Category: GLOSSARY / METHODS

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

VENISON STOCK


1.8 kg/4 lbs venison bones
4 tablespoons/¼ cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 celery sticks, chopped
6 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon/15 ml crushed juniper berries
2 tablespoons/30 ml fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon/15 ml black pepper
4 chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon/15 ml thyme
2 star anise pods
4 bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F.
Place the bones on an oven tray and roast in the preheated oven until browned all over.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil and lightly fry the onion, carrots, celery and garlic.  Add the roasted bones and the rest of the ingredients and 4 liters/8.5 pts cold water, and bring to a gentle simmer, regularly skimming the brown foam that forms on the surface.  Simmer for 4 hours, then remove from the heat.  Cool to room temperature, then strain, do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become  cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the surface.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Discard the solids.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

DUCK STOCK


This quantity of stock is made with the bones, trimmings and gizzards (except the liver) of one duck.  If you are lucky enough to get lots of bones, just increase the rest of the ingredients.

bones, trimming and gizzards (excluding the liver) of one duck
50 ml olive oil
½ medium onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
½ cup/125 ml celery, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ cup/125 ml Shaoxing rice wine
1 teaspoon/5 ml ginger
1 star anise
1 tablespoon/15 ml Sichuan peppercorns, crushed

Heat the olive oil in a big enough saucepan for your stock and brown the bones, trimmings and gizzards, excluding the livers.  Add the onion, celery, carrots and garlic and lightly fry them.  Deglaze with the  Shaoxing rice wine and as soon as all the wine has evaporated, add cold water (about four times the volume of the solids), and bring to the boil.  Add the ginger, star anise and Sichuan peppercorns, then turn down the heat.  Simmer gently over low-medium heat, regularly skimming the brown foam that forms on the surface. After 5 hours, turn off the heat and cool to room temperature, then strain.  Do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the  surface.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze in smaller containers for up to 3 months.  Discard the solids.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

PORK STOCK


5 kg/11 lbs pork bones
2 pig’s trotters, cleaned thoroughly and split in half
50 ml olive oil
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
4 carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 cup/250 ml white wine
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leave

Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F.
Place the pork bones and the trotters on an oven tray and cook in a very hot oven until browned all over.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil and lightly fry the onions, carrots and celery then add the pork bones and trotters. Deglaze with the white wine and as soon as all the wine has evaporator, add the water, and bring to the boil.  Add the garlic, the thyme and bay leave and turn down the heat.  Simmer gently over low-medium heat for 5 hours, regularly skimming the brown foam that forms on the surface. After 5 hours, turn off the heat and cool to room temperature, then strain.  Do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the  surface.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or frozen in smaller containers for up to 3 months.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

PRAWN STOCK


25 g/0.8 oz butter
1 clove garlic, crushed
reserved prawn shells of approximately 8 medium prawns
2 cups/500 ml fish stock
1 tablespoon/30 ml fresh parsley, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon/5 ml Noilly Prat
juice of ½ lemon

In a deep sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and fry the garlic for 10 seconds.  Add the prawn shells and fry until the shells turn pink, about 1 minute.  Add the fish stock and bring to the boil.  Add the parsley, Noilly Prat and lemon juice and bring to the boil again.  Boil for about 5 minutes, then remove from the heat.  Pour the stock through a colander lined with a muslin cloth. Leave to cool, then chill or freeze in smaller containers until needed.  Discard the solids.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

PORK STOCK


5 kg/11 lbs pork bones
2 pig’s trotters, cleaned thoroughly and split in half
50 ml olive oil
2 medium onions, roughly chopped
4 carrots, roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
1 cup/250 ml white wine
1 garlic bulb, cut in half
a few sprigs of thyme
1 bay leave

Preheat the oven to 200°C/392°F.
Place the pork bones and the trotters on an oven tray and cook in a very hot oven until browned all over.  In a large stockpot, heat the oil and lightly fry the onions, carrots and celery then add the pork bones and trotters. Deglaze with the white wine and as soon as all the wine has evaporated, add the water, and bring to the boil.  Add the garlic, the thyme and bay leave and turn down the heat.  Simmer gently over low-medium heat for 5 hours, regularly skimming the brown foam that forms on the surface. After 5 hours, turn off the heat and cool to room temperature, then strain.  Do not press down on the solids as this will cause the stock to become cloudy.  Cover and refrigerate until cold, then remove the fat from the  surface.  Refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze in smaller containers for up to 3 months.  Discard the solids.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

PASTRY CREAM (CUSTARD)


As used for making Strawberry cake with custard and meringue and Trifle

3 free-range egg yolks
60 g/2 oz sugar
1¼ cups/310 ml milk
⅓ cup/80 ml fresh full cream, lightly whisked
20 g/0.7 oz flour
20 g/0.7 oz cornstarch
seeds from 1 vanilla pod

Whisk the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. Heat the milk but remove from the heat just before it starts boiling.  Mix a few spoons of the hot milk with the egg mixture, then add the flours and vanilla seeds and mix well.  Pour the whole mixture back into the rest of the heated milk, mix well and bring slowly to the boil, stirring continuously. When the sauce has thickened sufficiently, remove from the heat and pour into a cooled bowl.  Set aside, covered with greaseproof paper, to cool until ready to use.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

MASCARPONE CHEESE


As used in the recipe for Tirimasu

Make your own:
Heat 2 cups/1 liter cream in a stainless steel double boiler to 85°C/185°F.  Dissolve a pinch of tartaric acid in 2 tablespoons/30 ml water and stir into the hot cream, stir well. It should start to thicken almost immediately. Maintain the 85°C/185°F for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate covered for 12 hours in a plastic container in which time the whey should separate somewhat. Transfer to a sterile muslin cloth, and suspend over a bowl for 24 hours in the refrigerator to allow the whey to drain out.  Transfer the finished mascarpone to a smaller air tight container, store in the refrigerator and use within a week to ten days.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

RICOTTA


RICOTTA CHEESE (Make your own)

ricotta

Ricotta, meaning “cooked again”, is a cheese by-product, which refers to the production method used to make it. It is made from the whey drained from such cheeses as mozzarella, provolone, and other cheeses, and is a fresh, soft, white cheese with a rich but mild, slightly sweet flavor. The texture is much like a grainy, thick sour cream, but is naturally low in fat, with a fat content ranging from 4 to 10 percent, and it is also low in salt. Ricotta is also a favorite component of many Italian desserts (See Mixed berry and ricotta cream tarts).  It is often beaten smooth and mixed with condiments, such as sugar, cinnamon and occasionally chocolate shavings, and served as a dessert. Since ricotta is made primarily from lactose-rich whey, it should be avoided by those who are lactose-intolerant. 

Homemade ricotta is best served slightly warm, although it can be refrigerated for up to three days, if desired.

Make your own:
4 cups/1 ℓ  whole milk
1 cup/250 ml plain full fat yogurt
½ cup/125 ml full cream
2 teaspoons/10 ml white vinegar
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt
1 teaspoon/5 ml salt

In a large pot, bring the milk, yogurt, cream, vinegar and salt to a boil, then gently simmer for one to two minutes, until the milk is curdled.
Meanwhile, line a strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and set it over a deep bowl. Pour the milk mixture into the strainer and let drain for 15 minutes. Gather the cheesecloth around the curds and squeeze gently to extract any excess liquid.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

APRICOT GLAZE


250 g/8.8 oz smooth apricot jam
¼ cup/125 ml water

Heat the jam and water in a saucepan and whisk until well combined, then pass through a fine sieve. Let it cool totally before using.

Categories
GLOSSARY / METHODS

Spanish chorizo sausage


My chorizo sausage supplier recently closed down and with that came the end of the most delicious chorizo sausages that I have had anywhere in the world. It was not too garlicky, had just the right amount of paprika and herbs and it was not too fatty. I realized that I have to make my own to satisfy my craving from time to time. Now, to make your own, is not that easy because there are as many recipes for Spanish chorizo as there are sausage makers. The only solution was to test various recipes, adjust, increase or eliminate certain ingredients … and I came up with this one. In my opinion, a huge success. Try and let me know.

This recipe makes 2 kg/4 lbs sausages, approximately 24 sausages of 75 g/2.6 oz each

1 kg/2 lbs shoulder of lean pork, trimmed
1 kg/2 lbs pork belly
4-8 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 teaspoons/5-10 ml dried chili flakes
25 ml/8 fl oz cider vinegar
3-5 teaspoons/15-25 ml Spanish Paprika
5 teaspoons/25 ml salt
1 tablespoon/15 ml oregano
2 teaspoon/10 ml freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon/15 ml brown sugar
2 m/6.5 in sausage casing

Coarsely mince the pork and pork belly or ask your butcher to do this, then mix all the ingredients together. Pinch off a small amount and fry it in a pan to check the seasoning. Make the necessary adjustments, if any, cover and marinate for 24 hours in a cool place.

Fill your sausage casings using the technique of your choice and twist the sausages into links every 7 cm/4 in.

This recipe is also suitable for a semi dried sausage which can be hung for 2 to 3 weeks. The longer you leave it the more the flavor intensifies but beware that after the drying process it should not be treated as a dried sausage. It still must be cooked thoroughly before eating.