Whats for Supper...

[Invicta]

20 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

Yes, I think turkey is more of an American tradition for Thanksgiving/Christmas.  I have never had goose.

 

Neither have I. 

 

3 hours ago, HappyChristian said:

When my hubs was in college, there were several married students in attendance. We all learned, together, how to stretch our food budgets and pray in supplies. My hubs hit a deer...meat for weeks!  Another friend hit a deer, same thing. One of the wives told me about the time they were praying for meat. I can't remember if it was her or her hubby, but one of them looked out onto the pond near their house and there was a duck - FROZEN to the ice. Her hubby got the duck and that's what they ate. I think it was the first time, but they sure did enjoy it. (of course, she cooked it first =D )

I like duck but I usually only buy duck breasts.  When I have bought whole duck there seems to be less meat on it.

Edited December 3, 2016 by Invicta

[HappyChristian]

My hubs made beef stew tonight while Mom and I were gone. It was quite tasty!

Invicta, is duck a stronger flavor than chicken?

[2bLikeJesus]

We are celebrating me getting a new job at the VA Hospital so it is Elk Backstrap from our hunt this year!  Having it with delicata squash (some call it peanut squash) from our garden and Yukon Gold potatoes also from the garden.  

[Invicta]

On 04/12/2016 at 5:07 AM, HappyChristian said:

My hubs made beef stew tonight while Mom and I were gone. It was quite tasty!

Invicta, is duck a stronger flavor than chicken?

The meat is completely different from chicken.  It is a brown meat, and much more dense that chicken., there is also a great deal of fat under the skin.  The received wisdom for roasting duck breasts is to score the skin deeply and put it skin down in a hot dry frying pan or skillet until the fat has mostly drained, then place it flesh down in baking tray and roast in an oven at about 180-200C I am not sure what that is in F, but before we went metric my wife used to cook most things at 375F so I expect is somewhere about that.  Goose fat is supposed to be the best fat for roasting potatoes, and you can buy that for the purpose, but duck is supposed to be second best.  Neither is suitable for me though as my wife is vegetarian.  

Here is my way with roast potatoes.  The best potatoes are floury ones.  Peel your potatoes and cut them into portions.a very large potato will cut into about 6 portions of about equal size.  If you like them very crispy, you can boil or steam them till the outsides are slightly done then rough the outsides a bit by draining them and then shaking them about in the pan.   Either way, put them in a baking pan. and add salt and pepper and a shake of garlic powder or granules and a little Herbes de Provence.  (I like the H de P to be very fine so i put them in a beaker and grind them very fine with a stick blender.  Put your hand over the beaker as there will be some very fine dust.)  Then toss them in some olive oil, not too much, you don't want to boil them in oil. Roast them at the above temperature for about 50 minutes.  

The above also works well with Parsnips.  Unless the skins are not good, I never peel parsnips, just scrub them.  Small ones you can roast whole, larger ones slice lengthwise, very large ones quarter lengthwise.  Season as with potatoes above.  Roast as above for about 40 minutes or so.  

[HappyChristian]

Your potatoes sound very tasty, Invicta! I've never had anything with H de P as available to you. From what I understand, Italian seasoning is quite similar, though. 

I have heard that duck and goose fat are both good for cooking.

2b! So good to "see" you! We miss your postings.  Hope all is well with the both of you.

[Jim_Alaska]

I do something similar to what Invicta posted, only I do it with different kinds of vegetables. I use a flat baking dish with low sides. I try to cut all the vegetables approximately the same size so that they all cook the same. I use potatoes, carrots, cabbage, onion. Those are what I like best, but you could add anything to the list.

I lay them all out on the flat baking dish, crush some garlic cloves and place them strategically between the other veggies. Now drizzle some EVOO over all of it. The EVOO will pick up the flavor of the garlic and spread it to the other veggies. I also lightly sprinkle on some Johnny's Seasoning. A little goes a long way. You can substitute any seasoning salt, I just prefer Johnny's. As a matter of fact, Johnny's is my preferred seasoning for most meats and salads.

Roast at 350 F until fork tender.

I am not a vegetable person at all, but this manner of cooking them I find wonderful. I only eat vegetables because my mother made me as a child and the habit remains. lol

[Invicta]

I was brought up during the war and there was very little meat  so we had to eat vegetables. The only vegetable I remember were potatoes, carrots, parsnips, onions and cabbage.  My dad used to grow some of these.  I hated cabbage and parsnips but had to eat them  Apart from potatoes which were sometimes roasted, they were always boiled.   Today we never  boil anything, we either steam or roast vegetables.  When we were first married my wife used to cook vegies conservatively.  This method preserves flavour and vitamins.  

Today for lunch I did a small chicken on the rotisserie in our mini oven. I always use the same spices and method for chicken.  Firsly I prick the skin all over to release the fat, then cut the skin at the joints where most fat seems to congregate,  I then rub the skin all over with a little olive oil, then add a shake of salt and black pepper, then a little dried garlic, a little milled bay leaves ( French laurier = laurel. these don't seem available any more, so mine are well out of date.  I have an unopened packet dated bbe April 2008.)   and a little milled celery  (THis is not available in uk as far as I know but we do have celery salt which is the same only salt is added.)   Rub all these spices into the olive oil.  If roasting put on a roasting rack over a pan.  Quarter some small onions an put in the pan.  boil some water and dissolve some chicken stock granules or cubes in the water and add to the pan.  Roast in the oven at your usual temperature till done.  Skin should be well browned all over and juices from the legs run clear.  The gravy will be very tasty but don't try to thicken it as you will spoil the flavour.  You may need to add more water as it is cooking as it will evaporate.  Bon Appétit 

[Invicta]

On 07/12/2016 at 11:40 PM, HappyChristian said:

Your potatoes sound very tasty, Invicta! I've never had anything with H de P as available to you. From what I understand, Italian seasoning is quite similar, though. 

I have heard that duck and goose fat are both good for cooking.

2b! So good to "see" you! We miss your postings.  Hope all is well with the both of you.

HC, Herbes de Provence are available on Amazon,com as are many other herbs,

The main herbs I use are as above, and Persillade (From the French persil = parsley)  my jar says 40% parsley, 30% garlic, 30% shallot. so easy to make yourself if you have a Magimix or similar food processor.   I also use a lot of basil and oregano (the French call this the pizza herb,  sprinkle it over your pizza with a little olive oil before you cook it.)  2 spices I use for cous cous are ras el hanout and harrissa, I try to buy the latter in a tube if poss as it keeps better.

 

 

Edited December 9, 2016 by Invicta

[HappyChristian]

I've never had harissa, but I've heard it's a tasty addition. And I've never had cous-cous, either. Thanks for the info re: Herbes!

[Invicta]

I cooked the roast chicknen as above, at the weekend.  Very tasty, much more flavour than the Turkey lunch we had on Tuesday at our seniors Christmas lunch at church.  It was only small chicken but I had it for two days and put some in the freezer.

This evening I had cheese omelette and bacon.

[No Nicolaitans]

Raw spinach salad...well...you know the rest based on previous posts by me! LOL!

[Invicta]

On 09/12/2016 at 1:54 AM, HappyChristian said:

I've never had harissa, but I've heard it's a tasty addition. And I've never had cous-cous, either. Thanks for the info re: Herbes!

I will try to get asound to putting my recipe for cous cous on here sometime.  It is not like any TV or online recipe I have seen.  I will say now that cous cous is a type of pasta, unline any other that I know.  Most recipes I have seen on TV and on packets  say use a cup of cous cous grain to 1½  or 2 cups of water.  On French packets that say one cup of each which I think is about right although I sometimes add up to a tablespoon extra if it is too dry.   In France there are two grades, fine grain an medium.  We prefer the medium.  Here there is only one  grade which seems to be fine. THere also seems to be giant cous cous which I don't like.

[No Nicolaitans]

I've tried couscous before (from a Moroccan restaurant). Very similar in size to rice, and the taste of the couscous itself was rather bland. However, mixed with the other things that were on the plate, it was delicious.

[Invicta]

Shortly before my wife and I met she had been on a year long course in Paris for teachers.  While there she was introduced to cous cous by th Algerian pastor of the church she went to while she was there.  When we were first married she had never cooked it but eventoally we went to France and found a packet. which had a packet of cous cous, a can of vegetables in sauce, a packet of spices, and instructions how to use it.  I must say I was not impressed to say the least.  Then we found cans of vegetables for cous cous and then frozen,  Bu we did not like either as the veggies were too sof for us so looking at the labels we decided to cook our own fresh which was much better.  I came to like it very much.  

Today I did fish salad and chips.  Not sure what the fish was.  label on the can sid it was smoke trout illets in olive oil.  Olive oil it wasn't and I doubt very much if it was trout.  It seemed to me it was sardines in a very spicy tomato sauce.  I did buy it at the market so I suppose it was my own fault.

 

[Invicta]

We had quite a big lunch so just a small supper.  Two frozen puff pastry squares, defrosted.  One chopped red onion sprinkled with a little oil and microwaved till soft about one and a half to two minutes.  Placed that on the pastry leaving about an inch border all round.  Had some left over pasta sauce from lunch, mixed some with chopped goat's cheese for Kay and grated cheddar for me, both with a liberal sprinkling of chopped basil, and spread over the onions, topped Kay's with a couple of slices of Goats log, brushed the pastry edges with beaten egg,  and placed in the oven for 20 minutes @ 220C .  I can't remember what that is in old money probably about 420F.  You could add chopped bacon microwaved on a plate with a sheet of kitchen paper over,  You could serve it with a salad.