Daring Cooks: Brunswick Stew (April 2010)
Obligatory monthly DC post, yay. Which will probably be kept as short as possible on account of my feeling antsy about a myriad of things and this really bloody awful headache I'm currently having. Yes, I'm being grumbly, I know.
Anyway, this month's is (was?) Brunswick stew, as determined by Wolf. (Thanks for hosting, hon!) Which is vaguely happy-making, since I've always wanted to try American southern cooking. Though the fact that I had to cook it probably counts against the trying-new-food experience some. Erm.
Brunswick Stew
We were given a choice of two recipes, the first supposedly more traditional, the second faster. Both recipes may be found here (I say lazily). I went with the first.
Which called for, amongst other things, rabbit. Which I couldn't find. Such is life, one supposes.
Here, have the obligatory spoon-standing-in-stew shot:
(Apparently, it's supposed to, on account of the stew being very thick or something. Still. Hurrah for standing spoons!)
I stuck pretty close to the ingredient list of the recipe, since I'm a rather uncreative bint as far as stew-making is concerned, and I wanted it as 'authentic' as possible.
Variations used:
- Shallots were used instead of red onions, and fried/toasted at the very beginning with the chilli.
- Garlic was added too at the aromatics-frying stage above.
- Fresh red chillis were used instead of their dried cousins, since I had the former and couldn't be arsed to get the latter.
- Brunswick ham was used instead of bacon. (Couldn't resist the pun, sorry. And I dislike bacon.)
- Turkey was used instead of rabbit. Figured this was the closest I could get. And duck was too costly.
- Deglazed the pan with wine. Stew should always have a touch of wine, imho.
- I kept the bacon ham and the celery in because I didn't want to waste it. Yes, this from the girl who doesn't like celery. But it had lost its taste by the end, so I wasn't too fussed.
- Extra stew ingredients: chesnut mushrooms, spring onions
- Extra herbs/spices: fresh rosemary and thyme towards the end, fresh chopped parsley to serve
- Stock used was the same one I made for last month's challenge.
- Chinese black malt vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, which I didn't have. Plus, I've always liked the mellowness of the former.
Speaking of which, am I the only one who preferred it without the lemon and the vinegar? Hm.
Click the picture if you want to see it bigger, or something. Though heaven knows why people would want it so.
Anyway, pretty much loved this stew. It's a gorgeous blend of flavours. (Since I'm pretty sure there're people from the American South on my f-list, I'm actually wondering - how close is the recipe(s) given to what you know of Brunswick stew? *is curious*)
Blog-checking lines: The 2010 April Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den. She chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make Brunswick Stew. Wolf chose recipes for her challenge from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and from the Callaway, Virginia Ruritan Club.
Anyway, this month's is (was?) Brunswick stew, as determined by Wolf. (Thanks for hosting, hon!) Which is vaguely happy-making, since I've always wanted to try American southern cooking. Though the fact that I had to cook it probably counts against the trying-new-food experience some. Erm.
Brunswick Stew
We were given a choice of two recipes, the first supposedly more traditional, the second faster. Both recipes may be found here (I say lazily). I went with the first.
Which called for, amongst other things, rabbit. Which I couldn't find. Such is life, one supposes.
Here, have the obligatory spoon-standing-in-stew shot:
(Apparently, it's supposed to, on account of the stew being very thick or something. Still. Hurrah for standing spoons!)
I stuck pretty close to the ingredient list of the recipe, since I'm a rather uncreative bint as far as stew-making is concerned, and I wanted it as 'authentic' as possible.
Variations used:
- Shallots were used instead of red onions, and fried/toasted at the very beginning with the chilli.
- Garlic was added too at the aromatics-frying stage above.
- Fresh red chillis were used instead of their dried cousins, since I had the former and couldn't be arsed to get the latter.
- Brunswick ham was used instead of bacon. (Couldn't resist the pun, sorry. And I dislike bacon.)
- Turkey was used instead of rabbit. Figured this was the closest I could get. And duck was too costly.
- Deglazed the pan with wine. Stew should always have a touch of wine, imho.
- I kept the bacon ham and the celery in because I didn't want to waste it. Yes, this from the girl who doesn't like celery. But it had lost its taste by the end, so I wasn't too fussed.
- Extra stew ingredients: chesnut mushrooms, spring onions
- Extra herbs/spices: fresh rosemary and thyme towards the end, fresh chopped parsley to serve
- Stock used was the same one I made for last month's challenge.
- Chinese black malt vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, which I didn't have. Plus, I've always liked the mellowness of the former.
Speaking of which, am I the only one who preferred it without the lemon and the vinegar? Hm.
Click the picture if you want to see it bigger, or something. Though heaven knows why people would want it so.
Anyway, pretty much loved this stew. It's a gorgeous blend of flavours. (Since I'm pretty sure there're people from the American South on my f-list, I'm actually wondering - how close is the recipe(s) given to what you know of Brunswick stew? *is curious*)
Blog-checking lines: The 2010 April Daring Cooks challenge was hosted by Wolf of Wolf’s Den. She chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make Brunswick Stew. Wolf chose recipes for her challenge from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook by Matt Lee and Ted Lee, and from the Callaway, Virginia Ruritan Club.