|
Current Food "Sketches"
Friday, October 22 2004
I'm thinking game right now..... it's fall... autumn.... the air
is just getting brisk and the harvest is happening.... If I were
alive a hundred years ago, I would be stocking my larder, pantry
and cellar right now.....
I would be preserving vegetables and relish's, pickling.... doing
confits and smoking meats.... I would be curing hams.... and my
family and friends would be feasting on all of the fresh product
available.
At the moment I'm thinking a pottage of sorts would be very
good..... nothing so deep winter and heavy as cassoulet, but
something more in line with the autumn feel... venison.... game
birds... even beef and poultry.... with more of a thick brothe
feel than a heavy "gravy."
I'm tasting and feeling rosemary and thyme....
Venison and Game Pie
- Venison Roast or Shanks
- Game Hen
- Roasted Root Vegetables
Turnips (turned)
Carrots (medium dice)
Rutabega (turned)
- Potatoes
Red/Golden (turned, blanched)
- Tomatoes (roasted, halved)
- Onion (grilled, rough cut)
- Leeks (dice, blanch)
- Squash - Zuccinni, Yellow neck (grilled, rough cut)
- Braised Savoy Cabbage (julienne)
- Chopped Garlic and Shallots
- Unsalted Butter
- Puff Pastry
- roasted garlic oil
The first order of business here, would be to prepare the
protein.... I would smoke the Bird(s) and Braise the Venison.
The hens, I would marinate in a bit of white wine, wine vinegar,
garlic and herbs.... after at least eight hours, I would drain
them and rub them with a dry rub;
Salt/Sugar (80/20)
Fresh Black Pepper
Chopped Fresh Thyme
Dried Tomato Powder
I would then let them sit for no less than three hours
(refrigerated), and then smoke them around 175 degrees.
While the birds were marinating I will have prepared the venison,
dredged, seared and braised.....a basic mirpoix of vegetables, a
bouquet garni of rosemary, chopped garlic and shallots, pepper
corns (white and black) and one or two cinnamon sticks. I would
braise them in a medium bodied red wine, red wine vinegar and
veal stock (unless I had a stock of venison)..... then cool them
and seperate the meat....a rough shred...
I would use a roasted chicken stock as the base for the brothe...
(perhaps even a stock of the hen bones provided there were
enough...) and would include in it the smoked bones of the
hens.
The vegetables would be prepared ahead of time, and would be the
beginings of each portion on the stove.... saute'd with chopped
garlic, shallots and herbs... deglazed with red vinegar... then
red wine.... then the protiens and smoked brothe, mounted with
butter....seasoned and then potted, topped with puff pastry
(appropriate for the container), brushed with clarified butter,
seasoning and herbs...... then placed in the oven until browned
and bubbling.
I would serve it drizled with roasted garlic oil, with house
bread a side plate and a large spoon.
I can see using roasted rabbit in this pottage as well, perhaps to
augment and perhaps as a substitute for the hen (availability). I
would dry rub the bunny with a 90/10-salt/sugar rub, containing
tomato powder and herbs... black pepper. Smoke it if possible....
roast it otherwise.
| 
bravenet.com