MarkinHouston

In Houston, pork backfat is available at ethnic grocers. I usually buy mine at Hong Kong Market or Fiesta Supermarkets. A larger store such as these which do their own pork butchering generates more backfat than they need for their own sausage; hence, they are more likely to have extra than a small butcher.

I am planning to make the venison terrine with cherries this weekend, and my venison is packaged such that I will make two terrines. One potential cooking vessel is a 1.5 quart silicon loaf pan. Will this do the trick, or should I purchase another earthenware terrine? As another consideration, I am considering inclusion of some venison backstrap as an inlay ala the pork terrine with pork tenderloin recipe. Would a quick sear of the backstrap followed by chilling before placing in the center of the terrine be the proper method? Thanks for any advice. This book has been great; the chicken, basil, and tomato sausage was outstanding, as were maple bacon and an improvised batch of rillettes fashioned from confit of chicken gizzards.

I had some duck gizzard confit in some salads while in France, and they were great. Would you have a recipe you care to share ? Thank you very much.

Melissa, I would try to keep it simple. Get some raw veggies (think celery, carrots, cauliflower, etc.) to serve with some ranch dressing. Make two kinds of cornbread (with and without jalapenos, or maybe one with sharp cheese). For dessert I would serve cinnamon ice cream or tres leches ice cream with a caramel sauce. Cookies would go with the ice cream if you wanted to go overboard.

Amen to that. I'm a native Texas, now living in Virginia, and I hate to admit it but there are two joints around here that serve pretty decent chili. At one, when you order, you specify the amount of grease you want on yours. I usually order what is called "Texas medium with cheese, onions, no beans", but lots of folks order "Texas wet". Sans grease, it just ain't the same . ← I just added "Soulful Bowlful Chile" to RecipeGullet. It has added pork sausage to pump up the greas content. Since I am not yet learned in making a link to the recipegullet, here is an approximation of what I have added: Soulful Bowlful Chile Ingredients: 25 ancho chiles 1 quart beef stock 2 & ½ lb chuck, chili grind 1 & ½ lb fresh pork sausage (not Italian) 2 lb ground venison 3 T. canola oil 4 cups finely chopped onions 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 T. chile pequin 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes 4 Serrano chiles 1 12-oz can beer 2 T. ground cumin 2 T. kosher salt 1 & ½ tsp Mexican oregano 1 tsp smoked paprika 3 T. cider vinegar Water as needed 1. Spread the ancho chiles on a large baking pan and toast for 10 minutes at 300º F. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and then stem and deseed. Combine with the beef stock in a food processor and pulse until a smooth paste is formed. Add more liquid if necessary. 2. Heat 3 T. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the meat in batches and transfer to a Dutch oven when meat turns gray---it doesn’t need to be browned. 3. Add the onions, garlic, chile pequin, tomatoes, Serrano chiles, and 12 ounces of beer. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for twenty minutes. 4. After simmering twenty minutes, add the cumin, salt, oregano, smoked paprika, and vinegar. Simmer, covered, for another hour, adding more water or beer as needed. Serve with Mexican rice, pinto beans, and cornbread.

Soulful Bowlful Chile Serves 10. This recipe is authentic in that there are no beans, bell peppers, spaghetti, or other furrin' objects allowed. I like to use a combination of beef, pork, and venison for good flavors, but mostly beef with a little ground pork for extra fat will work as well. If chile pequins are not available, use dried Jap chiles instead. Ingredients: 25 ancho chiles 1 quart beef stock 2 & ½ lb chuck, chili grind 1 & ½ lb fresh pork sausage (not Italian) 2 lb ground venison 3 T. canola oil 4 cups finely chopped onions 8 garlic cloves, minced 1 T. chile pequin 1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes 4 Serrano chiles 1 12-oz can beer 2 T. ground cumin 2 T. kosher salt 1 & ½ tsp Mexican oregano 1 tsp smoked paprika 3 T. cider vinegar Water as needed 1. Spread the ancho chiles on a large baking pan and toast for 10 minutes at 300º F. Remove from oven, allow to cool, and then stem and deseed. Combine with the beef stock in a food processor and pulse until a smooth paste is formed. Add more liquid if necessary. 2. Heat 3 T. canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the meat in batches and transfer to a Dutch oven when meat turns gray---it doesn’t need to be browned. 3. Add the onions, garlic, chile pequin, tomatoes, Serrano chiles, and 12 ounces of beer. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for twenty minutes. 4. After simmering twenty minutes, add the cumin, salt, oregano, smoked paprika, and vinegar. Simmer, covered, for another hour, adding more water or beer as needed. Serve with Mexican rice, pinto beans, and cornbread. Keywords: Main Dish, Hot and Spicy, Beef, Pork, Easy ( RG1458 )

Pork Chile Verde Serves 4 as Main Dish. This recipe is based upon recipes from Jane Butel and former New Mexico Senator Joseph Montoya, who won the Capitol Hill Chile Cookoff many years. 3 pounds boneless pork butt, cut in 1” cubes 3 T. flour 2 T. bacon drippings 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced Water 1 tsp. salt Freshly ground black pepper 1 tsp. ground Mexican oregano 1& 1/2 tsp. ground cumin 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 20 fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped OR 2 7-oz cans choppped fire-roasted green chiles 1. Sprinkle pork cubes with flour. Heat lard in a large, heavy skillet and brown pork. Remove to a plate. 2. Sauté onion and garlic in the same pan until the onion is soft. Return meat to the pan. 3. Add water to just barely cover the meat. Add salt, pepper, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Cover and simmer for one hour. 4. Add the tomatoes and green chiles; simmer 30 minutes or longer, adding a little more water if necessary, until flavors are well blended. Notes: I’ve used two 7-oz. cans of chopped green chiles, drained when I’ve been too busy (or too lazy!) to deal with fresh chiles. Keywords: Hot and Spicy, American, Main Dish, Easy, Pork ( RG1457 )

Rose, this Super Texan is $15.40 at Spec's Liquors in Houston. I'll pick up a bottle to see what it's like--or at least to have the label!

I have used this recipe for chile verde for over twenty years. MY splattered notes say "Jane Butel 1979" and I know she produced some books on BBQ and other southwestern cooking but from which the following arose I have no idea. Pork with Chile Verde 2 pounds boneless pork, cut in 1” cubes 3 T. flour 2 T. lard or bacon drippings 1 large onion, chopped 2 garlic cloves, minced Water 1 tsp. salt Freshly ground black pepper ½ tsp. ground Mexican oregano ¼ tsp. ground cumin 3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped 20 fresh green chiles, roasted, peeled, and chopped 1. Sprinkle pork cubes with flour. Heat lard in a large, heavy skillet and brown pork. Remove to a plate. 2. Sauté onion and garlic in the same pan until the onion is soft. Return meat to the pan. 3. Add water to just barely cover the meat. Add salt, pepper, Mexican oregano, and cumin. Cover and simmer for one hour. 4. Add the tomatoes and green chiles; simmer 30 minutes or longer, adding a little more water if necessary, until flavors are well blended. Notes: I’ve used two 7-oz. cans of chopped green chiles, drained when I’ve been too busy (or too lazy!) to deal with fresh chiles.

I have been to several gumbo cookoffs, and canoe paddles stirring roux in what appears to be a 100-gallon Hobart pot were standard equitment. Welders' gloves protected the bare forearms when stirring the roux. I wouldn't be surprised to see a small posthole auger rigged up with a paddle attachment!

Thanks for all of the information! I'll bring back a full report.

The following list of oysters was lifted from the website for La Mediterranee in the 6eme. It basically presents what I am trying to discern---what are the differences between Gillardeau speciales #2 and speciales "Papillons" and how do they differ form the Cadoret speciales? I have read previous posts which talk about the fines de claires de Marennes and of course belons are famous. Should I just get a half dozen of each, a bottle of Muscadet, and forget about dinner? Spéciales de Gillardeau Fines de claires de Marennes 6 Spéciales "Papillons" n°5 6 Fines de claires n°2 6 Spéciales n°2 Spéciales de Cadoret Huîtres plates de Cadoret 6 Spéciales n°2 6 Belons n°00 La portion de bulots: 6 Pour accompagner vos huitres petites chipolatas de lapin rissolées: 5 Retour des huîtres fin septembre

We will be in Brittainy for a few days and would like to sample the oysters available to us. I have not found any threads on egullet which differentiates among "creuses", "fines de claires", "plates de belon", etc. I think the belon oysters are rated best, but can anyone explain what "speciales #2" denotes, for example: size, quality, or otherwise? As a side note, we are in mourning over the destruction of the Grand Isle oyster beds by Katrina...the Gulf Coast oyster supply will require a long time to recover. Thanks.

Whole Smart Chicken is on sale in Houston this week for $1.99 per pound. I hope to sample some Bresse chicken in a few months---because if it is better than Smart Chicken, we're talking poultry heaven. Smart Chicken is easily the best that I have encountered.

YES YES YES fried (cornmeal batter, not flour), gumbo, stewed with tomatoes, onions, and garlic, and best of all, home-made hot okra pickles--Taste of Texas brand is too mild for my taste!

I have been pickling hot garlic dills for over twenty years; here's the recipe I've worked with during that time. You could reduce the amount of garlic or peppers, but I am more likely to add a few extra! Thrills from the Hills Dills For ten to twelve quarts of pickles: 1 peck or so of small pickling cucumbers Brine: 1 gallon water 1/2 gallon white distilled vinegar 1 & 1/3 cup pickling/canning salt 40 peeled garlic cloves 40 Serrano peppers, de-stemmed 1 large bunch of fresh dill weed Thoroughly wash cucumbers and cull out any with soft spots (or cut them out) Combine brine ingredients in a non-reactive pot and bring to a boil. In the bottom of each of ten sterilized jars, place 4 garlic cloves, four Serrano peppers and 1 seed-head of dill. Pack jars with cucumbers and pour boiling brine over, leaving 1/2" head space. Seal jars with lids and rings, and then submerge in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Allow pickles to mellow for about 1 month before eating.

"Tam' refers to Texas A & M University, the perpetrators of these heatless jalapenos. They have spread so much that it is hard to find hot jalapenos in a grocery store. Fortunately, Houston has some good Latino markets which still sell the good ones!

When I regularly brewed at home, my favorite was "Rip-Snorter Porter" that I recall as a tasty black lager.

I would like to prepare some smoked corned beef as presented in one of the e-gullet classes. In that presentation, I think it was Colonel Clink who said he got large whole corned brislets at Costco. I don't belong to Costo, and Sam's only has puny little things for a high price. Where in the Houston area might have entire corner briskets suitable for the smoking process? Thanks.

Thanks for all of the interesting responses. I purchased a 25-lb bag of Sun Lee brand new crop Thai jasmine rice. The bag indicates this rice comes from a primo area for growing rice and there is only one harvest per year as opposed to areas where two or three crops are harvested--just "ordinary" white rice. The cooking instructions indicate that from November thru February, use 1 cup rice to 1 cup water; March thru June, 1 cup rice with 1&1/4 cups water; and July thru October, 1 cup rice to 1&1/2 cups water. These instructions say place the ingredients in a rice cooker and cook until it automatically shuts off. The instructions also say simmer ten minutes. I don't have a rice cooker, but the shorter cooking time (10 minutes vs. either 15 to 20 minutes for other long grain rice) could be in line with the lesser amount of water--1&3/4 cups to 2 cups water for 1 cup rice. Any experience with actually cooking "new rice" out there?

Austrian Potato Salad 8 lbs small waxy red potatoes Scrub the potatoes. Bake the potatoes (unpeeled) until just done. If you bake longer you will end up with mashed potato salad when you mix, which is not a bad thing. I don't peel the potatoes, but if you don't like the peel, you can do that here. Cut into cubes and place in a large ceramic serving bowl. Meanwhile, you've cooked this dressing: 1 lb. bacon, cut into dice 4 large onions, chopped 4 tbls. sugar 1/2 cup (more or less) flour 1/2 stick butter 2 tbls. dry mustard 1 tsp. black pepper 1 tbls tarragon 12 oz. strong chicken broth 12 oz. dark beer 1 tsp. cumin 1 tsp. salt (or to taste) 4-5 tbls. tarragon vinegar Juice of 1 lemon 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped Fry bacon slowly to render fat until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and fry onion in bacon fat until just starting to brown. Remove onion. Add butter to skillet and melt. Add sugar, melt, and cook briefly to slightly caramelize the sugar. Add flour, stir and make a roux, do not let this brown too much. Add spices, stir. Add chicken (I sometimes use beef) broth, the beer, and vinegar. Stir the dressing until it thickens, if it's too thick, stir in more beer, if just right, drink the remaining beer and don't waste it. Stir the onions and 3/4 of the bacon into the dressing with the lemon juice. Pour the hot dressing over the hot potatoes. Throw a couple handfuls of fresh chopped parsley on top. Mix carefully. Garnish with more parsley and the remaining bacon. Serve right away, or at room temp.

I have used this recipe for years with great success. Serve with grilled brats and good grainy mustard (preferrably Kosciuzko's). 2 refrigerated bags of sauerkraut 6 slices bacon, diced 1 large onion, diced 4 cloves of garlic, minced 12 oz. beer, pilsner style or dry white wine 12 oz. chicken stock 1 tbls juniper berries 1 tbls caraway seeds 2 bay leaves 1-2 tsp cracked black pepper corns Drain kraut in colander. Rinse. Place in large bowl of cold water and soak for 10 minutes. Drain and rinse again. Squeeze as much water out as possible and leave to drain. In large pot, add bacon and begin cooking. When the fat begins to render, add the onion and garlic. Continue cooking until the bacon begins to brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover the pot and cook for 3 hours on very low heat, stirring when you think of it. Uncover the kraut and continue cooking, stirring more often to cook off most of the liquid, about another 1/2 - 1 hour.

Our Asian market sells Thai jasmine rice, and you have a choice of either broken rice or whole grain. There is also "new crop 2005" versus what I must assume is last year's crop. Does it make a difference? I believe that I once read that Indian Jasmati rice was best if aged for a year. Is there a correlation? Thanks.

Bruce sold his name to the commercialized corporation that now produces the Aidells sausage you see in the grocery store. I have used his books for years, and I particularly like his Tuscan Sausage and Hunter's Sausage.