Lamb Tongue Terrine in Aspic

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First off, don’t worry, there are no shocking  gruesome pictures of whole raw lamb tongues on this post…

OK, if you are new to this blog , then you are finding out I’m adventurous and pretty fearless in the kitchen. Here is a little back-story on how I came to the post. A few months ago Certain Someone and I were at  Russian Banquet and we were served the most exquisite thinly sliced pieces of beef tongue.  I asked what it was, and the waiter announced tongue with a smirk that assumed the non Russians would be disgusted . Au Contraire.While I haven’t had tongue in ages I do remember my mother going through a phase and feeding me it as a kid. I loved it! Then suddenly it stopped (I have no idea why). Perhaps I finally realized what I was eating? Who knows. She used to serve me chitterlings too, until I formed my own mind and remember declaring I wouldn’t eat those any more. Certain Someone blanched a bit at the thought he just ate tongue but admitted it was good,but the thought of what it was disturbed him. Anyway flash forward to this past week. I don’t know how, but my Iraqi co-worker and I on the discussion of Halal meat and that segued into lamb tongues. I was curious. I loved lamb , so why not revisit the tongue? Adventurous culinary types are dining on it in some very popular eateries. So I hightailed it to the Indo Pak corridor of Devon  where Halal butchers are everywhere you look. For $3.99 a lb I racked up about 6-7  lamb tongues. I do admit the site of them raw made a bit queasy. But I persevered on my mission. I decided to go French style with a aspic based a terrine, I’m fascinated by pates and terrines and have always had the perfect aspic on my culinary to do list.

So how was it you ask ? The tongue was very good, tender and flavored as I braised it for hours in a stock consisting of beer, carrots, herbs , and beef marrow bones. What I loved most was the flavor of my stock which later turned into a prefect aspic. So what was I disappointed with? I wasn’t happy with the final presentation on my terrine. The aspic seeped through the cling wrap layers and I didn’t get the smooth surfaces I envisioned. But that’s easily remedied. What I’m most proud of is my crystal clear aspic. I used one of my favorite bargain basement cookbooks as a guide for the aspic Brockhampton Terrines and Pates . My next terrine will have more meat . I really do feel aspic is underrated these days and can envision a lot of great uses for it . Plus it makes a gorgeous presentation.


Lamb Tongue Terrine in Aspic
 
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beer braised lamb tongues in aspic
Author:
Recipe type: entree
Ingredients
  • 2 lbs lamb tongue
  • 3 beef marrow bones
  • 8 cups water
  • 1 bottle of beer
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon allspice berries
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon celery seeds
  • 2 carrots , chopped
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1½ oz powdered gelatin
  • 2 egg whites
  • 2 washed shells of eggs
  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Instructions
  1. In a large stock pot add the lamb tongues and cover with water only.
  2. Bring to a boil until a foam appears, and drain and change water.Adding another 8 cups cold water.
  3. Add beef marrow bones, water, beer, bay leafs, carrots, celery seeds,garlic, salt and peppercorns to the pot with the lamb tongues.
  4. Bring to a boil again.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours.
  6. Remove the lamb tongues and bones.
  7. Discard the bones and let the tongues cool down. Store in fridge for overnight or several hours.
  8. With the stock strain off the vegetables and stock with a wire sieve. Refrigerate the stock as well overnight. You want the stock to chill and the fats to rise to the top and congeal.
  9. Remove the fat from the stock and gently reheat if needed ( if not congealed) and strain the stock through a fine doubled cheese cloth to catch any particles. etc
  10. Set aside.
  11. Peel the thick outer layer of skin off the cold tongues with a paring knives. You should have a fine tender meat. Slice into pieces and set aside.
  12. For the aspic...
  13. In a large stock pan, boil and scald cheese cloth, whisk, and metal sieve.
  14. Drain hot water and keep equipment ready.
  15. Soften gelatin for several minutes.
  16. Using a double boiler add the softened gelatin and gently dissolve some more liquified but not boiling. Remove from heat.
  17. Place the cold stock in the stock pan .
  18. Add the egg whites, shells, vinegar and gelatin ( the clarification ingredients).
  19. Whisk together and bring to a boil.
  20. The egg whites will rise to the top of the stock as the ingredients boil forming a raft. Stop whisking and let continue to boil for a minute.
  21. Remove from heat and let the raft and stock sit undisturbed.
  22. Bring to a boil again, remove from heat and let settle for a few minutes again.
  23. All the impurities will cling to the raft and a crystal clear stock will be formed.
  24. Gently strain the stock with the raft in a double cheesecloth lined sieve without disturbing the raft much.
  25. Line a terrine loaf pan with plastic wrap.
  26. Layer the cooked lambs tongue.
  27. Gently pour the aspic into the terrine.
  28. Cover and let set for several hours.
  29. Remove and unwrap from terrine.
  30. Slice with a serrated knife and serve cold.
Notes
You will need fine cheese cloth, a metal sieve, loaf pan, or terrine pan.
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Grilling up Walmarts USDA Choice Steaks

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I confess , when the people of Walmart pitched me to try their new category of steaks, I was skeptical. Honestly I really don’t shop at Walmart, and never for food.  The main reason is that there aren’t many around me.  But Chicago has a few and seems to be expanding.It seems Walmart has done a steak over. It’s about time, as people are getting more selective in the meats they are purchasing. Their previous offerings were a lower priced Select in the white trays. Scott Neal , the VP of fresh meat and seafood is the driving force behind the new range of  Choice T-Bones, NY Strips,Filet, Ribeyes, and Top Sirloin that meet the rigorous USDA standards assuring quality and most important safety. These steaks are different by being packaged in Black trays.

  • Only 1 in 5 steaks qualifies for the Choice program.
  • Walmart USDA Choice steaks are certified by the USDA for quality.
  • Walmart USDA Choice steaks are aged for their tenderness and flavor.
  • Walmart USDA Choice steaks are always packaged fresh.
  • Walmart’s USDA Choice steaks come with a 100% money back guarantee . If you aren’t satisfied  just bring back your steak for a full refund.

In perusing a few threads, I’m finding people like me were skeptical, and actually are giving the new steaks a try and are seeing the definite improvement. So last week I got to participate in a webinar with  award-winning Chef Eric Lackey of The Flamestone American Grill in Olsamar , Florida . He shared a few simple recipes for grilling and  steaks for the  grilling season. It’s all part of the Walmart Choice Steak Challenge. On the menu were:

  • Grilled Beefsteak Tomato with Himalayan Pick Rock Salt Crust
  • Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub
  • Coca- Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onion

You can see Chef here work his magic and walk through the recipes. My favorite recipe was the rub for the steaks. I didn’t have the Everglades seasoning, but used the coffee based rub recipe as a base. The flavor was awesome and really complemented the NY Strips I used in place of the favored Ribeye. I added halved leeks to the Coco-Cola Balsamic Marinated Bermuda Onions. I found the quality of the steaks very good and better than what I was expecting. Nice marbleizing , thickness and tenderness. And the value was  still there. Keep up the good progress Walmart.

Grilled Ribeye with Everglades Rub
 
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Chef Eric Lackeys of The Flamestone American Grill in Olsamar , FL recipe created on behalf of the Walmart Steak Challenge presented by Kingsford charcoal and Coco-Cola
Author:
Recipe type: entree
Ingredients
  • 4 Walmart Choice Premium Ribeye Steaks
  • 1 head roasted garlic ( roast garlic in oven until golden brown and soft to mash)
  • 4 tablespoons Everglades seasoning ( available at Walmart)
  • 1 teaspoon ground coffee
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon dry thyme
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
  1. Combine all dry ingredients . Set aside.
  2. Rub each steak with an equal portion of roasted garlic paste on front and back. To prevent burning, don't let garlic paste get on the bone.
  3. Divide and rub seasoning on the four steaks and cover . Place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours. This can be done a day in advance.
  4. Preheat the grill until the perfect grilling temperature. ( if using coal until the briquettes are consistently ashed over)
  5. Remove steaks from the refrigerator and let come to room temperature.
  6. Place steaks on the grill and leave in one position on direct heat for 4-5 minutes, rotating to get nice grill marks and even flavor profile.Follow this timeline for medium rare.
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*Disclosure . Walmart provided two $25 gift cards to try the new Walmart Choice Steaks. My opinions are my own.

 

Chilled Summer Borscht

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Summer has arrived, and I’m getting inspired again in the kitchen, as you can see from my recent blog posts. This weeks vegetable box inspired this recipe. Beets with the loveliest greens atop them were the centerpiece of box. Pickling was out of the question and I got to thinking of  the refreshing chilled soups you find particularly in Eastern Europe ( Hungary and Russia). I remembered I loved the beautiful beet based winter borscht with its beautiful ruby-red sheen. So what if  I made a more tourmaline hued  like borscht  with a cream base ,seasoned with fresh crisp apples, dill, and cucumber? A beautiful starter , with crisp bright flavors perfect for summer brunch ?

I played around and this is what I got. You will find it light yet filling. The perfect chilled soup for a lovely summer day. As Borscht is really nothing but a seasonal soup ,play around with your produce and combos.  I used chicken stock as a base, however vegetable stock can be used as well.

Chilled Summer Borscht
 
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A chilled soup.
Author:
Recipe type: soup
Ingredients
  • 2 apples peeled , cored and diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and diced
  • 1 red onion diced
  • 2 plum tomatoes chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped dill
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 beets with leaves intact
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 cups sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
  • fresh dill weed and thinly sliced cucumber for garnish.
Instructions
  1. In a heavy bottomed stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
  2. Add diced apples, carrots, and red onion.
  3. Saute on medium high for about 10 minutes until the vegetables become soft and onions translucent.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, and dill.
  5. Add chopped tomatoes.
  6. Saute for 5 for minutes.
  7. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  8. Take an immersion blender and puree the soup mixture.
  9. Add the sugar and stir in. Continue to let the soup simmer.
  10. Cut off the greens of the beets and chop up. Add to simmering soup mixture.
  11. With a vegetable peeler , skin the beets and chop into small pieces.
  12. In a small fry pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
  13. Add the chopped beets and saute for about 10 minutes on medium high, until they are softened.
  14. Remove from heat and add the beets to the soup mixture.
  15. Quickly blend the beets into the soup with the immersion blender.
  16. Turn off the soup. You don't want to overcook the beets once added to the soup as the color will darken.
  17. Let the coup cool down.
  18. Add the sour cream and Sherry Vinegar to the soup. Blend with immersion blender.
  19. Strain soup through a fine mesh wire strainer. There will be pulp. Push out the liquid from the pulp. You want a fine strained liquid, without the thick pulp.
  20. Chill the soup overnight or for at least 6 hours.
  21. Serve cold with chopped fresh dill garnish and thinly sliced cucumber.
  22. *Soup may separate after a few hours while chilling. Just whip up with blender again before serving.
Notes
Equipment A fine mesh wire strainer. Immersion Blender You can make this the day ahead. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. Serve in small cordial or shooter glasses or bowls. Servings may vary depending on how served.
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Kumquat Confit and Kumquat Pistachio Palmiers

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The other day I was in Stanley’s and saw a nice punnet of kumquat’s staring at me. Do you look at some foods and think back to your first taste, which may or may not have been pleasant? That’s how I felt with kumquat’s. I wanted to love the cute miniature citrus fruit , but a distant memory of just eating one raw off someones little tree, as child always held me back. Well I’m a big girl now, 43 years of age, to be exact and it was time to acquaint myself with Kumquats again. Surely if  I cooked them down to a confit , almost candy like, they will go down well? And yes they did. Talk about a burst of sunshine and citrus finished with a hint of bourbon and cinnamon. The kumquats picked me up and tickled my tongue, as I ate it on hot buttered bread and black coffee. Preserved kumquat’s are better than orange marmalade in my opinion.The flavor more pronounced, as it’s really all concentrated in the peel.

Certain Someone is not a big jam , preserve type. He loves his  charcuterie, black coffee , good bread and butter on lazy weekend mornings. So while I made a small batch, I wanted more applications for my confit. I had small sheets of commercial puff pastry in my freezer and nuts in the cupboard.

I took my kitchen shears and cut up a small amount of the candid kumquats  to smaller pieces, as the confit was made from kumquat halves. I spread them over the defrosted puff pastry, added a mixture of pistachios and  raw sugar which had been blended to a coarse crumb, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. I then carefully rolled them up on either end, to meet in the middle.  The rolls were sliced and dipped in more of the pistachio sugar crumb and baked on a parchment lined baking sheet at 375 degrees until golden. Careful not to burn the bottoms as the sugars from the confit and  sugar crumb will caramelize. Remove from oven and let cook. You will have a nice tea or coffee time snack.


Kumquat Confit
 
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Candied preserved Kumquats
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Recipe type: condiment, preserves
Ingredients
  • 1 lb of kumquats, washed, halved, and seeded.
  • 2 cups of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon of Bourbon
  • * apple core
Instructions
  1. Halve and seed the kumquats.
  2. Place in a heavy bottomed pot with apple core.
  3. Add sugar.
  4. Slowly bring up the temp and stir and mash the fruit into the sugar until it starts to liquify slight. You don't want to burn the sugar or cook to fast.
  5. Stir in cinnamon.
  6. Cook on med heat until all the ingredients start to liquify and boil.
  7. Reduce heat until the boil is more like a simmer. Stir periodically and cook for several minutes until the fruit becomes more transparent and candied. This may take about 10 minutes more or less.
  8. The longer the cook time, the more candied the fruit. You want to make sure its spreadable and not to thick.
  9. Turn off the heat.
  10. Remove apple core.
  11. Stir in the Bourbon . The confit will sizzle a bit with the addition of the liquor.
  12. Place in clean jars.
  13. Let cool and cover
  14. Keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
Notes
The apple core, loaded with natural pectin aides the thickening.
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Salad Nicoise in Belgian Endive Cups

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In Chicago these days, it feel as if summer is here. My favorite things in summer are the lake, a chilled rose, gelato ,cold beer,and amazing salads. One of my favorite salads when I lived in Paris was a Salad Nicoise. I remember on sunny days, I would order one with friends at a sidewalk cafe near school and  watch the world go by, as I munched on crisp vegetables and salty briny anchovies, olives, and capers. Lately I’ve been toying with an idea in my head. Making a micro Salad Nicoise as a small plate starter or appetizer. Rather than using lettuce, I made” boats” of Belgian Endive.  The purists would say that’s not Salad Nicoise. Well Salad Nicoise  is open to interpretation. Usually one things of lettuce greens,boiled eggs, tuna, tomato, potatoes, green beans, anchovies, capers,and black olives. There may be onion, garlic, shallots as well. Some people use artichokes, red peppers, and never add cooked vegetables. Some people omit the tuna. It’s really up to taste how you want to compose this rustic country salad based on seasons. I thought the use of endive leaves and small quail eggs would be elegant. A guest can pop these in their mouth with two or more bites, or they can eat it with a knife and fork as a small amuse bouche or starter for summer brunch. It’s all about presentation.


Salad Nicoise as a Small Appetizer
 
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A small plate version of Salad Nicoise
Author:
Recipe type: salad
Serves: approx 24
Ingredients
  • 1 small potato, peeled and boiled
  • 2 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
  • 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons shallots minced
  • 6 quail eggs boiled
  • ½ cup green beans blanched
  • grape or cherry tomatoes
  • 1 can of oil packed tuna of good quality
  • 1 small jar anchovy fillets
  • 7 oil cured olives pitted and sliced into small quarters
  • salt packed capers
  • 2-3 heads Belgian Endive
  • For the dressing...
  • ½ cup Olive Oil
  • 3 tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel and Boil a small potato. Remove from hot water and carefully slice and cube.
  2. Add to a small bowl with the minced shallots, Italian Seasoning, Sherry Vinegar, and Olive Oil,salt and pepper. Set aside and chill.
  3. Boil Quails Eggs for approx 5 minutes and remove from heat. Peel and set aside and chill.
  4. Prep green beans by cutting trimming ends and cutting in half, then slicing lengthwise.
  5. Place green beans in rapidly boiling salted water for 1 minute . Drain and run cold water over them. Set aside and chill.
  6. Quarter the small cherry or grape tomatoes in bite size pieces. Set aside and chill.
  7. Pit and prep your olives.
  8. Wash the Belgian Endive. Cut off the flat ends. Gently pull each leave from top , and out to break away from the head. 2 heads makes approx 15 nice size "boats"
  9. Arrange your Mise en place with all the components ( potato shallot mixture, boiled quail eggs,tomatoes, olives, tuna, anchovies, capers)
  10. Make a vinaigrette emulsion with the olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper. (Use a whisk or immersion blender).
  11. Carefully take a endive leaf.
  12. Add a small spoon full of the potato shallot mixture in oil. Spread evenly
  13. Add a few flakes of tuna.
  14. Carefully slice a quail egg and place a few slices on top
  15. Arrange 2 tomato quarters.
  16. Add 2 pieces of green bean.
  17. Cut an anchovy fillet in half and place a piece on top.
  18. Add a few slices of olive,
  19. Finish with a few capers.
  20. Drizzle with a bit of the dressing and serve cold.
Notes
All the components can be prepped ahead and chilled.
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