Smokey Ridge Charcuterie

This is a recipe I picked up during my travels in Brazil and it has been a staple ever since. Its easy, hearty, spicy, satisfying and economical. I’ve seen it made with anything from tongue, to pork loin, to hot dogs.  Feijaoda is one of those dishes that has as many versions as there are cooks who make it. Here’s mine…

INGREDIENTS
1 cup dried Black Beans, soaked overnight in water
1 quart water,
1 lb. SRC Linguica
1 lb. SRC Dry-Cured Bacon, (could also use ham/ham hock)
1 large yellow onion, diced
7 garlic cloves, minced
to taste salt and pepper
½ cup parsley, chopped
4 cups Cooked white rice
to taste Malagueta peppers/hot pepper sauce
½ cup Farofa (manioc flour)/ bread crumbs, toasted

1. Slowly, on low-heat saute bacon until fat renders. If using ham or you are not able to render sufficient fat, add a little vegetable oil. Add diced onion and saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute for about 1 minute.
2. Add soaked beans, 1 quart of water, bay leaves, a couple of minced malagueta peppers (if using) and ham (if using). Simmer for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, slice linguica and toast breadcrumbs/ farofa.
4. Add sliced linguica and continue to simmer gently until beans are tender.
5. Stir in parsley, adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and hot peppers and serve over rice with the toasted breadcrumbs/farofa on top. Enjoy with a side of sauteed collard greens.

Servings/Yield: 4 servings
Source: Smokey Ridge Charcuterie

Ingredients:

2 cups Short/Medium Grain Rice (Bomba, Arborio, Arroz de Valencia, Calriso, Calrose, Arborio)
5 ⅓ cups Chicken stock
¼ cup Duck fat, butter
4 sausages SRC Duck and Pear Sausage
3 tomatoes
1 medium onion
½ lb. chantrelles
2 garlic cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
10 almonds, toasted
2 pinches saffron threads, lightly toasted
1 thyme sprig
1 rosemary sprig

1. Heat duck fat/butter on low heat, add the sausage and brown both sides (3-4 minutes per side), the sausage wont be cooked all the way through but that’s ok for now. Set aside in warm place.

2. In the same skillet add the chantrelles and garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

3. When mushrooms have expelled most of their liquid, pour it off into the stock and cook for 2 more minutes. They should start to brown a little. Set aside with the sausage.

4. Add onion to the skillet and cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and cook for 10-15 minutes until pasty and deep red. Then sprinkle in the paprika and stir. Increase the heat to high, add the stock and herbs and bring to a boil.

5. With mortar and pestle (or food processor) pound almonds, parsley and toasted saffron with a couple tablespoons of stock until a paste forms. Add it back to the simmering stock. Season stock with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Add rice to boiling water, stir once, and cook uncovered for 8 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sausage and reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes or until the rice and sausage are cooked. Check the doneness of the sausage and serve.

Servings/Yield: 4 servings
Source: Smokey Ridge Charcuterie

Ingredients:
1 lb. sweet potato, Cooked, cooled grated
1 small onion, grated
1 egg
1 Tablespoons flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon pepper flakes (optional)
1 leg SRC Turkey Conft, Meat pulled from bone (you could sub Duck Confit)
Reserved duck fat
SRC Cranberry Red Onion Marmalade

1. In one bowl combine grated sweet potato and onion. In another bowl, whisk together flour, egg and spices. Gently mix the egg mix into the sweet potatoes. Form approximately 24 walnut size balls, set aside.

2. In a skillet, saute turkey confit until hot and starting to brown around the edges in the duck fat provided in the bag. Shred or chop the meat and set aside in a warm place. Pour off excess duck fat (and set aside for another use).

3. Set the sweet potato batter in the hot duck fat, pressing down with a spatula to make discs. When one side is golden brown, flip and fry the other side. You may need to do this in batches and replenish duck fat in pan as you go. If doing multiple batches, keep the pancakes warm in the oven.

4. To serve, place a heap of turkey meat and a dollop of cranberry-red onion marmalade on each pancake.

Servings/Yield: approx. 24 canapes
Source: Smokey Ridge Charcuterie

This is a nice summer recipe that wont heat up your kitchen much. Steps 1-3 can be done ahead of time. Leftover aioli is great for sandwiches, egg salad and potatoes, and left over slaw makes a good snack by itself or a side dish.

FOR THE AIOLI
1 cup vegetable oil
2 egg yolks
1-2 jalapeno chile
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar
to taste salt

FOR THE SLAW
¼ head cabbage, diced
1 can black beans
1 ear corn
½ red onion, sliced
½ lime lime juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
to taste salt
4 SRC Jerk Chicken Sausages
4 sandwich rolls/ tortillas

1.For the Aioli: In a food processor, add jalapeno pepper and mince, then add egg yolks and process for a couple of seconds. With the blade running, add oil in a slow and steady stream. If you add oil to fast, the sauce with break. Add the vinegar, salt and cayenne. If the aioli is too thick, add a little more vinegar or a couple of drops of water. Keep refrigerated.

2.For the Slaw: Steam the ear of corn for 5 minutes, then shock in ice water. Once cooled cut the kernals off into a mixing bowl. Drain and rinse the black beans and add to the corn. Then add the diced cabbage and onion. Stir in the lime juice and oil and season with salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.

3.For the Sandwich: Poach sausages for 10-15 minutes. Run them under cold water to cool. Cut in half length wise.

4. Heat grill to medium high. Grill sausages until the casings are browned up and they are hot all the way through (about 5 minutes). Toast rolls or heat tortillas.

5.Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread the aioli generously on your rolls, lay out the sausage and cover with slaw. Serve with a side salad and enjoy with a nice cold saison, or a glass of off-dry white wine.

Servings/Yield: 4 servings | 4

Gumbo is a great way to use seasonal summer vegetables.  The other night I made this recipe and added zucchini and chopped chard because I have an abundance of those things right now.  It was delicious! 

Ingredients:
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons Flour
1 ½ tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cups stock
½ teaspoon dried thyme
4 lbs. fresh tomatoes, skinned and diced
1 package SRC Andouille
1 package SRC Tasso (for spicy) or Dry-Cured Bacon (less spicy)
½ lb. shrimp and/or boneless chicken (optional)
1 medium onion, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 sm green bell pepper, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 green onions, diced
½ cup okra, diced (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, chopped
Salt, Pepper and tabasco to taste
5 cups cooked white rice

1. In a stock pot (at least 6 quarts capacity) make a dark roux by melting the butter over medium heat and adding flour. Stir until the roux darkens to a peanut butter color (this will take about 5 minutes.) Whisk in the cold stock, worcestershire, tomatoes and thyme. Boil for about 5 minutes and then turn down to simmer.

2. In a frying pan, saute andouille, tasso/ bacon on low until a little fat is rendered, then add the chicken (if using) and diced vegetables and saute on med-high (you may need to add a little oil or butter if pan is dry) until some of the vegetables start to brown a little but are still crunchy.

3. Add the vegetable and meat mixture to stock and simmer for 10-20 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add parsley, green onions, and shrimp if using and simmer for 2 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for about 5-10 minutes. Taste and season with salt, pepper and tabasco.

4.Serve over white rice.

Servings/Yield: 6 servings

This recipe can be easily adapted to use any ingredients that you have on hand or in your garden.  I garnish it with chive or sage flowers, and micro greens that I have from thinning my lettuce and arugula.


INGREDIENTS:

- 6 Eggs
- 1/4 cup Creams
- 2 Tbls. fresh herbs (parsley, chive, chervil)
- 2/3 cups Goat cheese (or other cheese), crumbled or shredded
- 1 cup Asparagus, cooked and diced
- 1 cup Sauteed spinach and onion/shallot
- 1 cup SRC Chive and Tarragon Sausage, cooked and sliced
- to taste Salt and Pepper
- 1-2 Tbls. butter


METHOD:

1. If you will be using a single frying pan, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Whisk together eggs, cream, and herbs.

3. Stir in your cooked asparagus, spinach, onion and sausage.
Note: You could use 2 cups of any cooked vegetables that you have on a hand (peas, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, peppers….)

4. In a non-stick frying pan/frittata pan big enough to fit the egg mixture melt 1 tbls. of butter on medium heat.  Add the egg mixture.  After a minute or so, slide a rubber spatula down the sides of the pan to loosen the edges and allow the uncooked egg to move to the bottom (don’t scramble).  Do this a couple of times over about 5-6 minutes.

5. If you are using a single frying pan, transfer to the oven and continue cooking until the eggs are set in the middle (about 10 minutes or so)

If you are using a frittata pan, or 2 frying pans that are the same size, melt the remaining butter in the second pan, place pan on top of the one containing the fritatta and flip.  Cook covered for about 3 minutes, then remove the the top frying pan and continue cooking for about 5 minutes or until eggs are set.

6. Carefully slide the frittata onto a plate and serve warm or at room temperature.
SERVINGS: 4
SOURCE: Smokey Ridge Charcuterie


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Quick, before California outlaws this wonderful delicacy (ban to take effect this summer), get your hands on some and enjoy!  Here are some tips for the foie gras terrine that was included in our Valentine’s Day Club Package:

• Dip your knife in hot water to slice and slice just before serving to preserve color and flavor.
• Serve with lightly toasted brioche (if serving with sweeter accompaniments) or country style bread (for savory accompaniments)

Classic Accompaniments (though it is also delicious without anything):

• sliced apples or apples sauteed with butter
• poached/pickled/ mulled pears
• a sweet balsamic or sherry vinegar reduction
• honey
• fresh figs
• pickled red onion/ carmalized onion or our own Cranberry Red-Onion Marmalade
• mustard
• cornichons
• sliced truffle/ a sprinkle of truffle salt
• a drizzle of verjus or vinaigrette served alongside salad greens

Classic Wine Pairings:

• Champange (brut, dry, or rose)
• Late Harvest Gerwurztraminer
• Late Harvest or fruit forward Pinot Gris
• Sauternes
• Late Harvest Reisling
• Pinot Noir
• Port (white, tawny or ruby)
• Sweet belgian beer
• Tokaji

Ingredients
-Cooked noodles (6-8 servings)
-1 lb SRC Loukaniko Sausage
-1/2 lb Peeled raw prawns
-1/2 t sweet paprika
-1/2 t hot pepper flakes (optional)
-1/2 t salt
-3 T olive oil
-1/4 lb feta cheese crumbled
-1/4 c fresh herbs (parsley/ oregano/ mint/ basil)
-1/4 c garlic cloves, minced
-sliced lemon to garnish
-salt and pepper to taste

Toss shrimp with parsley, pepper flakes and salt and refrigerate for a couple of hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and pull sausages from refrigerator to temper for about 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium low heat, add sausage and pan fry until one side is golden.  Turn over and transfer to oven for about 5-10 minutes or until cooked all the way through.  Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes while you make your sauce, and then cut into pieces.

While sausage is resting, return skillet with olive oil to the burner on medium high heat.  You may need to add a little more oil.  Saute shrimp.  When one side is cooked (about 1-2 minutes depending on size), turn over and add garlic.  When shrimp are completely cooked, turn off the burner and return the sausage to the pan and add the herbs, feta and salt and pepper to taste.  Toss with cooked pasta and serve with a lemon wedge. 

serves 6-8