile selectively borrows from many of these traditions. It would, of course be immediately disqualified from any self-respecting Texas chili cook-off.

Tomatillos, cilantro, masa flour, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, 3-bean chili beans, onion, queso Oaxaca bola (string cheese), Mexican oregano (related to lemon verbena, Mexican oregano is stronger than the Greek and Italian varieties), celery, Mexican dark beer, annatto oil, chipotles en adobo, 90% lean coarse-ground chili meat, dried ancho with cumin, pepper and cloves, red Frisco peppers, garlic, dark chocolate with cocoa nibs, cinnamon and chipotle and sweet white corn. Not shown: beef stock

In a Dutch oven, brown the meat in a little annatto oil. Drain any excess fat.

Chop the peppers, celery, onion, tomatillos and garlic and add to the meat. Cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft.

Add tomatoes, crushed ancho blend and chipotles en adobo. Allow the chili to come to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer.

Add beer and beef stock. Chili should be thin (lots of liquid) at this point. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Cut the corn from the cob and toast in a skillet to intensify color, flavor and sweetness (this makes a nice contrast to the heat of the peppers).

Add the corn, cilantro, chocolate, drained beans and oregano to the pot, stirring until the chocolate is incorporated, about 5 minutes.

Add masa and tomato paste to thicken, simmer another 5 -10 minutes.

Serve with tortilla chips and shredded cheese.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Korean-style BBQ

November 3, 2008 / Ren

This is my take on a Korean-style BBQ, inspired by the more traditional bulgogi and galbi.

“English-cut” short ribs, garlic, ginger, scallions, brown rice vinegar, oil, soy sauce with citrus and non-refined cane sugar.

Remove the cap and excess fat and cut the meat from the bone. Cut the remaining meat on a bias about 3/8 of an inch thick, and place into a non-reactive container.

Add minced garlic, ginger and scallions and about 1 tablespoon each of oil, vinegar and sugar to a quantity of soy sauce sufficient to cover the meat. For extra hot BBQ, add 1 tablespoon of chili garlic sauce to the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

At meal time, cook sweet rice according to package directions, and steam choy sum until tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer steamed leaves to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process and preserve the color and nutrients.

Meanwhile, sear the beef in a hot skillet until medium rare, about 5-7 minutes.

Lay the choy sum out on a flat surface.

Top with a spoonful of rice.

Then a piece of meat.

Add some odoriferous kimchi.

And some hot sauce.

Fold the leaves over and eat like Korean tacos, or serve open-face.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Curried Egg Salad Sandwiches

November 2, 2008 / Ren

Red onion, lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, curry powder, eggs, celery and cilantro.

Place eggs into pan and cover with cold water. Turn heat on high. As soon as the water begins to boil, cover the pan and remove from the heat. Allow to sit precisely 10 minutes (f you want to see a perfect soft-boiled egg, pull one out at 6 minutes. Top it and season with S & P).

Pour off the hot water and transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water. Allow to sit until thoroughly cooled, at least 10 minutes. Tap egg on counter and roll back-and-forth. Beginning from the large end, peel the shell away in a near-continuous strip. Yeah, right.

Dice eggs and add the rest of the ingredients and toss with a fork until just combined. Adjust seasoning with S & P if needed.

Serve with field greens on toasted pumpernickel. The egg salad isn’t actually green, by the way- that’s just a photo/lighting anomaly.

Because I’m weird, though, I eat my egg salad sandwiches with lots of Mexican hot sauce.

Pan Seared Duck in Port Reduction with Agave Mustard Glazed Carrots

November 1, 2008 / Ren

Garlic, shallot, caraway, butter, agave nectar, double strength lemon juice, baby carrots, port wine, peppercorns, duck glacé, sea salt and duck breasts

Cut a criss-cross pattern into the fat on the back of the duck breasts. Try not to cut into the meat.

Place breasts into heavy skillet over medium heat and cook until the fat stops rendering and the skin is crisp, about 20 minutes. Pour the fat off 3-4 times during this process.

Begin cooking the carrots and caraway in butter and a scant amount of water.

Season the duck with salt and pepper and turn breast side down. Continue to saute until medium rare*, about 5-7 minutes.

Add shallots and garlic, saute 1 minute. Deglaze pan with port wine. Swirl the duck in the wine for a few moments, then transfer to a cutting board.

Add agave, mustard, chopped greens and S & P to the carrots, and cook over medium heat until glazed, about 3 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Add glacé to pan with port and whisk over medium high heat until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Use to dress the thinly sliced duck.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

* This is against USDA guidelines which say that poultry must be cooked to 165 degrees.

Chicken Soup with Basil Pesto Pasta

October 28, 2008 / Ren

Made from ingredients that were on hand rather than from a recipe.

Dried pasta filled with basil pesto, celery, onions and carrots, olive oil, home made chicken stock (see previous post), rapini, Italian herbs with red and black pepper, some of our previously put by dried tomatoes, garlic and 1/2 roast chicken. Mise en place.

Pull the meat and skin from the bones. Toss the bones into the cannister along with the onion and celery ends and freeze as stock-starter for next time.

Cut the meat into spoon sized pieces. I prefer to use both white and dark meat in chicken soup.

Bring the stock to a slow boil and skim away any scum with the edge of a ladle.

Add the chopped, dried tomatoes first, as they need a full 30 minutes to reclaim their previously toothsome goodness.

After about 10 minutes, add the pasta which needs an additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, saute the vegetables and herbs in olive oil until just underdone. Cooking the vegetables first ensures that they will stay suspended in the stock rather than all floating to the top. Transfer the vegetables to the soup pot and simmer until done, about 5-10 minutes.

Add the chicken and rapini and simmer until chicken is heated throughout and rapini is tender, about 5 more minutes.

Serve topped with a little Italian cheese if you like.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Chicken Stock

October 28, 2008 / Ren

The carcass of yesterday’s roast chicken, celery, onion, carrot, parsley, thyme, bay, peppercorns and garlic.

Begin by cooking the chicken and vegetables in a Dutch oven until it begins to brown a little. This will help to give the stock a rich color.

Add the herbs, peppercorns and enough cold water to cover. Cook over high heat until it just begins to boil, then turn the heat down and let simmer for 1 hour, skimming the scum about once every 15 minutes.

Simmer an additional 8 hours, skimming occasionally and adding a little hot water as needed to keep the ingredients submerged.

Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean container and immediately cool that in a sink full of ice water. The goal is to cool the stock below the bacterial level of 38 degrees as quickly as possible.

Done correctly, the stock will safely keep in the refrigerator for at least three days or in the freezer for 3-4 months.

Roast Chicken and Potatoes with Red Pepper Rapini

October 26, 2008 / Ren

The goal- a savory, moist and tender bird with really crispy skin. The key to success here is to brine the bird overnight, then dry-pack it the next morning.

For the brine, kosher salt (about 1 cup per gallon of water), herbs, peppercorns and garlic. Boil all ingredients together for 5 minutes to dissolve the salt and allow the herbs to release some oil.

Add enough ice water to cool the brine and increase the volume according to the amount of salt you used. When cool, pour the brine over the chicken and add a little olive oil. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, discard the brine and thoroughly rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat it dry, then make a dozen or so slits into the legs, thighs, breast and back of the bird.

Combine 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon black pepper and fresh chopped herbs such as savory, sage rosemary and time.

Moisten the chicken with olive oil (a mister works great for this), then rub all of the salt mixture onto the bird, thinly covering as much surface area as you can. Refrigerate for the rest of the day.

Prepare the rapini by washing it and removing 3/4 of the stem end. Chop the rest into 2-inch pieces. Plunge into rapidly boiling water for 1 minute, drain and transfer to ice water to stop the cooking process. Drain again and set aside.

Roast the chicken breast side down for 25 minutes in a 450 degree oven. Turn the chicken breast side up, add seasoned potato wedges and continue to roast until an instant thermometer reads 135 degrees in the deepest area of the breast, about 20 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees, and continue to roast until skin is crisp and internal temperature reaches 160 degrees, about 20 minutes. Set aside to rest.

Meanwhile, make pan gravy by pouring off the grease from the roasting pan, leaving the fond behind. Loosen the brown bits by adding a little white wine and scraping with a wooden spoon. Add this to a pot with chicken stock, and quickly reduce over high heat. Thicken with a little rice flour if necessary.

Saute scallions and garlic in olive oil. Add the drained rapini and red pepper flakes. Sautee all together until tender, about 5 minutes.

Carve, plate and serve.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Pozole Roja with Cornsticks

October 22, 2008 / Ren

Pozole Roja is a traditional pre-Colombian stew, adopted as the local cuisine of Guerrero, Mexico. In the US state of New Mexico, pozole (from Spanish pozole, from Nahuatl potzolli) is traditionally served on Christmas Eve to celebrate life’s blessings.

While it looks a little complicated, it really isn’t hard. As long as you have “mise en place” (everything in place) before starting, you’ll get through this fine, and be justly rewarded in the end.

Pork shoulder, dried ancho and guajillo chiles, garlic, achiote seeds, dark chocolate with chipotle, cinnamon and cocoa nibs, crema (think of Mexican crème fraîche), fresh cilantro, fresh mint, key limes, Spanish onion, Mexican oregano, olive oil, peppercorns and nixtamal (white corn/hominy).

Start by toasting the achiote seeds in a hot, dry skillet until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add good olive oil and infuse over low heat for about 20 minutes. Strain the resulting annatto oil through a coffee filter placed inside a funnel. Stored in a cool, dark place, annatto oil will keep indefinitely.

Trim the excess fat from the pork, but leave a little intact. In a Dutch oven, sear the pork in a little of the annatto oil. Add onions, garlic and oregano and cook another 5 minutes.

Add water (or stock, if you prefer) to cover, cilantro and mint (I’ve stuffed the herbs into a cheesecloth bag for easy removal) and S&P. Simmer until pork is fork-tender, about 2 hours.

Split the chilies and remove the stems and seeds. Place on a flat skillet and weight for about 20 seconds. Flip and repeat.

Transfer the toasted chilies to a bowl, cover with boiling water and let stand until soft, about 1/2 hour.

Gather up the ingredients for cornbread. Coarse-ground yellow cornmeal, all-purpose flour, milk, baking powder, butter, egg, chiles and salt.

Lightly toast the cornmeal on a dry skillet to bring out the flavor, then add it to the bowl with the other ingredients (I’ve added a little shredded cheddar cheese). Mix until just combined, about 1 minute. Do not over mix.

Blend the re-hydrated chiles with 1/2 of its soaking water until smooth. Transfer to pan and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add the hominy and simmer another 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour the cornbread mix into a pre-heated iron cornstick pan (or muffin tins or 8×8 glass baking dish) and bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Serve in a bowl garnished with crema, chopped mint and cilantro, and shaved chocolate.

Weeknight Meatloaf

October 20, 2008 / Ren

This just seems right on a cool fall evening.

Fresh beef and pork, about 3/4lb of each, onion, garlic, hot pepper paste (optional), unsulphered blackstrap molasses, Worcestershire, strained tomatoes, milk, thyme, S & P, egg, apple cider vinegar and a large sandwich roll.

Start by coarsely grinding the well-chilled meat into a glass bowl. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, S & P, Worcestershire and egg. Mix by hand until ingredients are dispersed, but take care not to over-mix.

Moisten the lightly toasted, shredded bread with a little milk and fold into the meat mixture.

If you are unsure of the seasoning, just fry a little sample to taste and adjust as you see fit.

Make the glaze by cooking the tomatoes, molasses, Worcestershire, vinegar and pepper paste together until thick and deep mahogany colored, about 5 minutes.

Put the meat mixture into a perforated loaf pan and cover with the glaze (I’m also going to roast a yellow potato and some greens beans). Cook in a 350 degree oven until the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees (about 1 hour and 20 minutes). Let rest 5 minutes before serving.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Chipotle Black Bean Chicken Chili (favorite)

October 19, 2008 / Ren

Crushed tomatoes, black beans, onion, garlic, jalapeno, cilantro, roasted peppers, chicken, corn, chipotle powder, smoked sweet paprika, sea salt and cheddar cheese.

Brine* the chicken for 1 hour before starting the recipe. Brining makes the chicken much more tender and juicy.

In a Dutch oven, saute the onions, jalapeno, garlic and chipotle until tender, about 7 minutes.

Add tomatoes and peppers, simmer 10 minutes.

Brown the corn with cilantro. Browning releases the sugars and intensifies the corn flavor.

Add the corn, drained black beans and a large spoonful of nutritional yeast flakes. Stir and simmer 10 minutes.

Cook the (rinsed and patted dry) chicken in hot oil with smoked paprika until almost done, about 5 minutes per side.

Cut the chicken into bite size cubes, add to the chili and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Serve topped with shredded cheese and slivered scallions.

* “The brining process forces water into the muscle tissues of the meat by a process known as diffusion and osmosis. This additional moisture causes the muscle tissues to swell and hold more water. The resulting water in the muscle tissues will make the meat more moist and tender. Any spices herbs or other flavorings you add to the brine solution will get taken deep into the meat with the water.”

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Tomato Sausage Strata with Baby Fennel

October 11, 2008 / Ren

Home made sausage, purple basil, Italian cheeses, Roma tomatoes, baby fennel, whole milk, stale bread, brown eggs.

Trim, split, core and chop the fennel bulb.

Saute the sausage with garlic, onions and fennel. I’ve added smoked paprika and red chili flakes for color and kick.

When the sausage is done, turn off the heat and set aside.

Prepare the quiche-like filling by mixing milk, eggs, salt & pepper and dried herbs.

Line a buttered dish with rounds of stale bread.

Add the cooked sausage.

Add the tomatoes and chopped fennel feathers.

Add the cheese.

Some more bread.

Milk/egg mixture and dried basil.

More cheese and fennel. Decorate with the tomato ends if desired.

Bake at 350 degrees until eggs are set and top is crisp and brown.

Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Fresh-made Sausage

October 11, 2008 / Ren

All I wanted was a little fresh Italian sausage, so I went to the market to take a number to stand in line to pay an outrageous sum of $4 a pound.

Hold on. Did I just see sugar in the list of ingredients? And sodium nitrite?!

While this chemical will prevent the growth of bacteria, it can be toxic for mammals. (LD50 in rats is 180 mg/kg.) For this reason, sodium nitrite sold as a food additive is dyed bright pink to avoid mistaking it for something else. Cooks and makers of charcuterie often simply refer to sodium nitrite as “pink salt”.

Various dangers of using this as a food additive have been suggested and researched by scientists. A principal concern is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitrosamines by the reaction of sodium nitrite with amino acids in the presence of heat in an acidic environment. Its usage is carefully regulated in the production of cured products; in the United States, the concentration in finished products is limited to 200 ppm, and is usually lower. In about 1970, it was found that the addition of ascorbic acid inhibited nitrosamine production. U.S. manufacturing of cured meats now requires the addition of 500 ppm of ascorbic acid or erythorbic acid, a cheaper isomer. Sodium nitrite has also been linked to triggering migraines.

Time to make my own sausage, the way I like it, with lots of Not Sugar and extra No Preservatives!

Talk to your butcher. Ask her for some nice, fresh, boneless pork. Trim any excess fat and membrane, and push the cold pork through your grinder. Add seasoning if you wish, but do grind it a second time.

Leftover sausage deteriorates quickly, so if you’re not going to use it within 2 days, store it frozen, pressed flat in a zipper bag.

Kickas* Burger

September 27, 2008 / Ren

Ever go to that fancy restaurant and have one of those $12 burgers, only to go home dissatisfied? Well, I have. Lets see what we can do at home for less than 1/2 the cost.

Pretty hard to make a great burger from anything less than a great steak. This is a dry-aged top sirloin, about 7oz. That’s a wedge of Lancashire Blacksticks Blue cheese, tomato on-the-vine, red onion, Yukon gold potatoes, fresh rosemary, sweet corn, a wheat Kaiser roll, some of the peppers that we put up last week, thyme, pepper, sea salt and worcestershire without anchovies.

Grind the well-chilled meat and add thyme, pepper, sea salt and a little worcestershire. Form the burger and set aside.

Get the potatoes going with rosemary and garlic. Add the corn and peppers, season with chile powder and cilantro. Meanwhile, check you burger for your desired degree of doneness. Assemble, plate and feast.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Curried Lamb with Peas and Lentils

September 21, 2008 / Ren

Trim any excess fat and cut leftover roast lamb into bite sized pieces. Toast cardamom, coriander, mustard seeds and bay in coconut oil until the seeds begin to pop out of the pan. Add the cubed lamb and continue to cook until meat is nicely browned.

Transfer the lamb to a dutch oven, adding enough stock and tomato puree to cover the meat. Cover and simmer about 1 and 1/2 hours. Add black gram lentils, peas, tomatoes, ginger, chili powder, curry powder and cilantro, and simmer another 1/2 hour.

Heat a naan on a skillet and serve with lamb and yoghurt or sour cream.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ +

Roast Leg of Lamb

September 20, 2008 / Ren

Roast leg of lamb with root vegetables and pan gravy

This is a boneless leg of lamb that I’ve marinated overnight in red wine, olive oil, garlic and peppercorns. To the pan, add 1 cup chicken stock and a variety of seasonal root vegetables (I’m using potatoes, turnips, parsnips, carrots and garlic). The lamb is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and a little dried spearmint.

Place the roast into pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and let cook until a meat thermometer registers 135 degrees for medium-rare, about an hour and twenty minutes for a 3lb. roast.

Remove the lamb and vegetables to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping all the fond from the sides and bottom. Thicken with rice flour or a little arrowroot disolved in water.

Remove the netting from the lamb, slice and serve with the vegetables and gravy.

Rating ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

Roast turkey with agave and chipotle

September 13, 2008 / Ren

Turkey breast tenderloin, agave nectar, ground chipotle, smoked paprika, cilantro, pepper, sea salt and BBQ sauce.

Into a dish with a wedge of pumpkin seasoned with grated cinnamon and nutmeg, thence into a 350 degree oven for about 1 hour.

Fava beans, sunburst squash, bacon and golden pearl onions.

Shortly before the turkey comes out of the oven, sautee the bacon and onions until they begin to caramelize, then add the blanched beans and squash.

Slice the turkey, scoop the pumpkin with a spoon, plate and serve.

Una bella fetta

September 11, 2008 / Ren

Fresh Italian sausage, basil, “ugly ripes”, black gerignola olives, hot cherry pepper and garlic.

Wet mozzarella, insalata panino and grana padano stravecchio.

Chop the tomatoes, squeeze out the water then add them to the pan with the garlic, peppers and dried Italian herbs. Cook until soft, not more than 10 minutes. Drain any excess juice.

Assemble the pie. I’m using a prepared crust, but you can use whatever you like. Focaccia and flatbread both work well. Tomato sauce on the bottom, a little grated cheese, sausage, mozzarella, insalata and fresh basil.

Into a 500 degree oven (don’t forget to preheat your stone) until it looks the way you like it.

Slice, plate and enjoy with a salad of field greens with artichokes and lemon garlic dressing.

Lamb chops with bean salad

September 8, 2008 / Ren

A pair of inch and 1/2 thick lamb chops from a pasture near Austin. Fresh herbs, garlic, peppercorns, sea salt and a soft red wine. Into a glass bowl thence to the fridge overnight.

Giant white beans, onion chives, carrot, fava beans and goat cheese will comprise a mostly raw salad.

Unzip the favas and blanch them for 30 seconds to loosen the shell, then chill under cold water to stop the cooking. Slit the shells with the point of a knife to set them free.

Onto a hot skillet for 2-3 minutes per side, then into a 400 degree oven for ~10 minutes for medium-rare. I have a leftover potato latke, so I’ll stick that into the oven with the chops.

Enjoy!

Tagliatelle with sausage marinara

September 6, 2008 / Ren

This ain’t your mama’s spaghetti. Not unless your mama is Mario Batali, who learned this at the hand of my Uncle Gary, that is.

Fresh, uncured Italian pork sausage, heirloom tomatoes, elephant garlic, sweet hatch onion, fresh egg tagliatelle, hot pepper paste, fresh and dried herbs.

Heat a little olive oil and European butter in a skillet and saute the onions and dried basil and oregano until it begins to caramelize. Add the garlic and saute another 30 seconds. Don’t burn the garlic, or you’ll have to start over.

Pulse half the tomatoes in a food processor (or chop by hand if you prefer) and add to the pan. Let cook until nearly dry, then add the wine. An un-oaked, soft Italian is best. Using a wooden spoon, scrape the fond from the bottom of the pan so that it adds a slight roasted flavor to the sauce. If you’re using a non-stick pan you will not have any fond, and your sauce will not be as good.

This would be a good time to start the pasta. I’ve added turmeric for its color and medicinal properties.

Add the other half of the tomatoes, freshly ground pepper and hot pepper paste. Our sauce now contains both smoky and fresh tasting tomatoes.

Toss in the pasta and fresh herbs. I’m using opal basil, oregano and flat leaf parsley.

Top with some Grana Padano Stravecchio and serve with a multigrain ficelle with olive oil and balsamic.

Somebody get me a stretcher!

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles

Related Articles