Leaf lard, turkey giblet stock, and a German meal made by a Russian
Tonight, for the first time in my life, I rendered lard.
It was pretty easy!
Actually I'm not quite done yet. It's still on the stove, melting in the cast iron skillet (this is the best way to do it so I've read -- because it has the added advantage of seasoning the skillet). When it's as melted as it's gonna get, I need to strain it and cool it. Not sure how long it will take to fully melt -- we shall see. If it's not done before I go to bed, I'll stick it in the oven on low heat overnight.
It needs to be very cold by tomorrow night however, so I can get my pie crusts made in time. I may just strain it tonight.
I followed this recipe:
http://www.obsessionwithfood.com/2006_01_01_blog-archive.html#113709378997673043
I also made turkey giblet stock -- from the lungs and heart and liver and gizzards (secondary stomachs). It is also still simmering on the stove. The stock will be going into the stuffing and the gravy.
Here's the recipe I used for the stock:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=a508d067aa265110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f48b5d59970e4110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food&lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD
YIKES that is a long URL! Ha!
Anyway, turkey giblets are incredibly good for you. Simmering them in water (with vegetables and herbs) turns all those nutrients into a very concentrated broth. Extremely nutritious!
Alla (our nanny) stayed late to help me with the stock and the lard, not to mention the laundry. I didn't wnat her driving home yet anyway because the traffic was HIDEOUS. I guess people were out driving around to get things for Thanksgiving -- or maybe they were leaving to go out of town. I don't know what they were doing but they were ALL out there, clogging up every street and highway. UGH!
After she helped me with the stock and the lard, Alla helped me with the dishes and whipped up some dinner. "You're nursing!" she implored. "You need to eat!"
So she boiled some cauliflower (from my CSA box) and then rolled it in raw egg and then cooked it in butter. I ate that with Bratwurst (also prepared by Alla) and my homemade sauerkraut, and a bottle of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. So delicious! And very healthy. All organic, with lots of good fat and probiotics.
I must go to bed now. I have my 6 am wake-up call from This Lady. And tomorrow I have to get everything ready for Thanksgiving: bake pies, make homemade ice cream, set the table, assemble everything mis en place in the kitchen (there are a thousand details that go into this stuffing -- it's a recipe from Martha after all), and brine the turkey. Plus fifteen other things (phone calls, etc.) that I need to do for Seth.
Good night! Oh, wait, I have to go strain the lard and the stock. OK, good night in a little while!
PS: I also ordered my kombucha baby today. I can't wait to get it and start making kombucha! I also ordered some fil mjolk (Swedish culture that makes something similar to buttermilk), kefir grains, sourdough starter, and various other things like cheesecloth and lids for my mason jars.
PS2: The sauerkraut, as mentioned, has come out very well.
The pickles taste fine (well two of the jars did -- one tasted off so I dumped it). They are not QUITE as crunchy as I'd like them (I couldn't get my hands on any grape leaves) however they are still good. But I'm going to give them a few more days.
The papaya chutney tastes pretty good -- I think I'll refrigerate it in the next day or two (refrigeration stops the fermenting).
The orange marmalade was a miserable failure.
OK really I must go now and strain and cool my potions (that is what Seth calls them) so I can go to bed!
It was pretty easy!
Actually I'm not quite done yet. It's still on the stove, melting in the cast iron skillet (this is the best way to do it so I've read -- because it has the added advantage of seasoning the skillet). When it's as melted as it's gonna get, I need to strain it and cool it. Not sure how long it will take to fully melt -- we shall see. If it's not done before I go to bed, I'll stick it in the oven on low heat overnight.
It needs to be very cold by tomorrow night however, so I can get my pie crusts made in time. I may just strain it tonight.
I followed this recipe:
http://www.obsessionwithfood.com/2006_01_01_blog-archive.html#113709378997673043
I also made turkey giblet stock -- from the lungs and heart and liver and gizzards (secondary stomachs). It is also still simmering on the stove. The stock will be going into the stuffing and the gravy.
Here's the recipe I used for the stock:
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=a508d067aa265110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=f48b5d59970e4110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food&lnc=5a79cf380e1dd010VgnVCM1000005b09a00aRCRD
YIKES that is a long URL! Ha!
Anyway, turkey giblets are incredibly good for you. Simmering them in water (with vegetables and herbs) turns all those nutrients into a very concentrated broth. Extremely nutritious!
Alla (our nanny) stayed late to help me with the stock and the lard, not to mention the laundry. I didn't wnat her driving home yet anyway because the traffic was HIDEOUS. I guess people were out driving around to get things for Thanksgiving -- or maybe they were leaving to go out of town. I don't know what they were doing but they were ALL out there, clogging up every street and highway. UGH!
After she helped me with the stock and the lard, Alla helped me with the dishes and whipped up some dinner. "You're nursing!" she implored. "You need to eat!"
So she boiled some cauliflower (from my CSA box) and then rolled it in raw egg and then cooked it in butter. I ate that with Bratwurst (also prepared by Alla) and my homemade sauerkraut, and a bottle of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. So delicious! And very healthy. All organic, with lots of good fat and probiotics.
I must go to bed now. I have my 6 am wake-up call from This Lady. And tomorrow I have to get everything ready for Thanksgiving: bake pies, make homemade ice cream, set the table, assemble everything mis en place in the kitchen (there are a thousand details that go into this stuffing -- it's a recipe from Martha after all), and brine the turkey. Plus fifteen other things (phone calls, etc.) that I need to do for Seth.
Good night! Oh, wait, I have to go strain the lard and the stock. OK, good night in a little while!
PS: I also ordered my kombucha baby today. I can't wait to get it and start making kombucha! I also ordered some fil mjolk (Swedish culture that makes something similar to buttermilk), kefir grains, sourdough starter, and various other things like cheesecloth and lids for my mason jars.
PS2: The sauerkraut, as mentioned, has come out very well.
The pickles taste fine (well two of the jars did -- one tasted off so I dumped it). They are not QUITE as crunchy as I'd like them (I couldn't get my hands on any grape leaves) however they are still good. But I'm going to give them a few more days.
The papaya chutney tastes pretty good -- I think I'll refrigerate it in the next day or two (refrigeration stops the fermenting).
The orange marmalade was a miserable failure.
OK really I must go now and strain and cool my potions (that is what Seth calls them) so I can go to bed!