Scrapple

09 Wednesday Dec 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

No, this entry has nothing to do with Habbersett or Rapa Brand Scrapple. It has to do with a recipe for the delicious and enduring breakfast or sandwich treat. A treat that we can not get in Idaho, we have to import from Philadelphia or the immediate Philadelphia area. IO grew up with this for breakfast with scrambled eggs. I like it thin sliced and fried to a golden brown. In Philadelphia, you will get it thick sliced and as a sandwich. Anyway, here is a recipe on how to make this. Remember – It is using all the left-over parts of the hog after slaughtering. The key words are: all the left-over parts.

Scrapple

Source:
Author: Bob and Robin Young
Source: http://www.boisefoodieguild.blogspot.com
Web Page: http://www.rockinrs.com

Author Notes: This is an old recipe from Barbara Packham Nolan. There is no date on the recipe that is written on an old shirt cardboard form.

Yield: 10 pounds

Ingredients:
8 lbs Pork, ground. It can be scraps or sausage
6 lbs Stock, beef preferred
2 lbs Cereal, cornmeal or buckwheat flour
Wheat germ
1 crushed Bay leaf
1 T Sage, dried
2 T Salt
1 T Marjoram, dried
2 T Pepper
½ T Nutmeg
1 t Red Pepper flakes
2 t Onion powder

Directions:
1). Combine the first five ingredients in a large pot. Boil for about 30 minutes stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Cook until a thick gruel is formed.
2). Add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook until thickened. Remove the Bay Leaf.
3). Place in long loaf pans and chill overnight.
4). To serve: Slice off pieces and fry in oil until golden brown on both sides. Usually swerved with eggs.

Cooking Times:
Preparation Time: 1 hour
Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 9 hours and 45 minutes

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So there you have it. Cheers!

Making Vinegar

06 Sunday Dec 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Interesting Information, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Vinegars

≈ 1 Comment

The graphic at the right is one that Robin did several years ago. “Rabbits Making Wine“, (C) 1988. The original used to hang at the now non-existent BB Strand, 4th and Bannock, Boise, and the artwork is now in the possession of Chef John Mortimer.

I have had some questions on how to make vinegar. And in particular, wine vinegar. We have a jug of red wine vinegar going that has been around for several years. We are now making some white wine vinegar that will be tarragon infused. Remember one thing: After you decide what you want to make, you have several decisions on how to get there. Do I want white vinegar? Or red? Infused with some herb? Or plain? Here’s some help.

White Wine or Red Wine Vinegar or Sherry Vinegar
The “formula” for making a Mother Starter is:

1). 1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar,
Unpasteurized (Not Cooked) and Unfiltered. That is the important thing – Unpasteurized and Unfiltered! I am using “Spectrum” Organic and I probably got it at the COOP. “Three Monks” is another good brand if you can find the unpasteurized.

2). 1 cup White Wine, for White Wine Vinegar, or Red Wine, for Red Wine Vinegar or Sherry for Sherry Vinegar.
Put a stopper of some sort in the top, but not tight – you want some air to get in, but not dust. Put it somewhere, it doesn’t have to be dark. Let set and forget it for two or three weeks. Try it and see if it is what you are looking for. If not, let it go longer. (Mine has been going for 5 weeks now.) When it is ready, find a 1 gallon jug, it can be plastic or glass, and pour the starter in. Add 750 ml wine. Let sit. Try it. Keep adding your “left-over” wine to it and it should go for quite a while – years.

You can use the 1 gallon of vinegar at any time. But, try to get the jug full. The longer it “cures” the sweeter it will be and the more mellow it will become. It’s trial and error now. But this will at least get you started. And think about this. If you want a Balsamic Style Vinegar, get a small, 1 gallon or so, oak wine barrel. Place your vinegar in the barrel and set it aside for several years. That’s all there is to it!

Use any wine you want. Try to keep the jug either all red or all white. Start two jugs if you have to. However, it can be mixed too. That is red and white wine together. I have 2 jugs going. The Red is a blend of any wine we had left over and has been going for years. The white is only white and I hope to keep it that way.

Try using left-over Sherry to make your vinegar, especially if you use a lot of Sherry in cooking, or you eat a lot of Turtle Soup. (My Dad used to order Turtle Soup, drink the Sherry. Tell the Waitress that he did not get any Sherry. She would bring him another. He would drink this one ….Do you see where this is going?) Commerical Sherry Vinegar tends to be extremely salty. Making your own, you can control this.

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Cheers and enjoy making your vinegar!!!

Turkey Tamale Pie

30 Monday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Main Dish, Recipe By: Peggy Young, Recipes, Things To Do

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Here is a recipe for leftover turkey that my sister sent me.

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Here is my favorite, given to me by a friend – Margaret Crum many years ago in Newark. She served this dish at a dinner buffet. I usually make it every time I have leftover turkey.

Turkey Tamale Pie

Ingredients:
3 slices bacon
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 cup sliced green olives
2 cups crumbled corn chips
2 cups diced cooked turkey
1 teaspoon chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I eliminate because of the olives)
Dash pepper
1 #2 can tomatoes ( I use diced)
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
2 Tablespoons butter

Directions:
Fry bacon until crisp; remove slices. Saute onion and green pepper until tender. Combine olives, 3/4 cup crumbs, turkey, chili powder, salt, pepper, tomatoes and crumbled bacon. Add onion and green pepper, blend well. Turn into a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with cheese and remaining crumbs. Dot with butter and garnish with more olives (if desired). Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

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Cheers! And enjoy the recipes for your leftover turkey!!! Thanks, Peggy! This has to be good – it has Bacon in it!

Our Thanksgiving Plate

25 Wednesday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Holiday Menu, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Side Dishes

≈ 1 Comment

Several people have asked what we are making for Thanksgiving Dinner. Folks from Idaho, Michigan, California and South Africa. And no, that is not our house. It is one across the street from us and this is about the first year that they have gone so “all out”. I just thought it would be nice to have it here to “introduce” the Holiday Season! It certainly does light up the neighborhood. Here is our Thanksgiving menu (The pie was just delivered and it says “Keep Refrigerated”, so I guess I can not sample it. You know, The Queens Taster?) Enjoy – we will!

Wine Opener:

Ogni Giorno Lambrusco Amabile

Dinner Wine:

2005 Westerland Gewurztraminer (South African)

Spatchcocked 70 Minute Turkey
(Recipe found on the Boise Foodie Blog)
with
Madeira Turkey Gravy

Brussels Sprouts in Balsamic Reduction

Dried Corn

Dilly Casserole Bread

Dessert Wine:

2006 Bitner Vineyards Reserve Red Dessert Wine

Chocolate Truffle Pie
(Jerri’s Old Fashioned Pie Shop and Bakery – Listed on this blog)

We do hope that everyone who celebrates Thanksgiving, has a wonderful holiday. Cheers!

Madeira Turkey Gravy

24 Tuesday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Celebrations, Food, Food Trivia, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, Side Dishes

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Just in time for the Holidays! Madeira Turkey Gravy “… is particularly fitting for Thanksgiving because Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, flowed like water through the Colonies, having arrived here as ballast in ships. Sweet and mellow, reminiscent of sherry, Madeira beautifully enhances a turkey gravy.” (Real Age) Here is the recipe that Robin found to enhance that Thanksgiving dinner. Enjoy!

Madeira Turkey Gravy

Ingredients:
1½ t Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion, coarsely chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 stalk(s) Celery, chopped
3 c Chicken Stock
½ c Madeira
1½ T Cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
To Prepare Giblet Stock: Heat 1½ teaspoons oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and the turkey neck and giblets. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Strain the giblet stock through a fine sieve (you should have about 2 cups). Chill until ready to use.

To Prepare Gravy: While the turkey is resting, pour the drippings from the roasting pan through a strainer into a small bowl, then place the bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to solidify the fat.

Add Madeira to the roasting pan and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for about 1 minute; strain into a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the giblet stock and add the stock to the pan. Skim the fat from the chilled pan juices and add the juices to the pan as well. Bring to a simmer. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering sauce, whisking until the gravy has thickened slightly. Season with pepper.

Robin’s Different Salads

23 Monday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

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Here is a Rainbow Chard Mediterranean Style Salad. Rainbow chard, pine nuts and raisins. Serve this salad warm

The Bok Choy and Pomegranate Salad is full of bok choy, avocado, pomegranate seeds and with a pink grapefruit dressing. Serve this one cold. Of the two, I preferred this one.

Brussels Sprouts – A New Adventure

19 Thursday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Food Prep, Main Dish, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

≈ 2 Comments

So, what do you do with Brussels Sprouts? Boil ’em. Steam ’em. There’s gotta be more and there is.
1) You can take about 12 of the sprouts and boil until tender. Reduce 6 Tablespoons of Balsamic Vinegar to one-half. Place the drained sprouts in the reduction. Stir and add salt. Serve hot. Serves 2.

2). Or take 12 medium sprouts and cut in half – see photo. Then take the juice of 1 lemon and add about 1/4 cup olive oil. Stir until emulsified. Place sprouts in a large bowl. Add the lemon mixture. Let sit for about 30 minutes stirring about every 10 minutes to coat the sprouts. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the sprouts on a lipped cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Stir sprouts and bake for another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle lightly with gray salt – Celtic Salt. Serve hot. Serves 2.

We had these sprouts as a trial for Thanksgiving and we were surprised. They are good! No more of that “cabbage” taste, bitterness or smell. The black leaves can be removed – they do keep the flavors into the sprout. Dinner was a succulent braised Pork Chop with Orange Sauce, Applesauce, Chard Stems with Garlic, Raisins and Roasted Pine Nuts and the Roasted Brussels Sprouts. For liquid refreshment – you always have to have liquid refreshment – we had a 2007 Cinder Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot Blend that went very well with the menu.

So there you are. Another Thanksgiving suggestion. Cheers!

Roasted Turkey in 70 Minutes

16 Monday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food, Interesting Information, Local Farmers Markets, Recipes, Things To Do

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Actually, yes you can!! Robin and I made one of these turkeys yesterday, as a preliminary trial for Thanksgiving, coming up soon. The style of cooking is called spatchcocked. “Really, “spatchcocking” is just a fancy term for cooking a whole turkey or chicken by removing the backbone and splaying the bird out flat.

Spatchcocked Turkey

And it’s that simple. Really! Just cut along the both sides of the turkey’s backbone to remove it (use sturdy kitchen scissors). Flip the bird over and flatten it by breaking the breast bone. Brush the bird with olive oil, salt and pepper…Just 70 minutes later (you’ll want to baste it halfway through), you’ll have a perfectly cooked bird.

There are actually a few additional benefits to spatchcocking, in addition to the quick cooking time

–Space. Flattening the turkey out like this makes a lot more room in your crowded Thanksgiving Day oven.
–Carving. With the backbone out of the way, it’s much, much simpler to carve the bird when it’s time to serve it.
–Taste. We actually thought the meat turned out better tasting and more moist than with a traditional roast turkey. And the skin crisped up to golden perfection.” (http://thebittenword.typepad.com)

Roasted Turkey in 70 Minutes

Serves: 8 – 10
Ingredients: (Oil Mixture)
2 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 T coarse Salt
1 t freshly ground Pepper
1 whole fresh turkey (about 12+ pounds)
Our Suggestion: Add your favorite spices to this mixture: Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, etc.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together oil, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
2. Rinse inside and outside of turkey; pat dry with paper towels. Spatchcock turkey*. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, breast side up. Let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Brush or rub turkey all over with oil mixture. Roast, rotating sheet halfway through and basting twice, until an instant-read thermometer inserted
into the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let stand for 20 minutes before carving.

*Spatchcocking: (See photo above)
1. Cut out the backbone. Start with the turkey breast side down. Use poultry shears to cut along both sides of the backbone, beginning at the tail end. If you hit a tough spot, try cutting with just the tip of the shears.

2. Open the turkey. Set aside backbone (and giblets) for stock. Take hold of both newly cut edges, and open the turkey. Remove any large pieces of fat. Turn the turkey, breast side up.

3. Break the breastbone. Place your hand on one side of the breast, close to the breastbone, and push down firmly until you hear a crack. Repeat on the other side. (For better leverage as you work, stand on a step stool.)

4. Flatten the turkey. Pull the thighs outward so the turkey lies flat, with the wings facing inward. Tuck the wing tips under to secure.

5. Brush with oil. Place the turkey on a rimmed baking sheet. Let stand for 30 minutes. Use a basting brush to apply oil mixture.

How To Carve:
A spatchcocked turkey requires a slightly different carving technique than a bird cooked the traditional way, but the basic approach remains
the same: Remove the legs and wings, and then slice the breast meat.

1. Cut legs from breast. With a sharp chef’s knife, remove each leg by cutting through the turkey where the thigh connects to the breast.

2. Separate drumsticks and thighs. At the joint of each leg, cut drumstick from thigh. Transfer thighs and drumsticks to a warm platter. Tent with foil.

3. Cut wings and breast. On one side, find the joint connecting wing and breast, and cut through it (not shown). Repeat to cut off other wing. Cut breast meat into two pieces, slicing along either side of breastbone.

4. Slice breast meat. Slice the breast meat across the grain. Arrange on the platter with the dark meat, and add the wings.

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The photos are from Martha Stewart Living and the article came from The Bitten Word. This goes great with a 2008 Bedrock Wine Co. Cuvee Caritas White Wine, Sonoma County (55% 100 year old Semillon from Monte Rosso and 45% Sauvignon Blanc from Kick Ranch Vineyard) and a super gravy made from Madeira. (The gravy recipe can be found on this blog)

We found this turkey to be extremely moist and succulent. And the interesting thing is that it really is easy to do and very fast cooking. It has a wonderful flavor and moistness eaten cold in sandwiches or for “nibbling”. The skin is crusty and wonderful. That’s it. Cheers!

Holiday Foods Part II

13 Friday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipe By: Robin Young, Recipes, Things To Do

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Here is the second installment.

Roast Turkey with Madeira Gravy

From EatingWell.com

This gorgeous herb-rubbed turkey- complete with luscious gravy- is the quintessential holiday centerpiece. It is particularly fitting for Thanksgiving because Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of the same name, flowed like water through the Colonies, having arrived here as ballast in ships. Sweet and mellow, reminiscent of sherry, Madeira beautifully enhances a turkey gravy.

Yields: Makes 8 servings, about 3 ounces each, with leftovers

Ingredients:
1/4 c Parsley, fresh and chopped
2 T Thyme, fresh and chopped
2 T Rosemary, fresh and chopped
2 T Shallots, finely chopped
1 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, (for turkey)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 (12- to 14-pound) Turkey, with giblets
1 Onion, peeled and quartered
1 1/2 t Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, (for gravy)
1 Onion, coarsely chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
2 stalk(s) Celery, chopped
3 c Chicken Stock
1/4 c dry White Wine for basting
1/2 c Madeira
1 1/2 T Cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
1. Set oven rack in the bottom of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F. Set a wire roasting rack in a large roasting pan and coat the rack with cooking spray.

2. To prepare turkey: Combine parsley, thyme, rosemary, shallots and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl. Season with salt.

3. Reserve giblets and neck for the stock; discard the liver. Remove any visible fat from the turkey. Rinse it inside and out with cold water and pat dry. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and place onion in cavity.

4. With your fingers, separate the turkey skin from the breast meat, taking care not to tear the skin or pierce the meat. Smear the herb mixture between the flesh and the skin on both sides of the breastbone. Tie the drumsticks together and tuck the wing tips behind the back. Set the turkey, breast-side up, in the prepared roasting pan and tent with foil.

5. Roast the turkey for 2 hours.

6. To prepare giblet stock: Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and the turkey neck and giblets. Cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, about 15 minutes. Pour in broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Strain the giblet stock through a fine sieve (you should have about 2 cups). Chill until ready to use.

7. After the turkey has been in the oven for 2 hours, remove the foil and continue roasting, basting with white wine from time to time, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 180 degrees, 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours longer. Transfer the turkey to a carving board. Cover loosely with foil and let rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving.

8. To prepare gravy: While the turkey is resting, pour the drippings from the roasting pan through a strainer into a small bowl, then place the bowl in the freezer for 20 minutes to solidify the fat. Add Madeira to the roasting pan and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for about 1 minute; strain into a medium saucepan. Skim the fat from the giblet stock and add the stock to the pan. Skim the fat from the chilled pan juices and add the juices to the pan as well. Bring to a simmer. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering sauce, whisking until the gravy has thickened slightly. Season with pepper.

9. Remove strings from turkey and carve, discarding the skin. Serve with the Madeira gravy.

Tips & Techniques:
Madeira, a fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, has a sweet, mellow flavor somewhat like sherry. Find it at liquor stores or in the wine section of the supermarket.

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And for those pies you are going to make, try this crust, or check with Jerri!!

Pie Pastry

From EatingWell.com

Whole-wheat pastry flour contributes a pleasant nutty flavor to an all-purpose pie dough and ensures a tender result.

Yields: Makes about 14 ounces dough, enough for one 9- to 11-inch pie or tart.

Ingredients:
3/4 c Whole-Wheat pastry flour
3/4 c All-Purpose flour
2 T Sugar
1/4 t Salt
4 T cold Butter, cut into small pieces
1 T Canola oil
1/4 c Ice Water, plus more as needed
1 lg Egg Yolk
1 t Lemon juice or white vinegar

Directions:
1. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. Add oil and stir with a fork to blend. Mix 1/4 cup water, egg yolk and lemon juice (or vinegar) in a measuring cup. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add enough of the egg yolk mixture, stirring with a fork, until the dough clumps together. (Add a little water if the dough seems too dry.) Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times. Form the dough into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

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Well, that’s about all for now. Headed down to Sweetwater’s Tropic Zone on 10th Street for dinner. Cheers!

Pull-Apart Buns for Thanksgiving

13 Friday Nov 2009

Posted by Bob and Robin in Food Prep, Recipes, Things To Do

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From King Arthur Flour, I received the following recipe.

Golden Pull-Apart Butter Buns

At last! The quintessential soft, buttery dinner roll. Nestled — we might even say “crowded” — into a couple of 8″ round pans, the shaped buns rise into one another as they bake. The result? Soft-sided pull-apart buns, ready for melting pats of soft butter.
Read our blog about these buns, with additional photos, at Bakers’ Banter.

Ingredients:
Buns
3 1/2 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 teaspoons instant yeast
2 tablespoons potato flour or 1/4 cup instant potato flakes
3 tablespoons Baker’s Special Dry Milk or nonfat dry milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons soft butter
2/3 cup lukewarm water
1/2 cup lukewarm milk
1 oz melted Butter

Topping
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

1) Combine all of the dough ingredients in a large bowl, and mix and knead — using your hands, a stand mixer, or a bread machine set on the dough cycle — to make a soft, smooth dough.

2) Place the dough in a lightly greased container — an 8-cup measure works well here — and allow the dough to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until it’s just about doubled in bulk.

3) Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface.

4) Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces, by dividing in half, then in halves again, etc. Round each piece into a smooth ball.

5) Lightly grease two 8″ round cake pans. Space 8 buns in each pan. Can you use 9″ round cake pans, or a 9″ x 13″ pan? Sure; the buns just won’t nestle together as closely, so their sides will be a bit more baked.

6) Cover the pans, and allow the buns to rise till they’re crowded against one another and quite puffy, about 60 to 90 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

7) Uncover the buns, and bake them for 22 to 24 minutes, until they’re golden brown on top and the edges of the center bun spring back lightly when you touch it. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle of the center bun should register at least 190°F.

8) Remove the buns from the oven, and brush with the melted butter. After a couple of minutes, turn them out of the pan onto a cooling rack.

9) Serve warm. Store leftovers well-wrapped, at room temperature.

Yield: 16 buns.