Henry dV

I love Oxtail, try using it in ravioli or tortellini but reducing the braise media to a few spoonfuls, this then exudes into the pasta from within..............I am now wanting to give it another go, MMmmmmm.

My pleasure !

Try frying a small strip of each liver to check if it is too strong and if it is then soak in milk overnight(and if you have dog(s) give them the milk as a treat). I always trim the valves in the hearts I use and then braise in wine before using for any recipes like faggots etc.

Could you not try drying them yourself, just slice into thin strips from tip to base then thread onto a string and suspend in a very low oven with the door open and remove when they are going from rubbery to firm. Go on you know you want to !!

Well Ladies and Gentlemen, what do you prefer in yours ?? Peaty, western isle malts I like 60/40 whisky to water. Highland/lowland malts I like cold water or water and a cube. Blends 50/50 with water unless it`s cold then neat as hell. Just wondering what floats your boat.

Sorry to say big fella, eggs are designed to make me ill ! I`m not allergic but the smell/taste is too much for me, souffles are the eggiest I can ever get near. Sorry for the sidetrack..........please carry on !

Oh yeah!! I like where you`re coming from "Clever " Trevor !! That is deffo getting a go !!

I'm not following you -- are you suggesting this as a pre-smoke treatment? Might be a good idea.As for the smoker, it's a Bradley ← Sorry, I did mean it as a pre smoking treatment, I rarely do anything different. I`ve never tried it, but I think that for smoking you need to get as much surface area bathed in smoke to maximise the transfer of all those tasty smokey flavanoids, and to that end I`d try to skin the brutes. I like the Bradley smokers but the discs are costly and I have access to lots of hardwoods and I have the chainsaw on standby. I hope to have a more traditional smoker up and running in the autumn/winter for cold smoking of game and fish.

I`m going to give this a thorough investigation................ sounds yummy !

BRILLIANT people, keep them coming so many good ideas to try

Personally I`d kill it pluck it and leave it in the fridge, or in winter the shed hanging for up to 2 weeks before drawing and cooking. Thats what I do for young and old pheasant and it works well. I also use the coq au vin style of cooking for all old fellas, but it`s easiest to age a cock(pheasant or chook) by checking the spurs, as for hens you can check their Bursa (sp?) but I`ve never tried it

How about working at a tangent, slice the membrane lengthwise and dry salt with the spices this way there will be a 2 way transfer of fluids out and spice flavour in ?? What kind of smoker are you using ?

We`ve just had a typical "Sunday roast" and I tried adding some toasted and ground corriander seed to bashed neeps(turnip/swede/rutabaga) and carrots then seasoned and added a drizzle of lemon juice and I have to say it was a hit and will be used again. So Guys and Gals what do you add to lift the "mundane"veggies and turn them majestic ?

My fave is pheasant breasts stuffed with goats cheese and thyme. Basically just remove the mini fillet from both breasts and lay one breast on the oiled bottom of the parcel, then add a nice layer of soft goats cheese and thymelay the other breast on top then add 2-3 sundried tomatoes( the ones in EVOO) to the top then wrap n roast.

ABSOLUTELY, and how about cider/perry with pork. I love to use cider with pork chaps(cheeks) in a long slow braise. there are also a lot of citrus flavoured hop beers(I can`t remember the name of the hop) and these would have a natural affinity with a coq au vin style receipt.

I`m with you mate...........up until the plucking Try and make time to pluck the birds fully as you have missed all the goodies here. I de-breast them then remove the legs and freeze until i have enough for confit, then skin the carcase fully except for the preen gland. the skin is then rendered for duck fat and next I clean the innards and keep the gizzard(see the great topic thats started !!), heart, liver and carcase, the latter for stock. Apologies for a slight deviation from the topic but I feel really strongly that if you kill the animal you should eat as much of it as possible..........however sharing bits with the dogs and ferrets is also acceptable. I like my mallard and teal seared to rare and fairly plain as I like the delicate and gamey taste.

Excellent topic, I only ever used them in stocks etc. but now I`m intrigued. Will a grazing bird have a better gizzard than a cereal eater.........hmmmmm. Great stuff everyone, keep it up

Are you "hot" or "cold" smoking ?? as they are totally different things. I suspect "Hot" .

Well my most regrettable sight, though it was mightily tasty was Woodpigeon and Pork sausage with bubble and squeak. basically it was a thrift thing, we had a traditional Sunday lunch and I decided, on Monday (or possibly Tuesday)to throw the mashed tatties, carrots, brocolli and cabbage together and fry in a ring until crisp on the outside and mushy in the middle. Dab of mustard and I was a happy man, I took the snap as a laugh to show my wife as she was out having dinner at a restaurant with work friends.

Tonight I will be having fairly traditional English fare - STEAK AND KIDNEY PUD WITH TRIMMINGS all washed down with HOOK NORTON 303AD ALE , as it is St.Georges day. I have Haggis on Burns night, though thats just an excuse for a nice single malt or 3 So guys and gals, do you have any festival/saints/people fare you like to stick with even if it has little to do with your roots ?

Personally I would never use cold smoked or salted/lox/lax in a recipe that will cook it as it is supposed to be eaten in it`s raw state. I would use hot smoked if the recipe calls for the salmon to be cooked further, however I suppose as a garnish or addition after cooking it would be OK.

Not so much a restaurant meal per se, but my daughter used to nag for McD`s or BK burgers and I`m sure that nutritionally they are top banana but the cost is prohibitive on anything but an occaisional visit. So I made my own burgers, usually Woodpigeon and pork with herbs or dried fruit which IMHO are far superior and best of all my little princess likes too On a slightly different tack I also make my own curry spice mixes from whole spices now rather than use a commercial mix or the "Take away" from the local curry emporium. Nice and easy and you can tweak the flavourings to suit yourself.

Looks similar(though bigger) to our native cockles and ours are opened at the hinge and all is eaten(`cept the grit).

Sorry but we`re still awaiting spring so greens are off, how about rabbit/deer or pigeon and if you`re really lucky a brown trout. Hate to think how the Icelanders are doing

Sorry to side track, but what is a "potluck" ? I can`t find a definition.