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)..

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

(Vegetarian) Sweet Potato Curry with Aged Cashew Basmati

November 14, 2010November 15, 2016 / Ren

Deep crimson in color with a slightly fruity flavor and mild to medium heat, Kashmiri chiles (Kashmiri mirch) are in such demand that there just aren’t enough to go around. Combined here with ghee-fried onions, garlic, fresh ginger, Ceylon cinnamon and diced sweet potatoes..

Sweet Potato Curry with Aged Cashew Basmati

2 tablespoons ghee (substitute raw coconut oil)
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1-2 small green chilies, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 large ripe tomato, diced
1 4″ section fresh curry leaf
1 3″ piece Ceylon cinnamon
2 tablespoons Kashmiri mirch
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaf, chopped
sea salt and black pepper

Melt the ghee in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add onions and chilies and gently fry until tender. Add cumin, curry leaves and cinnamon and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add Kashmiri murch and turmeric and stir to form a paste. Continue to stir and fry for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes, sweet potatoes and stock, partially cover and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in coconut cream and coriander. Season to taste and serve immediately over aged cashew basmati.

Like fine wine, basmati rice tends to improve with age. High quality basmati may be stored for up to 10 years to enhance its flavor, bouquet and cooking characteristics.

This post is part of Meatless Monday!

Sweet Potatoes, 10 Ways: Meatless Monday Recipe Roundup (blisstree.com)
Recipe From Harlem Community Farm Share (harlemworldblog.wordpress.com)

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)

Dancing Mushroom Shiromiso

August 22, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Saveur

Known as the Hen of the Woods mushroom in North America, the Maitake (dancing mushroom) is revered for its anti-cancer properties and ability to regulate the body’s blood pressure and insulin levels.

Here’s a delicious way to load up on minerals, vitamins, protein and amino acids..

Dancing Mushroom Shiromiso

If not available locally, whole Maitake mushrooms can be ordered from Mountain Rose Herbs

Whole, dried organic Maitake (grifola frondosa)
Fresh scallions, sliced
White miso paste
Organic spinach powder
Homemade chicken bone broth, vegetable stock or filtered water
Low-sodium tamari
Dried organic celery root
Dried hijiki

Soak dried Maitake in filtered hot (not boiling) water for 20 minutes. Set re-hydrated mushroom aside to drain. Reserve soaking liquid.

Drizzle mushroom with clarified butter, sprinkle with pepper and spinach powder and roast in a 350 degree oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes). The mushroom should be slightly crispy on the edges.

Meanwhile, bring reserved soaking liquid and chicken stock to a rapid boil and cook until reduced in volume by 1/3.

Reduce heat and add tamari (be sure to use traditionally-fermented tamari that doesn’t contain hydrolyzed protein) celery root, scallions and hijiki (a wild brown sea vegetable). Simmer for 5 minutes.

Remove broth from heat and stir in white miso paste.

Ladle broth into a bowl or deep plate then place the roasted Maitake on top.

: Maitake Miso

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.