Charcutepalooza 6 - Stuff it!

I am not sure where to start here. You see last month when we did the grinding challenge for Charcutepalooza, we didn't know that it was a seperate challange and we stuffed. Yes, we had the casings and we had the meat. What were we suppose to do? We were suppose to wait until this month to stuff. Needless to say we have been cooking with sausages for 2 months. I refuse to make any sausage jokes here. To tell you the truth I am tired of em. 2 months of em.

We have enjoyed our voyage into sausage making. We have done Merquez sausage, Toulouse sausage, Duck sausage and my favorite Chinese Duck Liver sausage.



Sausage making takes lots of patience and lots of time.



I have to say that for all the work it is well worth it. I don't think anything I have ever bought has been as good as what we have been making.



It is sorta funny because I didn't grow up eating pork. I didn't taste pork until I was much older. I don't think my mother likes the idea of me playing with pork as much as I do. While not all this sausage is pork most of it is. Hey, I have a stash of pork that will take a while to use.



So since we already stuffed sausage last month we decided to do more this month. We decided on duck this time. I don't mean to make you feel squoogy, but I have refrained in the past showing pictures of what I am working with. I didn't want to offend followers. This time I am showing the duck. It is my duck and I can do what I want. Not only that but you have to be a little impressed that *I* butchered Mr. Quackers by myself.



We bought the Mr. Duck in an Asian market and he was fresh (it might have been a she I don't know how to tell the difference though). I thought that they had taken out the liver but they hadn't. I did use some chicken liver in the sausage as well because there wasn't enough duck liver alone.




We then processed all the meat into sausage. We made the bones and head into the stock.



We made Chinese sausage out of the duck liver, some pork fat, and lots of seasoning.



We cooked some up and looked at each other as any good coconspirators do...with glee. I can NOT tell you how incredible this sausage was. It made me want to dance and dance. We made a simple dish out of this Chinese sausage and we have lots more to experiment with.



The other recipe we were going to make was one that called for a brown chicken stock to go in the duck sausage dish. I thought it was insane not to use the duck bones to make the Brown stock.



Good move on my part.



The other duck sausage was a Mario Batalli recipe (I hate using TV chefs recipes but I did it anyhow).





The Toulose type duck sausage has gone into lots of stuff too. I put it in our Chicago style pizza that I posted yesterday.



I also jumped ship on Mr Batalli. Sorry Mario. I made your sausage recipe but dumped the other part of your recipe. I found another recipe that looked way better and actually called for Pancetta. *I* have that! So, this recipe really called for 5lbs of duck and I just swapped that for the sausage. This recipe will make you swoon. I swear.



I am always happy when I get to use my very own pancetta.



Love how it browns up. I also browned up the duck sausage.



Anything with Anchovies in it is A-1 in MY book



This duck stock was unbelievable. I mean really unbelievable (ok, thanks Mario B for this part of the recipe)



2 hours of simmering and it was done.



Oh Yum! I end this post by chanting "I love you Charcutepalooza, I love you Charcutepalooza.." Quack!


Adapted from The Union Square Cafe Cookbook
Danny Meyer and Michael Romano
Serves 10

Printable Version

About 10 links Duck Sausage
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
1/2 pound pancetta, cut into 1 x 1/4-inch pieces
3 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped (6 cups)
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
1 2-ounce jar or can of anchovy fillets, drained and minced (optional)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices (3 cups)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups white wine
1 cup pitted and coarsely chopped nicoise or gaeta black olives
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 16-ounce can peeled tomatoes, drained and crushed
6 cups Duck Stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 pounds rigatoni or wide-mouthed maccheroni
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano


Thirty minutes before cooking, sprinkle the duck pieces with salt and pepper on both sides. Tie the thyme sprigs and bay leaves together with a piece of kitchen string.

Heat a large, heavy Dutch oven or saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to drain.
In the same pot, brown the duck pieces on both sides over high heat, a few pieces at a time. Transfer each batch to drain in a colander. Pour out all but ¼ cup duck fat and reduce the heat to medium.

Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, until translucent. Stir in the anchovies and carrots and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until the flour absorbs the duck fat. Stir in the wine and olives and increase the heat to medium-high.

Return the duck pieces to the pot. Add the crisp pancetta, thyme and bay leaves, cayenne, balsamic vinegar, tomatoes, and stock. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the duck is fork tender. Remove from the heat and skim as much duck fat as possible from the top of the pot, using a bulb-baster or ladle. Remove the thyme and bay leaves and discard. Adjust the seasoning, return the pot to low heat, and keep warm. If made a day in advance, you can eliminate skimming the fat. Transfer the stew to a large bowl, bring to room temperature, cover tightly, and refrigerate. The fat will rise to the top and harden, making it easy to remove before you reheat.

In a large pot, bring 1 gallon of water to a rolling boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and pour into a warm serving bowl. Immediately toss with the Parmigiano. Transfer the duck to a warm, deep-welled platter. Serve the duck and its sauce with the pasta.


Brown Duck Stock:
Adapted from Mario Batali

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 1/2 pounds Duck bones
3 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 onions, coarsely chopped
4 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until smoking. Add all the Duck parts and brown all over, stirring to avoid burning. Remove the duck and reserve. Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook until soft and browned. Return the chicken to the pot and add 3 quarts of water, the tomato paste, peppercorns, and parsley. Stir with a wooden spoon to dislodge the browned duck and vegetables bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring almost to a boil, then reduce heat and cook at a low simmer until reduced by half, about 2 hours, occasionally skimming excess fat. Remove from heat, strain, and press on the solids with the bottom of a ladle to extract out all liquids. Stir the stock to facilitate cooling and set aside. Refrigerate stock in small containers for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

Yield: 1 1/2 quarts



Claypot Rice With Chinese Sausage
adapted from Serious Eats

Printable Version

4 links Chinese Duck Liver Sausage
1 cup rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup of thinly sliced vegetables, such as bok choy, if desired
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Cut the sausage on a bias into 1/4 inch sections. Alternatively, dice the sausage if you prefer a finer mixture of rice and pork.

Over low heat, slowly heat a medium-sized claypot on the stove, taking care to do so gradually to prevent the pot from cracking. Add the sausage and sauté. Stir around occasionally to brown the sausage, gradually rendering the fat. With chopsticks or a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pot.

Add the rice and stir around, toasting the grains slightly. Add the pieces of sausage back to the pot. Add the salt. If desired, add the finely chopped vegetables.

Bring the water to a gentle simmer. Put on the lid and simmer over low heat, for about forty minutes, until the bottom of the rice develops a slightly charred crust and the rest of the rice has just finished cooking through.



Chinese Duck Liver Sausage
Adapted from Herblady (have no idea who this is and the recipe is posted on mycookingblog.com)

Printable Version

1 lb boneless pork loin cut into cubes
2 duck livers
fat from 2 ducks, about 1/4 cup
clove garlic, ground
1 shallot, ground
2 tsp ground soy bean paste
1 tbsp Chinese rice wine
1 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp spice salt
1/2 tbsp sugar
4 feet sausage casings
Hoisin sauce
1 tsp canola, olive or peanut oil

Place all parts of the meat grinder and sausage making attachment in the freezer for 15 minutes.
Mix all of the ingredients (except for the sausage casings) and place in a stainless steel bowl in the refrigerater for 15 minutes.
Pull sausage casing over the sausage attachment like a stocking, gathering it up as you go, leave about 3 inches at the end. (tie off the end with kitchen string)
Assemble the meat grinder and pass the ingredients through at coarse grind. Pass ground ingredients through a second time on a fine grind.
Attach sausage attachment to meat grinder and stuff sausage taking care to just drop the meat into the shute without pushing it in.
When all the meat has passed through, leave about three inches at the end and tie off with kitchen string.
Twist into links and tie off. Prick links with a skewer a couple of times.
Heat oil in a nonstick pan and saute until internal temperature of sausages reaches 155.
Slice and serve with hoisin sauce for dipping.

Secret Recipe Club - Stuffed Pizza

I am taking part in June's Secret Recipe Club. Once again this is where we secretly get assigned to crawl around someones blog that has been chosen for us. We then pick a recipe to make without them knowing. This month I got Amy's Cooking Adventures Amy had a Chicago Style Stuffed Pizza that looked great. Amy made hers vegetarian but you know me....I had to make it a carnivores delight for Dr. Food.



I used some of the Duck sausage that we made for Charcuteplooza. I also snuck in some of our Pancetta.



I browned both of these before I topped the pie with them.



Since I was in an experimental type of mood I also switched up the sauce. I wanted anchovy in this pizza so I found a sauce that called for anchovy. It did not disappoint.



The crust recipe was amazing. I am going to use this over and over again. I just know it.




It was one of the first doughs that I have made that I actually have liked.



A bit of effort goes into this but this is a great dish. I really think that there are tons of things to put in this pizza. I wanted to try Amy's Popeye version but Dr. Food would have gotten really grumpy if I did.



I also couldn't help myself and I put cheese on the outside as well as inside. I know I know... not really how it is done but too bad.



Check it out. Pretty huh?



Tasted even better than it looked. Thanks Amy!



Pizza Sauce
adapted from Angie Gorkoff on Allrecipes.com

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste

Directions

In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.


Ingredients:
1 recipe of Chicago Style Pizza Dough (recipe follows)
1 recipe Italian Style Pizza Sauce (recipe follows)
3-4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 C chopped Duck Sausage and 1 C Pancetta (but you can use anything you want) see Amy's blog for Vegetarian Version


Dough
Adapted from Amy who adapted from Annie’s Eats

3 ¼ cups all purpose flour
½ cup yellow corn meal
1 ½ tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast (1 packet), also called rapid rise or bread machine yeast
1 ¼ cups water, room temperature
3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp olive oil
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened


Combine the flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar, and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix on low speed until blended, about 1 minute.

Add the water and melted butter and continue missing on low speed until fully incorporated, 1-2 minutes. Scrape sides as necessary. Increase speed to medium low and knead until the dough is glossy and smooth and polls away from the sides of the bowl; 4-5 minutes.

Spray a separate bowl with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl, turn to coat with oil. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until doubled, about 60 minutes.

After an hour, turn the dough out onto a dry work surface and roll into a 12x12 square (approximate). Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over the dough, leaving a ½ inch border on each side.

Starting at a short end, begin rolling the dough into a tight cylinder. Place the dough seam side down and roll the cylinder flat, into a long rectangle. Fold the rectangle in thirds like a letter, pinching the ends to form a ball. Return the dough to the greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

Makes: 2 lbs of dough or enough to make 1 stuffed or 2 9-inch deep dish pizzas

Assembly and Baking

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Spray the sides and bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with cooking spray.

Brown sausage and pancetta until brown. Mix with any other ingredients you like.

Take 2/3 of the pizza dough (1 1/3 lb) and roll into a 15-inch circle. Place the dough circle into the spring form pan and press up against the sides of the pan. Pour meat/veg/whatever on top of the dough and sprinkle liberally with cheese.

Take the remaining 1/3 of the dough (2/3 lb) and roll into a 10 inch circle. Place on top of the filling and pinch the ends together. Using a fork, poke several air holes on the top piece of dough.

Place the pizza in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Turn the oven to 400 degrees F and cook for 5 minutes.

Remove pizza from the oven and top with the pizza sauce (I also covered with cheese). Return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes (the edges of the crust will be very brown).

Remove pizza from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Remove the pizza from the spring form pan, and cut in 8 slices. Serve hot.

Makes: 1 9-inch stuffed pizza, cut into 8 slices.

Leftovers

This is really not a recipe for leftovers. It is just the minutiae in my head. I want to talk about "props". What is that? It is something that you use to take a picture of food to make it look good. It is the folksy bench with splintered wood and chipping paint, in just the right light, with a plate of tangerines perched atop. It is the French country tablecloth with the perfect Gnocchi sitting there, making you want to either A) Steal the tablecloth (which is the case most the time when I see it because I have a linen addiction) or B) eat the Gnocchi. I fail at this. I decided to give it a try using the stuff around my house.



Yes, this is the stuff I found around my house. I swear. Annie made me this little creature. "Hi Annie and Evan, mommy misses you".



This isn't a prop. It is my knitting. I don't think I ever told you this (heh, I probably did a million times) but I am multi-faceted. No really. I knit non stop (in between cooking nonstop). I owned a Yarn store and everything.



I tasted the most amazing dipping sauce for Artichokes that I have ever had. I found it on Viet World Kitchen



I know I have said this like a million times but I was Korean in my past life. I think that Kimchi is my favorite food in the whole world. Of course I have said that about many things.



You HAVE to try this. It would taste good on lots of stuff.



Look what I got in the mail! My pal Pam at Snappy Service Cafe surprised me with it. I squeed when I opened it. I love love love it.



I finally went out in the garden and cut the chive flowers. I shoved them in some vinegar. That is why MY picture isn't as pretty as others. I have a tendency to SHOVE.



No pretty bottle either. That is just how I roll. Function over Format for this gal.

Sometimes I feel like Stewart




Kimchi Sour Cream
Viet World Kitchen
1 1/2 teaspoons mature (stinky) kimchi juice
2 pinches sea salt
2 pinches sugar
Smidgen of crushed garlic
1 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise

Stir together the kimchi juice, salt, sugar, garlic, fish sauce, vinegar, sour cream, and mayonnaise. Let sit for 5 minutes then taste and adjust the flavor. Cover until you are ready to serve. Makes about 1/4 cup.

Tornado Chops, Paella and something I can't remember...

Think this looks good? Oh well, I can't remember what it is. Yes people I made this at the begining of the week and I can't for the life of me remember why or what it is.



I do remember that the sauce was a bit tasteless so I got out my arsenal of tricks (shut up, I know that there is cat hair in that shot. I was trying to be artistic, so I took the picture where the light was, which was on my couch at that time of day).



Oh wait! I remember what it was now because this is a picture of cooking chicken livers. It was Chicken liver and Spaghetti Bake.



It wasn't bad. I mean it was good but next time the flavor in the sauce needs to be ramped up.



There was a tornado that hit down this day. I felt sick to my stomach. I was glued to the TV. I was on Twitter asking people what to do. The news was reporting that it was about to come through right where I was. I know nothin about stinkin Tornadoes. I am an Earthquake kinda gal. They don't scare me. Tornadoes are a different story. So, I took advice and grabbed my purse, a flashlight and a drink and ran down to the basement. I turned on the TV.





I got bored down in the basement and I figured that the tornado would have done what it needed to do, so I came back upstairs and started dinner. Lamb chops to be exact. Forever more to be known as "Tornado Chops"



I have my priorities straight damn it. The show must go on. Dinner must be made. I have to tell you that the storm that did pass through scared the crap out of me. I just kept on cooking.



I am a trooper. I sacrifice all for Dr Foods stomach.



So later in the week my nephew Paul was visiting from California with his girlfriend Maura. I decided that I would make a paella.



Saffron that I used was really from Spain. Annie and Tim brought it back from their trip for me. I use it only on special occasions. Did you hear that Paulie (who doesn't read my blog). Auntie Janis used her good saffron to impress your sweetie pie. Only caveat to that is that the paella was dry and not my best.



Onto the Strawberry Shortcake!



The strawberries were amazing but (hanging head in shame) I couldn't wait any longer for damn LOCAL strawberries. I don't believe they will ever be here this year so I bought strawberries from (GASP) California. I figured that in a way they are local. I am from California and they are from California.... You see the connection? Too bad if you don't.



Oh yeah and another thing that might irk you. I made the shortcake out of BISQUICK.



I didn't get a picture of the finished product but you will have to believe me that it was really mediocre. I should have just served the California strawberries by themselves.



Look how sweet. I am so happy that I got to see Paul and meet Maura and that they were nice enough not to tell me that my Paella was dry and my strawberry shortcake was mediocre and that I used Bisquick.



Oh yeah, and I burnt the garlic bread...what else is new?

Tornado Chops
adapted from Bon Appetit Feb 2009

Printable Version
4 Cloves of Garlic
1 Tbl Rosemary
1Tbl Chervil
2 tsp Kosher Salt
2 Tbl Olive Oil 6 lamb loin chops


Mix first 4 ingredients and 1 tablespoon olive oil in large bowl. Add lamb; turn to coat. Let marinate at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Add lamb; cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast lamb chops to desired doneness, about 10 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to platter, cover, and let rest 5 minutes.

It is feeling like summer - Keffir Lime Ice Cream

I pruned my Keffir lime tree this weekend. I was left with about 20 leaves and there was no way I was going to waste them. I had already bought Duck eggs and also cream from my farm that I belong to and had plans for ice cream anyhow.



Look at these beauties. They had the yellowest yolks that I have ever seen. The custard wasn't cold enough to make into ice cream so we will do that tonight. If it doesn't work out then I will just drink it (I AM JOKING..pffft). I used David Lebovitz's recipe and just stuck lots of Keffir lime leaves in it to soak. I really got the idea from Francis Lam who used David's recipe and then said to just add stuff.



We also had some planting to do. I had a bunch of starts and we bought lots of tomato plants.



It wouldn't be summer without some smoking big meat so Dr. Food was at it once again.



I got the rub recipe from my BFF Mitch Omer chef of Hells Kitchen (the real one). I have to tell you that Dr. Food has made lots of ribs but between this recipe (yes, I will give it to you) and Dr. Foods skills and the Bradley smoker these were THE best ribs that we ever made.



I also loved the BBQ sauce.



So, we were making sausage while these babies were smoking. After a long day of sausage and ducks and stock and and and....ice cream we were pooped so imagine how happy we were to have these all done by the time we were done with our project.



Oh, and someone else was really happy to get a bone or two.



Hell’s Kitchen Rib Rub

¾ cup hot paprika
¼ cup ground black pepper
¼ cup dark chili powder
¼ cup ground cumin
¼ cup granulated garlic
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp cayenne

Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Place rib rub in a stainless steel, glass, or ceramic container with a tight-fitting lid.


Hell’s Kitchen Barbeque Sauce

2 cups Open Pit barbecue sauce
1 small (1/2 cup) chopped white onion
4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp honey
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbsp dark molasses
2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp liquid smoke

Place Open Pit in a large saucepan, and warm over medium high heat. Puree onion in a food processor fitted with a steel chopping blade, and scrape into the saucepan. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat mixture to a boil over high, stirring continually. Reduce heat and simmer 19 to 21 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let sauce to cool to room temperature and refrigerate. Makes 3 ½ cups.