Potato Top

Cauliflower Top

This is a dish that calls for ground lamb. Lamb can have a gamy flavor and lots of herbs are used to offset the gaminess. When using ground beef, you can tone back the herbs to half of the recipe of using lamb.  There was no ground lamb at the market this time, so I bought lamb stew meat and ran it through the meat grinder.

1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 Lb. ground lamb (Or 1 lb. beef, or ½ lb. beef and ½ lb. pork)
¼ tsp dried parsley
¼ tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp dried thyme (Or, 1 tsp. Herbs de le Ron)
1 TBSP Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic minced
2 TBSP flour
2 TBSP ketchup (1 TBSP tomato paste and 1 TBSP ketchup)
1 cup ale beer (or Pilsner, Guinness or IPA.  I prefer IPA for the tangy rich hops taste)
(If you don’t want to use beer or wine you can use 1½ beef broth)
1 cup frozen peas and carrots
½ cup corn kernel w/some corn juice
Sharp cheddar and Colby Jack cheese

Topping mashed potatoes:  (Or Mashed Cauliflower. https://ducksmahal.com/2022/10/09/mashed-cauliflower-olive-oil-and-parmesan/  Double the recipe.)

Cheese:
I use local Wisconsin grated sharp cheddar from Shullsburg.  Others use Irish cheddar.  I have seen Irish cheddar in the store and it is from Ireland, but I haven’t used it.  I like to support local Ag and I live ten miles from Shullsburg.

Meat filing:
Sauté onions, add meat lightly brown, add everything else except topping except flour and beer. Cook on medium then add flour and mix then beer (or beef broth) and make a gravy.  Don’t overcook it has to go into the oven. Turn off heat and let sit.

Make the mashed potatoes (Or cauliflower), place meat into a 2 quart square baking dish, top with cheese then top with potatoes and bake at 400ᵒ uncovered 30 minutes. Let cool and serve.

As of 10/9/22

Kedgeree is a British/East Indian version of Cajun Jambalaya, and Jambalaya is an American version of Spanish Paella. The most important item needed for this dish is a cast iron pot your God Mother gave you. Other than that, the deal is, when you cook rice in a stock, add meat and fish, spices and veggies you get a great meal. The Italians call theirs Risotto alla pescatora. It’s all pretty close to almost nearly the same ingredients, only the herbs and spices are regional.

The traditional British dish has smoked haddock. You can substitute any local while fish or even use Salmon. The main signature is the curry, turmeric, bay leaf and coriander (aka cilantro).

Meat
½ lb. or more Alaskan Cod

Mirepoix
1 onion – chopped

Vegetables
1 clove garlic – minced
½ cup peas or frozen peas and carrots
2 cups long grain rice or basmati (some use brown rice)
½ lemon juice
3 chopped green onions (scallions)

Sauce
1 dash white wine
4 cups chicken stock

Seasoning/Herbs/Oil
Salt and Pepper
3 Tbsp butter
1 bay leaves (East Indians use a lot of bay leaf in their dishes)
1 Tbsp Curry powder
1 tsp Tumeric

1/2 cup freshly cut Cilantro leaves to add to the top at serving

Serves 2, maybe 3

Add the peas, carrots, garlic,onion, green onions, 1/2 butter, bay leaves, S&P, curry powder, turmeric and rice and sauté four minutes. Add a dash of white wine. Add any water from the fish. Add the chicken stock. Mix well, bring the rice to a boil and cook on simmer for about ten minutes.

When the rice absorbs the fluids, add the remaining butter and slice the fish into cubes and place on top of the rice then add the lemon to the top of the fish.

Check the rice to see if it needs more fluid. Watch the rice, when it has absorbed the fluid and is soft and hot, then gently fold the fish into the dish. While the dish is hot let the fish cook several minutes to desired doneness in the hot rice – several minutes.  Serve while hot and garnish with fresh cilantro.  Some recipes add quartered boiled eggs on top.

As of 3/21/21

(Click on pics to enlarge)

Serves 2

1 LB. Pork Loin or Pork Tenderloin (Tenderloin is the filet of mignon of pork and pork loin is the muscle that runs along the back between the back fat and the ribs.)

Paste for the Loin
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
2 cloves of garlic
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
Sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 TBSP olive oil
Paprika

In a small food processor, add all ingredients except the paprika. Blend into a smooth paste. Rub the paprika into the pork loin first, then rub the Paste onto the loin. Refrigerate an hour or more.

Sauerkraut
We used 1 can of Frank’s Sweet Bavarian Style Kraut w/Caraway Seeds.

Onion
1 small yellow cut in half, then cut into thin half-circles. Sauté in butter timed with serving.

Other
½ apple, chopped and placed at the bottom of an ovenware pan.
1 cup of beer, we used Leinenkugel from Wisconsin b/c it is like a German Pilsner.

In an ovenware pan place the loin on top of the chopped apples, add the beer and cook in oven 400° for 30 minutes until the center reaches internal temps of 160°. Remove the loin and wrap in aluminum foil and rest for 10 minutes then slice into medallions and discard the apples.

Separately, sauté the onions and heat the Sauerkraut in separate pans timed for serving with the loin.

With tongs plate the Sauerkraut, then the onions and then add the loin medallions on top.

Mircowarp 30 seconds if necessary to heat again. Serve

As of 2/13/2113

This is an average of several recipes.  Some recipes call for Crème Fraîche which is 1 cup whipping cream, 2 tablespoons buttermilk, otherwise known as sour cream.  You have to whip it and leave it in your frig two days.  In this recipe we use whipping cream and sour cream.

1 LB beef chuck roast, sliced into strips
2 TBSP Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TBSP butter
½ onion, sliced or diced
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1 ½ TBSP flour
½ cup white wine
1 cups beef broth
¼ cup sour cream
¾ cup whipping cream
1 TBSP fresh sliced chives (I used scallions)
You also might want to consider adding a dash of Worcestershire and Dijon mustard.
Egg noodles

Cut meat in small strips

Brown meat in batches in a large Dutch oven with the vegetable oil. Remove.

Add the butter, onions and mushrooms, which will begin to deglaze the pan.  Add garlic, then flour, stir a minute.  Add wine and begin to stir in a gravy (or roux), add beef broth and then the meat.  Stir.  Cover.  Braise for about an hour on low.  This will break down the chuck.  Cook until the meat is tender.

Add the whipping cream and stir.  Add hot pan sauce to your sour cream and stir.  This breaks down the sour cream so it doesn’t curdle and then keep whisking the sauce.   Add the chives or scallions.  Bring to a simmer.  Turn off pan and let rest 5 minutes.  Serve over egg noodles.

As of 9/22/19

(Click on pics to enlarge)

This is a French blend with Herbs de le Ron.

Serves 2

• 2 bone-in and skinned chicken thighs
• 2 – 4” lengths of your favorite sausage (Cut to 1 inch pieces)
• 6 small potatoes – cut in half – leave skin on
• ½ orange or red bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
• ½ yellow bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
• ½ green bell pepper – sliced on a mandolin
• ½ red onion – sliced on a mandolin
• ½ small yellow onion – sliced on a mandolin
• 1 TBSP Olive oil
• ½ TBSP herbs de Provence (I grow my own herbs and blend 5 herbs for this dish Herbs de le Ron)
• 2 cloves garlic – cut into coins  (I grow my own garlic and use Music Garlic)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• S&P

Make 2 deep cuts in the chicken on the skin side to the bone so it will cook faster. Combine everything in a large bowl and mix with your hands to make sure to get the olive oil and herbs on everything.  Cook in a 450⁰ oven cook one hour or until the chicken is cooked and crispy.

(Updated 11/28/20)