Thanksgiving is over but I feel, as a service to humanity, I should share the world's ultimate stuffing recipe. Now depending on one's geographical location various ingredients make their way into holiday stuffing; sausage, oysters or the poor bird's own entrails are sometimes added. In addition I have seen bacon, fruit, nuts and potatoes (regular and sweet) added but I have never had a better stuffing than mom's. Its beauty lies in its simplicity- the main flavoring agents (other than the bird it resides in) are dried onions and celery. Not only are they readily available and keep forever in the spice cabinet but like herbs their flavor intensifies when dried, adding more flavor to the stuffing than their fresh counterparts could. In addition to stuffing turkey it is fantastic in a roast chicken or between two slabs of ribs.
Mom's Stuffing
1 large loaf of cheap white bread (if you paid more than $1.12 it's too expensive)
1 stick butter
1/4 cup dried minced onion
3 tbs celery flakes (found in the spice aisle at the supermarket)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Preheat your oven to 325° and put your tea kettle on the fire. Cube the bread and toss it in your largest bowl. Slice the butter thinly and add to cubed bread. Add onion, celery, salt and pepper. When your tea kettle whistles pour about a cup of boiling water over the stuffing. Mix well with a large spoon and immediately stuff the turkey. I fill both ends and secure the neck skin with a few staples from my staple gun directly into the bird's cervical vertebrae. Place your freshly stuffed bird in the oven and roast until done.
This recipe will stuff a 12-14 pound gobbler, double or triple for larger fowl, halve for smaller. You can also assemble everything the night before, cover the stuffing with a kitchen towel and add the boiling water the next morning then stuff and roast the turkey as normal. This if good for early afternoon turkey dinners.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Seeing Red
Just about every year I have made Cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving. It began as my sole contribution to the meal and now it is merely one of several dishes I prepare. Be warned however, this is not a cranberry sauce for the faint of heart, it is very potent stuff.
Cranberry Sauce
1 Pound Cranberries (About 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups Honey (Clover is fine but Orange Blossom is best)
1 Orange
Combine cranberries, water and honey in a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile take a vegetable peeler and remove as long of a strip as you can from the orange peel. Flip the peel over and scrape as much of the white pith off the backside with a paring knife without destroying the peel. Discard the pith and drop the peel in the saucepan then eat the orange while you wait. Keep the fire at about medium high for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. Remove the orange peel and transfer the sauce to an oiled mold to set. Two clean 15 oz cans work nicely or any festive Jello mold you may have around. Chill until set, I usually make it the night before.
Cranberry Sauce
1 Pound Cranberries (About 4 cups)
1 1/2 cups water
2 cups Honey (Clover is fine but Orange Blossom is best)
1 Orange
Combine cranberries, water and honey in a 2-3 quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile take a vegetable peeler and remove as long of a strip as you can from the orange peel. Flip the peel over and scrape as much of the white pith off the backside with a paring knife without destroying the peel. Discard the pith and drop the peel in the saucepan then eat the orange while you wait. Keep the fire at about medium high for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to keep it from burning. Remove the orange peel and transfer the sauce to an oiled mold to set. Two clean 15 oz cans work nicely or any festive Jello mold you may have around. Chill until set, I usually make it the night before.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Stock Options
I roasted a chicken today! (Chicken gravy on rice is one of the greatest food on earth!) After picking the carcass clean, what to do with it? Feed it to the bear? I used to (family joke) but no longer. Now I use it to make stock! I must mention here that stock and broth are two separate things. Broth is made from meat but stock is made from bones. Bones (and connective tissue) contain collagen, you can extract it using water as a solvent. Long, low cooking converts the collagen to gelatin and that provides a 'thick' mouth-feel to the stock. Ever wonder where Jello comes from? Calf Hooves- same process. Yum huh? Anyway back to stock.
Killer Poultry Stock.
1. Into your largest pot drop one picked poultry carcass (chicken, turkey, duck, emu, etc.) Another option is to freeze the carcass and make stock when you have several carcasses (carci?)
2. Add enough cold water to cover the bird(s) by 3-4inches and put over medium heat.
3. Add your aromatics to the pot. This is a matter of taste. For me a mir poix is necessary (onions, carrots and celery- it's french) I also like some peppercorns, parsley, chives or green onions. Garlic if you want. Bay leaf is you are feeling Dutch (Pennsylvania that is).
4. When the pot comes to a slow boil back off the heat to a bare simmer and leave it for several hours. I usually start it after dinner and leave it overnight- this is not recommended with a gas stove however.
5. Strain out the bits and salt to taste.
6. You can either freeze it for later or make soup. I like chicken noodle.
7. For chicken noodle add more onions, carrots and celery. Add the leftover chicken and simmer for a few hours. Then make fresh noodles or buy thick egg noodles, add them and cook until al dente. You can add rice or barley instead of noodles but remember not to call it chicken noodle soup in front of others, that would be embarrassing.
Killer Poultry Stock.
1. Into your largest pot drop one picked poultry carcass (chicken, turkey, duck, emu, etc.) Another option is to freeze the carcass and make stock when you have several carcasses (carci?)
2. Add enough cold water to cover the bird(s) by 3-4inches and put over medium heat.
3. Add your aromatics to the pot. This is a matter of taste. For me a mir poix is necessary (onions, carrots and celery- it's french) I also like some peppercorns, parsley, chives or green onions. Garlic if you want. Bay leaf is you are feeling Dutch (Pennsylvania that is).
4. When the pot comes to a slow boil back off the heat to a bare simmer and leave it for several hours. I usually start it after dinner and leave it overnight- this is not recommended with a gas stove however.
5. Strain out the bits and salt to taste.
6. You can either freeze it for later or make soup. I like chicken noodle.
7. For chicken noodle add more onions, carrots and celery. Add the leftover chicken and simmer for a few hours. Then make fresh noodles or buy thick egg noodles, add them and cook until al dente. You can add rice or barley instead of noodles but remember not to call it chicken noodle soup in front of others, that would be embarrassing.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Happiness Through Fiber
Not getting enough fiber is a concern of someone my age. One good way to increase fiber intake is switching from white rice to brown. The main problem is that brown rice takes 14.78 hours on the stove top to cook due to its bran coat being water resistant. This time requirement excludes it from the average week night meal. Fortunately with a little planning and some freezer space brown rice can grace not only our plates on week nights, but our colons as well.
Bulk Brown Rice
a 2 lb bag of brown rice ( I get Great Value brand at Walmart for like $1.46)
8 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat your oven to 375°. Combine water, rice and salt in a 9" by 13" baking dish (I use Pyrex). Mix well and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour. Uncover (watch the steam escaping) and fluff with a fork. Partition two cup portions into quart freezer bags, label, date and freeze. To thaw remove from freezer the night before then microwave on high for 3 minutes in a microwave safe bowl. Alternately cut away the bag from the frozen rice block, place in a bowl and nuke on high for 6-7 minutes, stirring about halfway though cooking time
Bulk Brown Rice
a 2 lb bag of brown rice ( I get Great Value brand at Walmart for like $1.46)
8 cups boiling water
1/2 tsp salt
Preheat your oven to 375°. Combine water, rice and salt in a 9" by 13" baking dish (I use Pyrex). Mix well and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake for about 1 hour. Uncover (watch the steam escaping) and fluff with a fork. Partition two cup portions into quart freezer bags, label, date and freeze. To thaw remove from freezer the night before then microwave on high for 3 minutes in a microwave safe bowl. Alternately cut away the bag from the frozen rice block, place in a bowl and nuke on high for 6-7 minutes, stirring about halfway though cooking time
Sunday, November 6, 2011
A Grind Is A Terrible Thing To Waste.
It is time to make sausage -specifically breakfast sausage-again! Once I run out of sausage in the freezer I need to go make more. Why not just buy breakfast sausage you ask? One word; sage. Commercial breakfast sausage has too much sage in it. How much sage it too much? Any sage is too much, if there was sage sitting across the room when the sausage was ground it has too much sage. In my opinion sage is not fit to eat, neither is rosemary for that matter. If I wanted to taste pine tree I would go out to my backyard and gnaw on one of the spruce trees. Sorry, I am getting off topic, back to sausage.
My grandfather shared my opinion of sage and I use his recipe as far as I could re-create it. To my knowledge the recipe was never written down. He would mix ground pork with his spices and fry a little piece, adjust the seasoning and repeat until it tasted right. He did this every time so there was never any set recipe.
First off is the pork. My grandfather ground up pork scraps but as I do not raise pigs I am forced to use other sources. I get boneless pork shoulders from Costco. They come in 12-16 pound packages, usually two shoulders to a package. It is a relatively cheap cut at $1.89/lb. and has about the right meat to fat ratio for good sausage. A 75% meat to 25% fat ratio makes good sausage (I said good sausage, not healthy sausage, not low fat sausage. Good sausage.) If you would rather not grind your own just get plain ground pork in the meat section. The fat content usually isn't high enough but it will be close.
Next are the spices. The spices are the key to the sausage . No secret guarded spice mixture here, just salt and pepper. Salt and Pepper?! That's It?! How is that sausage?! If you have had grandpa's sausage you understand, if not, once you try it you will see. On to the Recipe.
Country Sausage.
Per 1 pound of ground pork
Add:
2 tsp salt (I use Kosher)
1 tsp black pepper (Fresh Ground is best)
Mix well.
If eating immediately: Shape into patties and fry in oiled skillet over medium heat until done.
If storing : Portion 1 pound of sausage into a quart freezer bag, squeeze out the air, flatten and freeze.
My grandfather shared my opinion of sage and I use his recipe as far as I could re-create it. To my knowledge the recipe was never written down. He would mix ground pork with his spices and fry a little piece, adjust the seasoning and repeat until it tasted right. He did this every time so there was never any set recipe.
First off is the pork. My grandfather ground up pork scraps but as I do not raise pigs I am forced to use other sources. I get boneless pork shoulders from Costco. They come in 12-16 pound packages, usually two shoulders to a package. It is a relatively cheap cut at $1.89/lb. and has about the right meat to fat ratio for good sausage. A 75% meat to 25% fat ratio makes good sausage (I said good sausage, not healthy sausage, not low fat sausage. Good sausage.) If you would rather not grind your own just get plain ground pork in the meat section. The fat content usually isn't high enough but it will be close.
Next are the spices. The spices are the key to the sausage . No secret guarded spice mixture here, just salt and pepper. Salt and Pepper?! That's It?! How is that sausage?! If you have had grandpa's sausage you understand, if not, once you try it you will see. On to the Recipe.
Country Sausage.
Per 1 pound of ground pork
Add:
2 tsp salt (I use Kosher)
1 tsp black pepper (Fresh Ground is best)
Mix well.
If eating immediately: Shape into patties and fry in oiled skillet over medium heat until done.
If storing : Portion 1 pound of sausage into a quart freezer bag, squeeze out the air, flatten and freeze.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Oh What A Pickle I Am In.
I like pickles. Not just cucumber pickles either. Some time ago I decided to make a conscious effort to add more vegetables to my diet. One of these ways is to have ready-made pickled vegetables available to add to sandwiches or other dishes. They are easy to make, the ingredients are cheap and they last forever in the fridge.
Pickling Brine:
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp. Salt (I use Kosher)
Combine all ingredients small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Pickled Red Onion
Thinly slice two red onions and pack into a clean quart mason jar. Pour a batch of hot pickling brine over the onions. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will keep in the refrigerator until the end of time. These are great on turkey, roast beef or salami sandwiches, on pizza or even just straight out of the jar!
Pickled Jalapenos
Slice 10-12 large jalapenos and pack into a clean quart mason jar. Pour a batch of hot pickling brine over the peppers. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will keep in the refrigerator until the cows come home. These are great on sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, omelets, pizza or anything else you want to add a bit of heat to.
Pickled Cauliflower
Pack a head's worth of cauliflower florets into a large clean pickle jar (I use a 2-quart Vlassic jar I got in the economy-size section at Wal-Mart). Pour a double batch of hot pickling brine over the cauliflower. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will also keep in the refrigerator until the end of time. These makes a nice accompaniment to sandwiches and packs well in a lunchbox.
Pickling Brine:
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 cup Water
1/4 cup Sugar
2 tsp. Salt (I use Kosher)
Combine all ingredients small sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Pickled Red Onion
Thinly slice two red onions and pack into a clean quart mason jar. Pour a batch of hot pickling brine over the onions. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will keep in the refrigerator until the end of time. These are great on turkey, roast beef or salami sandwiches, on pizza or even just straight out of the jar!
Pickled Jalapenos
Slice 10-12 large jalapenos and pack into a clean quart mason jar. Pour a batch of hot pickling brine over the peppers. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will keep in the refrigerator until the cows come home. These are great on sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, omelets, pizza or anything else you want to add a bit of heat to.
Pickled Cauliflower
Pack a head's worth of cauliflower florets into a large clean pickle jar (I use a 2-quart Vlassic jar I got in the economy-size section at Wal-Mart). Pour a double batch of hot pickling brine over the cauliflower. Screw on the cap and let cool on the counter for a few hours. It will also keep in the refrigerator until the end of time. These makes a nice accompaniment to sandwiches and packs well in a lunchbox.
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