what is this family you speak of????

no..nothing special here..I am singing with our community choir during the fireworks display though..

I thought I remembered you helping a daughter move?



I would have never figured you for a singer! Multi-talented!



 

have a daughter...we don't socialize but for Christmas and Thanksgiving on alternating years
I've family but they're all east coast liberals and we don't socialize either, or talk, other than who died and if I should attend the funeral..I don't usually do so.
for 40 years I worked every holiday, birthday, anniversary and or celebratory gathering and as a middle manager as chef, F&B director and even as a V.P.  I had bosses and subordinates so family was well ignored and friends far and few, so..  Ended up a Lone wolf for the most part and thrice divorced.

singing.. Wanted to be a song and dance man as a kid. admired Gene Kelly, Donald O'Conner, Others; Liked musicals, My Fair Lady, Oklahoma, etc, so, majored in Music in high school. accepted to Eastman school of music as a vocal major with Broadway (yea a straight musical admirer)my goal BUT...life had a few BIG changes, my priorities changed. I could cook...art is art, immediate gratification happens, always had a job, a meal and a few bucks in my pocket..life moved on. to quote the stones, "You can't always get what you want"

Howdy chef, I'm planning on smoking some bonita for a smoked fish dip and frying some sea bass and vermillion snapper this weekend. I'll be smoking the bonita in an electric smoker using apple wood and frying the fish filets in peanut oil.

We're also making some hush puppies and smoking corn on the cob, possibly making chips in the fryer as well.

Do you have any suggestions on the fish dip or seasonings or coating for frying the fish filets?

Thanks,
Coach

2 cups flaked smoked and fish (be sure to remove skin and fat vein along the back of the filet, this can be unpleasant.)
2 medium sized shallots minced(or green onion bulbs or sweet Vidalia onions)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise  
4 tablespoons sour cream  
1 pinch Old Bay ™ Seasoning  
4 drops tabasco sauce, or to taste  
3 drops Worcestershire sauce, or to taste  
3 drops liquid smoke flavoring (optional) if you've properly smoked fish, you wont need this..  
cracked black pepper to taste,,
salt to taste if needed

mash it all together in a bowl and transfer to a proper service dish and chill.. garnish with lemon and lime slices and a fresh dill sprig or three..maybe some capers( I hate capers)


fish breading?
I Like one that's premade and in 99% of the grocery stores in the country, right next to the fresh fish case..

I MAKE one at home that is 30% AP Flour 70% corn meal, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, celery salt, ground red pepper and onion powder
typical restaurant flouring for frying fish to chops to onion rings..is AP flour, salt, pepper, paprika..
Some folks use Tony Cachere and corn meal..
hope that helps.

Chef..

Gracias amigo, that breading sounds much better than what I was planning on doing - flour and fish.

I'll gladly report back and post some pics.

That fish dip was pretty dang tasty. I added in some diced celery and a squeeze of lemon or lime after I dipped a cracker in it.

The fried fish filets were were fantastic also, they didn't last long enough for a few pictures.

Clad to assist. Which breading used,?

Wait.. What?? Why can't we eat the delectable menu above????

We whipped up the homemade breading.

Chef,

What brandy would be a good choice for making brandied cherries and pears? The recipes call for "brandy" (as opposed to "cherry brandy" or other flavored brandies). We haven't ever had brandy, and google isn't being very helpful.



Thanks!

Christian Brothers will be fine. I've between 100 and 1000 pears on my 3 trees this year...
and harvested about 40 lbs of concord grapes independence day weekend.
Pears, thinking I need to make grappa.

Thank you! I now have 6 pints of brandied cherries canned and stored, and (hopefully) getting more delicious. One additional not-quite-pint is in the fridge, which might be eaten early once my husband gets home and finds them.



That's a lot of pears and grapes! I didn't know that pears would grow well in Texas.



We have 8 gallons of mead fermenting with Texas honey, that should be ready to drink around Thanksgiving.



For grappa, don't you need to make wine first?




 
 

grappa,, correct, is made from pomace..the left over solids from fermented wine which is then distilled..I sold most of my grapes this year at the local farmers market..ate the rest..wine making is next on the learn to prep and thrive process..set up is this winters project.

followed by beer brewing and distillation of "essential oils"  
hell, I'll be a smart old drunk when I get finished..ages and disabled..have to have something for trade...

Pears have been good..this year a bumper crop due to a wet spring..show me I need to water them more April thru September

Arfcom has a brewing forum! http://www.ar15.com/forums/f_1/171_.html It's not super-active, but people post recipes and stuff. We've never done beer, as I don't like it, and my husband only drinks beer occasionally.



 

I have visited and am tracking a couple of threads..I like beer..darker beers like Shiner Bock, Beer is food, don't let anyone tell you otherwise..

well, the English Curry Thread got me wanting some so tonites dinner will be


My Mum was 1st gen, Canadian born of British and Scottish parents, Curry was a weekly to bi weekly meal
in our home growing up. While, her British Curry is one of the most popular import food in G.B. it's a common
there as Mexican restaurants in Texas.  I am talking about the sort of curry which was served by British memsahibs in colonial India in the 19th century and which subsequently became as British as roast beef, my Gramps served in India in the early 20th century before being shipped of to fight the Boche in WW1 followed by his dragging wife and children to Canada.

When the British first established trading posts in India in the mid 17th century they were simply trading partners. The food eaten by the employees of the East India Company pretty much the same as the food eaten by the local Indian population.  One East India Company employee wrote in 1759 "The currees are infinitely various". By the time the British had become the colonial rulers of India one hundred years later, there was a huge influx of British nationals into India to administer British affairs. The British colonials were by now eating predominantly British-style food although they found that they had to adapt to local conditions and use local produce. Numerous books were written to help newly arrived young British wives advising them how and what to cook and how to manage a household in India.

Time served in "Inja" led to Curry recipes taken home by returning colonials, Sadly, in Britain the fresh ingredients were either hard to find or were too expensive for ordinary households. Eliza Acton wrote in 1845 "The great superiority of the oriental curries over those generally prepared in England is not, we believe, altogether the result of a want of skill or experience on the part of our cooks, but is attributable in some measure to many of the ingredients, which in a fresh and green state add so much to their excellence, being here beyond our reach".

Mrs Beeton includes the recipes for a dozen curries in her famous Book of Household Management of 1861 and the sauces are all made with curry powder, thickened with flour and can include some chopped apple for a sweet-sour flavor,which my mother used and almost as often; a banana . Her main ingredient is often re-heated meat or fish left over from other meals. Even though Mrs Beeton's curries would all taste much the same they were economical to make and became extremely popular in Britain as away of using up meat from the traditional Sunday roast dinner. This type of recipe became the Classic British Curry for the next 100 years  Mrs. Beeton's Bood of Household Management  Still in print Amazon and sort of the house keepers Wentzels Menu Maker

that said...

Curry Powder...
listed is a recipe for home made curry powder..
4 teaspoons coriander seeds  
1 tablespoon fenugreek seeds  
2 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds  
1 1/2 teaspoons green cardamom pods  
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds  
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves  
1/8 teaspoon ground star anise  
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon stick  
5 teaspoons ground turmeric  
1/2 teaspoon white peppercorns  
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns  
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice  
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg  
Combine coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods, and fennel seeds in a large skillet over low heat; toast until lightly golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks; toast until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove seeds from cardamom pods and return to the skillet, discarding pods.

Transfer toasted spice mixture to a spice grinder or blender. Add turmeric, white peppercorns, black peppercorns, allspice, and nutmeg; grind into a fine curry powder.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)  
1 onion, finely chopped  
4 cloves garlic, minced  
1 tablespoon ground cumin  
1 teaspoon salt  
1 teaspoon ground ginger  
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon  
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric  
1 (14 ounce) can tomato sauce  
1 cup heavy whipping cream  
2 teaspoons paprika  
1 tablespoon white sugar  
1 tablespoon vegetable oil  
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces  
1/2 teaspoon curry powder  
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste (optional)  
1 teaspoon white sugar, or to taste (optional)


Heat ghee in a large skillet over medium heat and cook and stir onion until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook and stir just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, ginger, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric into the onion mixture; fry until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir tomato sauce into the onion and spice mixture, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to low. Simmer sauce for 10 minutes, then mix in cream, paprika, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Bring sauce back to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until sauce is thickened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat vegetable oil in a separate skillet over medium heat. Stir chicken into the hot oil, sprinkle with curry powder, and sear chicken until lightly browned but still pink inside, about 3 minutes; stir often. Transfer chicken and any pan juices into the sauce. Simmer chicken in sauce until no longer pink, about 30 minutes; adjust salt and sugar to taste.

Curried Cocoanut Chicken

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken cut into 1/2-inch chunks  
1 teaspoon salt and pepper, or to taste  
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
2 tablespoons curry powder  
1/2 onion, thinly sliced  
2 cloves garlic, crushed  
1 14 oz can coconut milk  
1 1 14.5 oz can stewed, diced tomatoes  
1 8 oz can tomato sauce  
3 tablespoons sugar  

Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper.

Heat oil and curry powder in a large skillet over medium-high heat for two minutes. Stir in onions and garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink in center and juices run clear.

Pour coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.


Chicken Curry

3 tablespoons olive oil  
1 small onion, chopped  
2 cloves garlic, minced  
3 tablespoons curry powder  
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon  
1 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf  
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root  
1/2 teaspoon white sugar  
salt to taste  
16-18 oz skinless, boneless chicken - cut into bite-size pieces  
1 tablespoon tomato paste  
1 cup plain yogurt  
3/4 cup coconut milk  
1/2 lemon, juiced  
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, curry powder, cinnamon, paprika, bay leaf, ginger, sugar and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces, tomato paste, yogurt, and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove bay leaf, and stir in lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Simmer 5 more minutes.

and lastly

Vegetarian Korma

1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil  
1 small onion, diced  
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root  
4 cloves garlic, minced  
2 potatoes, cubed  
4 carrots, cubed  
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and sliced  
3 tablespoons ground unsalted cashews  
1 (4 ounce) can tomato sauce  
2 teaspoons salt  
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder  
1 cup frozen green peas  
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped  
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped  
1 cup heavy cream  
1 bunch fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender. Mix in ginger and garlic, and continue cooking 1 minute. Mix potatoes, carrots, jalapeno, cashews, and tomato sauce. Season with salt and curry powder. Cook and stir 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Stir peas, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and cream into the skillet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with cilantro to serve.

Thanks for the curry recipes and history, Chef Morris!

I don't know much about curry. I note that the recipes all call for several spices PLUS the addition of curry powder, even though it looks like the spices are the items listed in recipes to make curry powder. I think of it much like taco seasoning: you can buy it already mixed, you can mix your own, or you can do what it seems most people do and use a mix of your spices plus the pre-made.

I know that there are several kinds or levels of curry powder and wouldn't know where to start to buy them. Some seem to be sweet, some hotter, etc. I guess curry is like pizza, everybody likes something different.

***Glad to hear you had a nice crop off the grapes and pears. I presume these are fruits from the young trees and vines you put out shortly after you acquired your ranch? Guess it made carrying water that first year worth it in the end! Congrats!

thank you and yes, grapes are getting established nicely and Chef is learning how to grow them as well as the pears which are starting to drop but not quite ripening..

Curry powder is a fairly common shelf stocked item, and pretty basic and some, many, fairly bland, some hotter than others and some with up to 15 ingredients to make, hell, probably more but that was the most extensive one in my experiences. The additional ingredients required in the above recipes help bring out certain nuances in the "mother spice" based on your average curry powder used by most people.

Custom made Curry powder, red, yellow, green, is a very personal thing to those who make their own and truthfully there may well be 100 pages of recipes balancing one ingredient against another to come down to a similar taste profile, similar yet decidedly different seasoning..

thanks for asking,,happy to hear from you.

Ever make Japanese curry? (Like the Vermont curry blocks stuff)

I've not but it is similar to East Indian curries,,lots of trade went back and forth before known to the European world

but I do not know what "Vermont curry blocks" are..

Japanese Chicken curry
2 tablespoons minced garlic  
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root  
1 tablespoon soy sauce  
1 teaspoon salt  
6 cups chicken broth  
2 cubes beef bouillon  
8 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes  
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, or more to taste  
3 green bell peppers, cut into 1-inch cubes  
2 Gala apples, peeled and grated
3/4 cup all-purpose flour  
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce  
3 tablespoons tomato paste  
1/2 cup butter  
2 large white onions, minced  
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1-inch cubes

Melt 3/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook until golden brown, 30 to 45 seconds. Stir in 4 tablespoons of the curry powder, Worcestershire sauce, and tomato paste. Remove from heat.

Melt 1/2 cup butter in a large pot over low heat. Add onions; cook and stir until golden brown, 30 to 45 minutes. Increase heat to high; add 2 tablespoons curry powder, chicken, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and salt. Saute until chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and bouillon cubes; bring curry to a boil.

Stir carrots into the pot; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in green bell peppers and apples. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in curry paste and simmer until sauce thickens and flavors combine, about 5 minutes.

Chef, any pro tips for cooking vinegar?

I made a balsamic reduction for my daughters caprese salad school lunch, and I think my cats wanted to commit suicide because of the stench. (I wasn't far behind) This has happened before when I was making sushi rice.

It smells and inhales like a nuke.

any advice would be appreciated.

cook it outside...

no really

open the windows, turn on the fans..you're cooking off an acid. Acids while often tasting good..SMELL horrible when vaporizing.  
just stick your nose into an open vinegar bottle that's simply evaporating..
Low and Slow is the best Advice I can offer and leave the vent fan on.
IF you're in a house where the vent fan doesn't go thru to the roof only into the attic? there is little you can do..
Sorry..
CHEF..
I have to add...don't you have gas masks, N95 3m masks??  mask up the kids and throw the cats outside..

Caprese Salad...for school lunch,,

I was thrilled to get a cold chicken leg instead of bologna or Peanut butter both on white bread from the grocery across the street..

Thanks for the reply, and it looks like I'll have to reek out my house again soon to replace, not just the balsamic reduction, but about everything else too.  My refrigerator died late last night. I have dry ice in the freezer, holding on to the most expensive things I want to try to save.

As to the Caprese salad,  I've been on a "kick" to try to make everything my kids eat from scratch, and as healthy as possible. A salad that she loves, with mozzarella, basil, and cherry tomatoes, and a bit of vinegar isn't as bad as a PB&J. Just a lot more work.

ETA: windows open, check!  Didn't think of that,  I was running the air conditioning.

Still voting gasmasks.

Thanks man. Vermont curry = this, most popular way to make this type of curry:




I found this video on youtube showing how to make that style without the processed blocks.  Tried it and I liked it more than the "curry roux" blocks. Pretty similar to your recipe. Yours doesn't mention what type of curry powder. She suggests this



to get the same flavor as the blocks.



really good

Chef, a little late to ask advice, but wanted to share.

I am currently making beef bourguignon.

I was talking to my youngest son recently, and the topic went to foods we just CAN'T eat. He had a big bowl of chili right as he was coming down with the stomach flu several years ago, and can't even look at chili without gagging. I thought about it, and told him i can't eat stew. my mom uses to make a few pots of stew a month to feed us, and that nasty stew pot with the congealed fat on top, boiled meat and mushy, bland carrots and potatoes was sickening. And generally the only food available.

I have NEVER fed my children any form of "stew" their entire lives.  I have similar childhood aversions to boiled, frozen brussels sprouts, and canned cream corn.

Corey told me he was sure I could make stew that we could eat... and I thought about it. Read about it, and am pretty sure I'll be able to eat this one.

I didn't follow a recipe, but read several, and adapted to what I have on hand. my only concern is that my meat might be to lean. I used London broil.

The only question I had after reading quite a bit on this, was about how the Julia Child recipe used "bacon lardon'..? I saw that referenced in other recipes as well. It's too late for me, but can you clue me in to what that is, and how it works in a stew kind of recipe...how it's cut, and what to do with it? I chopped bacon up, cooked it to a crisp,  removed the bacon, then browned the meat in some of the fat, then put the veg in the same pot...did I guess right?

bon appitite!

Bonjour,,comment allez-vous ? Bienvenue.. eh bien, vous êtes en Bourgogne boeuf, ajouter les carottes, le palm. le céleri et l'oignon et vous avez le ragoût de boeuf.

Vous ne lisez pas l'anglais ?

ok..you're making beef burgundy...add potato, carrots, celery and only and you've beef ragout aka beef stew..and probably a fine one..


Lardon...lardoon...or larding, is a small strip or cube of pork fat (usually subcutaneous fat) used in a wide variety of cuisines to flavor savory foods and salads. In French cuisine, lardons are also used for larding, by threading them with a needle into meats that are to be braised or roasted. Lardons are not normally smoked, and they are made from pork that has been cured with salt. aka NOT BACON. aka Pork Back or Pork Belly, or salted pork aka fat back.

In French cuisine, lardons are served hot in salads, fried until toasted but not melted and in salad dressings, Stews such as beef bourguignon, quiches such as quiche Lorraine, in omelets, with potatoes, and for other dishes such as coq au vin.

The earliest known occurrence of the word is in 1381, in the work Pegge Cook; it advises to insert lardons in cranes and herons.

Using Lard or pork back, like butter adds fat to the base of the process, leaving it's flavor in the items it's cooked with..fat is good..fat is tasty...
Chicken breasts, wild birds except duck, venison, wild boar, lean beef or lean pork cook up very dry and often tasteless as there is little or no fat present to melt it's flavor into the dry stringy meat that is the above.. so, Threading, lacing these, needling the meat or starting the pot with this rich melting fat adds greatly to the end result.. Remember in past posts, the secret to the flavor of food in successful restaurants as a general rule is BUTTER.
Mexican restaurants that don't use lard, do NOT have 40 people in line waiting for lunch tables. And I mean LARD..not shortening, not creamtex, not oils of corn, sunflowers, olives, or bulk vegetables...LARD, PIG FAT...yum!!!
Assez facile, oui ?

Adios...Chef

Hey there, me again!

I do read every reply you write to me, and often sit, contemplating what you are trying to say. Lardons are...pork belly kind of things? They don't have them at Ralphs, so I guess I'm just out of luck there.

Now to tomorrow.. I hope you laugh.

I get a "recipe of the day" from one of the food network places in my daily emails. Sometimes they are great launching points for things I've not made before, sometimes they are interesting preparations of things I already make..yesterday was one that I laughed about.

Salisbury Steak. Is that really a "thing' outside of Swanson frozen tv dinners? It was usually the LAST frozen dinner in the frige, because...YUK!

I'm tempted to try it, just to see if I can make it palatable. I have everything listed on hand.

Salisbury Steak

This is the recipe for something I never thought I'd want to make, can you look and "pro tip" it for me? Totally acceptable if you just say NO to my making it too.

yep, it's a thing and back in the middle dark ages of food and foodies.. the 1800's to 1980's it was actually a menu item
on just about every restaurant in America. that brown onion gravy covered a lot of sins found in that often cheap ground beef.

Its originator was a Doctor Salisbury who was an early advocate of a reduced carb diet. Though of course we Americans scoffing at such nonsense, served it with egg noodles or mashed potato 99% of the time and of course that roux thickened gravy

It was based on the Hamburg Steak.. same thing, got to use up that scrap beef and pork and they blend so well together Fraulein!!! MOST also include beef, pork, bread crumbs, minced trilogy and "other" ingredients, DO NOT EAT THAT PACKAGED CRAP unless the SHTF and only if
you're youngest child is off limits to roasting. Look up the USDA requirements for Salisbury steak and you'll see why.

It along with other chopped meat/formed patties also helped those with out teeth or with dentures enjoy beef as steaks and roast were out of their ability to chew. Today, not so large an issue with better dental care as a whole and better dentures than even 10 years ago.

As an aside I had a long term stay guest in a hotel eons ago,  The Hartness House, my first Chef position, the lady was 90 and toothless.
I made omelets and chop steak for her daily. In her later days I did some blender magic up to and including a grilled filet, blended, served as a soup with a dollop of Béarnaise and garlic mashed potato. At some point she had to go into a home for her final days and I was on to other career challenges. A few years later I got a letter from her attorney, seems she bequeathed me $5000 for my kindness and understanding, little did she know of me...hahahahahh  wish I had the $5k today though it is worth far less now than 40 years ago..

I will look at that recipe in detail later, maybe tomorrow.. but in a brief glance it is fairly spot on..

Got a bunch of  tomatillos.  

Got any ideas on some meals?  Slow cooker ideas would be great.

I am on the road a bit this week and will try to get something for you in the morning before heading out..



oh





and I don't do CrockPot

No problem...don't have to use it.

i've got an itching to buy some sweet breads (one word or two?) and try those out

ideas?

(simple easy tasty and low carb would be best, but whatever you have time for)

thanks

Any suggestions on how to cook beef heart?

I bought a quarter cow and it came with a bunch of liver and heart.

OK here's a few for this mornings run seems I've gotten a few more visits in the last 24 hours, seems to always happen when
I'm a bit over whelmed

first, get the chips toasted

Salsa Verde

1 pound tomatillos, husked  
1/2 cup finely chopped onion  
1 teaspoon minced garlic  
1 serrano chile peppers, minced  
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro  
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano  
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin  
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, or to taste  
2 cups water


Place tomatillos, onion, garlic, and chili pepper into a saucepan. Season with cilantro, oregano, cumin, and salt; pour in water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the tomatillos are soft, 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a blender, carefully puree the tomatillos and water in batches until smooth.


then some sopa...

Tomatillo soup
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded thin  
3 tablespoons olive oil  
1 onion, chopped  
3 cloves garlic, minced  
1 pound chopped tomatillos  
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced  
4 cups chicken stock  
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper  
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce  
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro  
1/4 cup sour cream (optional)  
salt to taste  
ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil over high heat in a large saucepan or Dutch oven. Saute chicken in oil until both sides are browned, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken, and set aside.

Add onions and garlic to saucepan, and saute until golden. Stir in the tomatillos, jalapeno peppers, and broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

Puree vegetables in batches in a blender or food processor. Return to pot, and reheat. At this point taste the soup; if not piquant enough, add cayenne pepper or pepper sauce.

Slice the chicken into thin slices, and then shred. Stir into soup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

When ready to serve, stir in the minced cilantro and ladle into bowls. Put a dollop of sour cream on top of each portion, and let it melt a bit. Top each dollop with a single cilantro leaf, and serve immediately.

and for the Plato d Dias
Pollo D' Tomatillo

1 (3 1/2) pound whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces  
1 pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed  
2 Tsp sugar
2 dried California chili pods  
3 dried red chili peppers  
2 tablespoons olive oil  
salt to taste


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the tomatillos, California chilies, and red chili peppers into a small roasting pan or a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. If the chilies start to get too dark, remove them and place into a food processor or blender.

heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces and cook, turning to sear evenly on all sides.

Combine the tomatillos and chilies in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste. Pour this mixture in with the chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until chicken is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.



simmer tomatillos and pork with a bit of white wine season with salt and pepper..Tomatillos and avocado gucamole, saute and cube up with onions, peppers, and bacon and throw into my quiche recipe.etc etc

Enjoy!!!

thanks for coming by
CHEF

this morning I did a complete, may I say stellar soliloquy on sweetbreads and my bloody computer locked up.
froze up like a bride on her wedding night...a Democrat realizing Hillary is It...a arfcommer seeing the sunlight for the first time..


will try again tomorrow..


OK...now, why do we want to eat Sweetbreads? They are offal.

first for the uninformed..and I Know there are one or two who will read this thread,  sweetbreads are not sweet breads. Sweetbreads are considered offal, and sweet breads are, breads that are sweet. Knowing the difference will save you from an unwelcome surprise in either direction.
Sweetbreads are an organ meat from the thymus gland and pancreas. The easiest sweetbreads to find are from veal, ris de veau; or lamb, ris d'agneau, although beef and pork sweetbreads are also available.

Let's get this first fact out of the way: sweetbreads are not sweet breads. Sweetbreads are considered offal, and sweet breads are, well, breads that are sweet. Knowing the difference will save you from an unwelcome surprise in either direction.

Sweetbreads are an organ meat from the thymus gland and pancreas. The easiest sweetbreads to find are from veal, ris de veau; or lamb, ris d'agneau, although beef and pork sweetbreads are also available the taste is just not the same. It's like comparing calves liver to beef liver.
It's a bit unclear where the name came from, but the story is that the flavor of sweetbreads is more sweet than savory. I'm not sure if I agree, but the name has stuck for a very long time.

Preparation is key in the cooking of sweetbreads

Soaking is the first step in the preparation of sweetbreads to remove some of the impurities. some soak them in cold water, but I use milk or buttermilk.
After the soaking, sweetbreads are blanched in boiling water and then shocked in ice water to firm up the flesh. This doesn't usually cook them through, but it does make it easier to remove any remaining tough membranes on the outside.
Once blanched, classic technique calls for them to be chilled and pressed into a uniform thickness, but it's not a necessary step. Then, with your fingers and a sharp knife, peel away the membrane, the gristle, the tubes you'll find in the glands.   Sweetbreads are held together by this network of membrane and tissue, and the idea is to peel away as much as you can while still keeping the organ in sizable clumps. It's not that difficult. You may end up with smaller bits of sweetbread, but even those marble-sized pieces will stay tender when crisped up in the pan.

pan seared sweet breads
2  lbs sweetbreads
1  teaspoon salt
1  teaspoon vinegar
1/2 cup shallot (chopped)
1  tablespoon fresh Italian parsley (finely chopped)
1/4 cup flour
2  teaspoons garlic powder
2  tablespoons butter
2  tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions
Place the salt and vinegar into a saucepot, with enough water to cover the sweetbreads, and bring to a boil.
Add the sweetbreads, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
Drain and cover with cold water.
Remove all membranes and tubes.
Slice each sweetbread in half crosswise.
Mix the flour and garlic powder together and dredge the sweetbreads in the flour mixture.
Heat butter and oil in a skillet until very hot.
Place the sweetbreads and shallots into the hot skillet and once you place them in, DO NOT move them around.
When they are a light golden color on the bottom side, (about 3 to 5 minutes), with tongs, carefully turn them over to sear the other
side until that side becomes a light golden color.
Remove the sweetbreads and plate them as you desire. Garnish them with the Italian parsley leaves and serve as an appetizer or center of plate

Sweetbreads and Mushrooms
.2  beef sweetbreads
2  tablespoons flour
2  tablespoons butter
salt and pepper, to taste
2  cups milk
1  lb mushroom, cleaned and sliced
panko breadcrumbs or soft breadcrumbs, toasted
3  tablespoons butter

Directions
Poach sweetbreads for 20 minutes in water to cover (adding 1 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon vinegar per quart of water).
Drain and cover with very cold water or chipped ice until firm.
When firm enough to handle, remove all loose membranes.
Sauté sweetbreads in 1 tablespoon of butter.
Blend in 1 tablespoon of flour; add salt and pepper to taste and 1 cup of milk.
Simmer until thickened.
Sauté mushrooms in remaining butter, blend in remaining flour, add salt, pepper and milk.
When thickened, combine with sweetbread mixture and turn into an oven-proof casserole.
Cover with toasted bread crumbs and dot with butter.
Bake in a 400F oven for 5 to 8 minutes.

Normandy style
1 1/4 lbs sweetbreads (2 small pairs)
2  lbs apples, peeled and quartered (Use a good flavored apple for this old favorite such as Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Cortland)
7  tablespoons butter, melted
salt and pepper, to taste
4  slices bread, crusts removed and cut into squares
4  teaspoons apple brandy or 4 teaspoons calvados
1/2 cup heavy cream
Directions
Soak the sweetbreads in warm water for 1 hour.
Remove the membranes and bloody tissues.
Put cleaned sweetbreads in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer 3 minutes.
Drain and cool.
Cook apples in a shallow covered pan with 2 tablespoons of butter.
Melt 5 tablespoons butter in another pan and add sweetbreads.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper; cover with a piece of buttered parchment to keep the meat from darkening.
Reduce heat, cover the pan and cook very gently for 30 minutes.
Fry bread cubes in butter until golden.
Remove paper from sweetbreads; add the apple brandy and light with a match.
When the flames have subsided, place the sweetbreads on a heated platter.
Add the cream to the pan and stir hard while heating.
Pour over the sweetbreads.
Surround with the fried croutons.
Serve the apples on a separate dish.

Finally, sweetbreads can be grilled, braised, or my favorite way, breaded and seared or fried. They cook quickly and cleanly. To counteract the richness of the meat, many recipes serve the sweetbreads with an acidic sauce like lemons and capers.
yea, carb free    HHAAHHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHHHAHAHA
grill them or stew them but trust me, they're worthy of a cheat day..
CHEF

boil
rinse
boil
rinse
chop
feed to dog..or democrats tell them this is what democracy looks like...


seriously, see above had info plled for you as well and phhffttt gone...
try again tomorrow

going to do some research on this, other than cutting it up for stews and grinding it into meat loaf with pork I don't have much
on beef heart, it's rather tough, even boiled..

Will see what I can come up with over the weekend...

Sorry
Chef

Thanks man.

I was guessing the best use was either dog food, or ground up with some chuck and pork fat in a sausage but thought I'd see if you had anything good.

its fine grinding with pork or saving the fat from the loin or rib caps, that mix works great in meatloaf as there are other flavors in the mix., It's a rather tough organ meat sometimes it tastes beefy other times "organy" yes, that's a made up word.

 
I'm partial to fried heart. Especially for breakfast. Gotta have pancakes or french toast with it so I can dip it in the syrup.




I did have beef heart that was stuffed with red beans and rice a couple years ago over in Cajun-land. I'm guessing it was braised or something to tenderize it some before it was stuffed and baked. It was actually very tasty. Those rascally coon asses can cook.  




Heart is muscle, (not organ meat), just like steak. It just doesn't have the fat, gristle or grain that steak does. I've always found it to be fairly tender and flavorful, however it has a unique flavor as does filet.


 

Hi again Chef,

Another after the fact post, and hoping to learn from my mistake. My family generally goes to the local mountains here for Thanksgiving, (7500 above sea level) and I've posted before about my difficulties with the those oven's up there that don't cook the bird properly...

Thankfully you clued me in to cooking at altitude, and it went "better' this year. Realizing the altitude issues, the single oven, and 20# bird at hand, I decided to spatchcock the thing to reduce cooking time. Fast forward to the end result, it was amazing.

Now to easily cutting out the backbone using kitchen shears, as I had seen on network programming.... That didn't happen.

It was an ugly, bitter fight.

I devolved into using my best knife as both a overhand cleaver, and as a wedge, using the heaviest thing in the kitchen to hit the back of the knife in hopes of breaking all of the bones. I alternated these processes with kitchen shears, ended up bleeding from many cuts, and let out a primal scream when I finally cut that fucking spine out of that devil bird.

I'm on the other side now, and only bad dreams remind me of this fight. It reminds me of labor, it sucks until you see the result.

are there any shortcuts that might make the cutting easier? Dremel tool, epidural...?

wow...
I actually spatchcocked a 13lb turkey myself this year.
being an American trained Chef, we call it butterflying and after a brief google search I see it's been public knowledge for
some time and has some German name to it, well, you can't know it all, just most I guess. My bird was done in an hour and 12 min and
excellent. After cooking chickens this way for a century, never occurred to me o do this with a turkey until it was decided that Thanksgiving would be in our Dallas condo vs the Ranch as there was some scheduling issues...
that said,

Easier way to cut out the back bone of a 20lb turke;y,,think of the muscle and tendon required to hold up 16lbs of breast while standing on 2 legs...
(there's a joke in there somewhere)   yes, have your butcher do it. they have a large pork cleaver in the box they've not used for 10 years and the knowledge
on how to use it and in 30 seconds the task is complete OR it can be done on a band saw, if its clean from cutting frozen T bones.. if not?  slice skin and muscle on both sides of the spine till you see bone, using a heavy boning knife you can either cut or pop each rib out of the spine at the knuckle by hand or using a mallet against the back of the blade, Patient but forceful.
.
ITS Great if you have an outside table you can wash down or at least a table top you're unconcerned about scarring and just take a cleaver or scrubbed clean boy scout hatchet or your personal tomahawk out of your field gear to it which takes a practiced fearless hand to do. Holding a wet slippery and heavy target while swinging a sharpened object at full force towards one own hand is hair raising, BUT, it's the easiest way to do it unless you've a band saw, sawzall or skill saw with a plywood blade handy, Slow, precise but forceful strikes cuts through pretty quick, don't rush the job. ..all the above equates to Patience and Force in the same action. no easy way in other words, again, short of a sawzall, which is a realistic option as long as you're good with cleaning it before and after.

I know, no help...but, life's hard....
Chef

I broke the kitchen shears doing that to our turkey this year. Ended up using a game saw I usually use for deer.

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Chef-

Do you have a recipe or any tips for cooking Beef Wellington? This is an old classic I've always wanted to try at home.  Thanks!

Ahll Be Bachk

Beef Wellington, a traditional British dish consisting of a seared filet mignon smothered in a whole-grain mustard and wrapped in layers of salty prosciutto, an herbed crepe, duxelles (mushrooms that have been pulverized into a paste), and puff pastry. The whole package is then baked until the crust crisps up and the meat reaches medium-rare perfection.

First, Duxelles is something every good cook should know how to make. It can be used in place of liver mousse for a vegetarian spread. In addition, try topping it over any rich meat, and you'll be surprised by the intense flavor it brings.

For mushroom duxelles:
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
•For herb crepe:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons chives, minced
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more if needed for pans

To make mushroom duxelles: Add mushrooms to a food processor and process until completely smooth. The consistency is similar to wet hummus.
In a pan over medium heat, add mushroom paste, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread the mixture evenly over the surface and cook on a medium-low heat until the moisture in the paste has reduced and the mixture has the consistency of a spreadable pâté. Remove from heat and let cool.

Herbed Crepes while a classic presentation, are often left out of the process, your call.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, eggs, sugar, salt, and chives. Whisk in milk, water, and 1 tablespoon of melted butter, until smooth and emulsified.
Heat a crepe pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Add 1/4 cup of the batter. Rotate pan in a circular motion over the heat to completely cover the surface with the batter. The edges of the crepe will begin to curl slightly as the crepe cooks. Cook for approximately 45 to 60 seconds, then flip crepe to cook the other side. Each side should be a pale golden brown. Remove from heat. Add more butter if needed to the pan and repeat process with the remaining batter. Set crepes aside.

For beef Wellington:
2 pounds filet mignon
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup whole-grain Dijon mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon whole milk


Directions

Le Beouf
Preheat the oven to 400º F.
Pat filet mignon dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and black pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. When the oil begins to smoke, add the filet mignon and brown from 1 to 2 minutes on all sides. You want to create a nice sear on the outside of the steak but leave the inside raw. Remove from heat and place on a cutting board to cool.
Cover cooled filet with Dijon mustard.

Roll out the Wellingtons: On a cutting board, lay out a long piece of plastic wrap. In the middle of the wrap, lay out a crepe. Spread mushroom duxelles over the crepe. Lay out the prosciutto on top of the duxelles. Place filet in the center of the crepe and gently wrap the crepe around the filet. Trim off any excess and use the plastic wrap to tightly wrap the steak.

Next, Lay out a clean, long piece of plastic wrap. Gently roll out puff pastry until it is a 1/4-inch thin. Remove the plastic wrat and Place the crepe wrapped steak on one end of the puff pastry and wrap. Pinch the ends closed and trim off any excess puff pastry. Use the plastic wrap to tightly seal the puff pastry. Pop it in the fridge for about 5 minutes to let it firm up again.

In a bowl, mix together egg yolk and milk.

Place a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Remove Wellington from fridge, remove the plastic wrap, and lay the Wellington seam-side down on the baking sheet. Baste the top of the puff pastry with the egg wash and bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes or until the internal temperature of the steak reaches 125º F, or to whatever temperature you prefer your steak. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing into medallions. Serve warm.


I'll await pic's and shipped samples...
CHEF

Thanks!! I'll hopefully have some time to try this over the upcoming holidays. I'll make sure to report back with pics!!