It seems as though Mama’s blood sugar is too high, doctor says so. She went to the library (free books) to see if she could find some cookbooks for diabetics, easy enough. She found a GREAT one and it turns out the guy cooks like I do. Ain’t that somethin’? In any case, this caused Mama to do some grocery shopping and she came back with a load of green things, she calls them v-e-g-e-t-a-b-l-e-s.
“What are these, things?” asks Biggles. Mama’s eyes roll as she turns and leaves the kitchen, leaving him alone in his bewilderment. Biggles returns his cleaver to his holster and grabs his 13″ Sabatier carbon and decided to split these suckers open and see what’s what. “Whar’s the damned HEAD?” he grumbles. “Must be this twiggy thing, off you go then.” And Biggles is off and slicing like a madman. Or in this case, a Norwegian Axe Murderer.
Happy 3rd Birthday Meathenge !!!
Here we see a nice little beef ball-tip roast with extra virgin, Survival Spice, two lumps of butter and of course, as you can see a killer sprig of rosemary. And if you look closely on the bottom, you’ll notice a cast iron trivet. See the round holes?
That’s right, this very day Meathenge is 3 years old, that’s this many. The only time it seems like such a long time ago, is when I go back through my archives of the first few months, hooboy. I suppose for the first month I was really learning the software and how things went together. I remember though, in about 6 to 8 months I’d run out of schtick and wallowed for a bit. Questioned blogging, questioned my mad skills and considered going off half-cocked and doing something else. Obviously I decided to wait until I was full-cocked & refreshed for another try. I’m so glad I did. The people I’ve met over the last few years have turned in to permanent relationships that I talk with on a regular basis. Some of which we go out to dinner with and exchange gifts on a regular basis (Thank you CB for all those early morning bacon deliveries). It’s been GREAT.
Thank you everyone and Happy Birthday MEATHENGE !!!
Poulet – A Berkeley tradition for 27 years gets a little help
Here I find myself calmly stalking Poulet. The intersection of Virginia & Shattuck is nearly void of traffic, perfect for my approach. Sure is a totally badass day to be out.
I don’t normally leave my box, it’s tough pawing my way though my psychosis. Then how did I manage to find a path away? Shuna of Eggbeater asked me to, that’s how.
Wanna come see?
Stuffed Quail, Porchetta Roast, Rabbit Crepinettes, Lemon & Herb Links – Fatted Calf Newsletter
The image you see above is last week’s special, Lomo en Adobo. A double rib pork loin roast with garlic, sherry, paprika and fresh herbs
Well, this is an absolutely amazing menu for Fatted Calf. My usual spew would be to talk about the food and how tasty they be. This week I think I’m going to talk about cooking the little dears instead. Why? Because they have two specials listed, Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with lemon & herb sausage. And “Porchetta” style Heritage Pork Loin Roast with rosemary, fennel, pepper and garlic.
The way I figure it, because these roasts & stuffed quails are so unique and so perfect just the way they are, I don’t blend them with other ingredients. What I mean by this, I don’t use vegetables and roots in the pan while roasting. If you’re ah choosin’ the Porchetta roast? Smile. Remove your pork roast from the fridge 45 minutes or so before you plan to pop it in to the oven. Don’t wash it. Drizzle a little extra virgin over and set in a roasting pan with a trivet or rack. Try to use something with low sides, want heat all over. I suggest the rack because it’ll keep the roast out of the fat and allow more of the roast to brown and be highly edible. Preheat the oven to 375 or 350, it’s up to you. Install the roast in and on the lower rack. At 40 minutes check the internal temperature with an instant read thermometer, pull roast at 138. This may take an hour and a half, keep watch! Remove roast from pan and let rest for 10 minutes on cutting board, slice and serve. Or do what I do, just stand over the cutting board and eat.
The quails, while similar in roasting, one wants to take a lot of care with the little dears. They’re very tender and when done, can be torn to pieces very easily. In fact, it would pay to oil the rack before laying the quail down. Yeah, just follow the instructions for the roast, it’ll result in a wonderful quail. But it’ll be done in 40 to 50 minutes. When testing the temperature of the quail, please insert your instant read thermometer in to the sausage stuffed cavity, when 138 to 140, pull and let rest a few minutes. One per person, even for my appetite it’s plenty.
Of course these two can be smoked and/or grilled. If you’re going to grill them, set your fire up for indirect cooking. Oil your grill for the quail, for sure. For the roast, sear it over high heat until a little caramelly, then cook indirect with plenty of smoky wood chips. Remember, don’t adjust your fire with the exhaust vents, just the intake. Full open exhaust, this way you won’t get creosote build-up on your meat. Nasty ol’ bitter stuff. Keep an eye on your fire so it doesn’t get out of control or go out. If you think the fire is too darned hot? Pull the meat and let the fire burn down for 10 to 20 minutes. In fact, that’s true for anything in the grill or smoker. If things are getting out of control, if the fire is too hot, it’s okay to pull the meat or whatever you’re cooking. This way you can manage the fire and get yourself back in shape to continue.
Next up are the Rabbit Crepinettes! As most of us know, the crepinettes are a sausage patty wrapped in caul fat (fatty webbing). What this tells us right off is that they are going to create a mess no matter how you cook them. So, my first choice is always the grill. If this isn’t possible, use a heavy pan with high sides. A dutch oven would be a perfect candidate, with a splatter shield. Use a medium to medium low heat and don’t overcook the little pillows of meat love. I use my instant read thermometer here too or just cut in to them a little. These are exceptionally good with scrambled eggs for dinner or breakfast. mMmMMMMM, Mama love.
If you are going to be cooking any of their sausages this coming weekend, I would most certainly plan on doing them grill/smoker side. Fatted Calf’s cased sausages are exquisite little bundles of juicy. You’d want to build your fire to a medium heat, nothing crazy. Set a few on and see how they do. If they start to spazzle and split, pull to side and cook indirectly or wait a bit. Do not go and do household chores or get too loaded while grilling. Stay ready with tongs in hand. These sausages cook pretty darned quickly and they must NOT be overcooked.
Lastly I’d like to say that you should most certainly order your goodies ahead of time. This is Mother’s Day weekend and it’s going to be a sell out for SURE. Please place your order HERE.
Well, that pretty much lays that down for that. If you have any questions, even on the weekend, don’t hesitate to contact me at drbiggles at cyberbilly dot com. I’m here to help!
I most certainly will be attending Saturday’s market in Berkeley and hope to see you there. Remember, FC is also at the Ferry Building on Saturday too. Share the love.
xo
Tortas Y Taqueria – Los Picudos #2
I’ve been working in this area for nearly 16 years, a long time for most. While I believe this is a good thing, having to find lunch in the same area for 16 years can get just a tad lonely, boring and mostly leaves me feeling more than melancholy. Especially when this area is Richmond. So, when a new anything moves in, I am so there. Round eyed, bouncy and ready for anything would probably give you a good idea as to my demeanor when ordering, poking and reading. Just picture Tigger and you’d about have me nailed.
Recently RW posted something about a new Torta place on a local foodie forum, I marked my calendar and the map. You most certainly want to read further, oh yes.
DiNg DonG, Acme Bread Calling – It’s Pain de Mie, El Grande!
No, this isn’t a close-up. Look to the right and you’ll see my stove, and there in front? A large bread knife.
Where did it come from? What would one possibly do with such a beast? Got any ideas?
Tater Coated Chicken – Better Homes & Gardens 1967
Today’s entry is brought to you by Nikon’s latest and most recent release, the 105mm f/2.8G ED-IF AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor with Nano Crystal technology. Man this lens is fricken amazing. You can shoot 4 stops slower, hand-held.
You shuddup. No, you shuddup. No, you shuddup. You shuddup. No. You shuddup. Purely having fun today, nothing more, nothing less. I’ve been in an odd mood with regards to food over the last week. At weird times of the day I’ve been lusting after those old traditional American casseroles. Something way too rich, creamy and/or cheesey. A dish made with frozen vegetables and a crunchy topping of some kind. A dish that Gramma would carry in with a huge smile during the holidays, warbling something about someone’s favorite casserole. That’s what I wanted, but wasn’t sure how to go about it. Then, I was also interested in cooking chicken another way, other than roasting. It wasn’t until yesterday when I was digging through Meathead’s discarded cookbooks that I sawr my prey, Tater Coated Chicken.
Fatted Calf Newsletter – Little Lamb Leg Roasts stuffed with Picholine Tapenade & Duck Crepinettes
CHECK OUT THAT PORK ROAST !!! This is clear evidence that last week’s special, Berkshire Pork Shoulder Roasts stuffed with Lemon, Green Garlic, Spring Onions and Greens existed and ruled the planet for a few hours. If you have any doubts whatsoever about the quality of these specialty roasts from Fatted Calf, doubt it no longer pally boy. I have PROOF !!!
And now, do you have any doubts about the Little Lamb Leg Roasts stuffed with Picholine Tapenade? No, I didn’t think so. Run, don’t walk to their order here page. I just did, heh. I feel as though it’s time for a smoke.
OoOoOoo, look! Duck Crepinettes with Roasted Walnuts and St. George Kirsch. Love the duck, I think it’s time for a package of 2, eh? Yes. Well, as near as I can tell, FC has a totally bitchen menu this week. And you know what? The weather looks as though it will not suck. A fresh spring day out at the farmer’s market, I can’t think of doing much else. The green garlic is out, asparagus is plentiful and tons of great citrus. I got a load of these really cool little grapefruits last week, so nice. The best part is that they taste like they’re supposed to. Not like those old grocery store ones. You know? The ones where it’s a crap shoot whether it tastes worth while or not? TOSS.
So, pack up your reusable sack and hit the market this weekend. I hope to see you there!
Biggles
Please read on to Fatted Calf’s Newsletter not written by me …
My smoker can totally kick your smoker’s ASS.
It was exactly 2 weeks ago when an email from Toponia rolled in. I noticed it just as the sun was going down on a nice spring evening. One of those evenings when the doors are open, windows are open and the neighborhood is so quiet all you can hear are the mosquito hawks knocking against the walls. Their smoker needed a new home, either mine or someone else’s, and we had barely 3 weeks to get it out. Did Meathenge Labs have the room? Was I willing to negotiate this 1200 pound beast out and through our citiy’s little streets? In a 1974 Ford pickup truck belching black smoke at every turn?
Omaha Steaks – Customer Service Award of the Year
ACK !! HANG ON !!! It’s not what you think. Hang with me for a moment.
I’m not a huge fan of frozen meat. I’m not a huge fan of freezing many foods. Ice cream freezes really well and so does stock. Ice cubes are a perfect candidate for your freezer, either a top mounted rig or the fancy bottom freezer models. And I’m still not a fan of frozen meat. Mostly because living in the San Francisco Bay Area, I can get some world-class fresh meat on a daily basis with little or no effort. So, why should I bother with Omaha Steaks?
Berkshire Pork Shoulder Roasts stuffed with Lemon, Green Garlic, Spring Onions and Greens – Fatted Calf News
I know it’s late and past ordering time, but I just placed my order for the above roast. I’m getting MINES!
Man, I think last Friday was the 2nd time I’ve missed reposting my version of Fatted Calf’s weekly newsletter. What kind of insane world do we live in? And this week? I’m a day late! Yeah, you know whut? Took the week off and have probably been at the computer no more than 20 minutes the entire week. While some of you let loose a scream only heard by those exposing vampires to sun, it’s been painfully nice. Wiggling ones toes in the freshly cut grass while pondering whether to trim the rose bushes or whip out the 5hp briggs & stratton tiller for some fun is a tough decision at best enjoyed over a cool refreshing beverage. Oh, that’s why the grass ain’t cut yit. Heh. Guess the grass was longer than I remember …
Hey everyone, it’s good to see your faces. Listen up, this week’s Fatted Calf menu is pretty fricken cool. Their newsletter rolls out with someone there attending a hog killin’ at a local ranch of some sort. Oh no you DIDN’T. Don’t EEEVEN give me that crap. Listen up, if you eat any kind of meat, some animal gave up the greatest good. And it’s only right that everyone that eats thine flesh watch. Pay your respect and love for that beast. Otherwise? See you in the vegetable isle pally boy, or girl. I think everyone should attend such a thing. Humans are omnivores, plain and simple. Think different? Check out those choppers in your mowf. They meant for meat, get over it. You don’t have to eat it every second, nor do you have to club people over the head because of it. We are what we are, enjoy the pork.
And oh what a pork we have! Berkshire Pork Shoulder Roasts stuffed with Lemon, Green Garlic, Spring Onions and Greens sits right at the top. And since I’m late here, prepare to show up at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market at 10am sharp or 10 minutes early. GET YOURS.
The number 2 thing to have a gander to is the Boudin Noir. This here people is the blood sausage. Honestly, it ain’t my trip. But many enjoy and if you do? This is the time to jump, because brother? It doesn’t get any better. How do I know? I don’t really, but I’ve never heard a bad word about said sausage.
Pork Crepinettes with Duck Liver, Pistachios, Caramelized Onions and Marsala come up 3rd in this line-up. Read those ingredients, I shouldn’t have to push here. You get the idea, get a package for a little happy in your life.
As I wrote the last line I went through their menu, top then down. Honestly, I could waste more of your time gushing. Read it, lust it and head out this coming Saturday moring for a little slice of heaven on this planet of crazy.
*-smooches-*
Biggles
Lapin de Garenne a la Chipolata – recipe from La Bonne Cuisine
Oh man oh man, oh man. The weather here is bright, warm and clear with a finish of crispy clean. The family and I recently returned from a fine 2 day getaway and are doing well. I come here today with a recipe I sorta followed from a newly translated cookbook, La Bonne Cuisine by Madame E. Saint-Ange. This revered tomb was lovingly translated by an amazing man by the name of Paul Aratow. Why am I so googly over such a cookbook? It was originally published in 1929 and has probably been a bible of sorts for many French Chefs since then, such as our beloved Julia Child. And today, I find it such a great big fat hairy deal because only last year was it released in English!
At first I considered the recipes a little long winded, mostly because for the 1 recipe I was interested in for that moment, I already knew most of the ins and outs. But then I realized, if someone didn’t know how to deal with wild game (a rabbit), this book lays it down so you know what to look for and how to judge. This book is a walk-through guide to French cooking and a glimpse in to the past. Some times it’s this good to be alive.
Before we dive in I would like to give a warm congratulations to Ten Speed Press of Berkeley for landing the opportunity to publlish this book. This most surely is a chesire moment for ya’ll. Okay then …
I have a whole fresh rabbit, a fancy cookbook and a little time. Interested to see how it all came together?
Easter 2006 – Meathenge Style
Man oh man, you don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this. Probably 6 months ago Meathead offered up this idea and I swore to the Norwegian Meat Gods I would carry it through. Rarely do I jump in to any holiday with themed recipes or foods for Meathenge, but this warranted my attention.
How could anyone pass up the opportunity to cook rabbit for the Easter holiday?
No Inspiration
Come again another day.
Little Johnny wants to play;
Rain, rain, go to Spain,
Never show your face again!
I got nuthin’. Mebbe tomorrow.
Fluffy Friday – Travel to Furryville and visit the Pigby’s
My sister Kallisti of Blastmilk gifted me this set of little piggies and a stove the other day. She figured it was time to get some new props for Meathenge, she’s right. Said she bought them a while back and enjoyed them long enough, now it’s our turn.
I ran home early so I’d have time before dinner to set up and take me a shot. Something new to take pictures of, I couldn’t wait. They were all wrapped up in this clear plastic holding thingy and had cardboard props to make it look as though the pigs were in a country kitchen. This is what Furryville is, a country place. You know, out in the country? Pollen, pickup trucks and fruit pies, you know the place. They win the Furryville cooking competition each year, so says the little story book that comes with. I wanna know what they cooked with that 12 burner stove. I would do something with gravy, I think.
They need a little proppin’ up, don’t ya know. But how can you possibly resist? They gots chile pepper aprons !!! And, of course, they’re pigs. No sane person can ever resist a piggy.
Please welcome the Pigby family to Meathenge’s prop department, I’m sure they’ll have fun wherever they go.
Biggles