• 1 1/2 pounds brussels sprouts, stems trimmed
• 1 pork tenderloin (1 1/4 lbs.), trimmed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, cut into 3/4- by 4-in. wedges
• 1 small red onion, cut into 1/2-in. wedges
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger
• 2 Thai chiles or 1 serrano chile, minced
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro, divided

Blue Cheese, Mustard and Beer Noodles

From Sunset Magazine, Feb 2013.  Maybe the all-time ultimate side dish for pork entrees.

Ingredients

• 12 ounces wide egg noodles or pappardelle pasta
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3/4 cup chopped white onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup beer, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

1. 1. Cook noodles as package directs.
2. 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, 8 minutes. Add garlic and cook another 2 minutes. Reduce heat to a simmer, then add mustard and beer.
3. 3. Drain noodles and add to the pan; stir to coat. Add 1/4 cup blue cheese, stirring gently to combine, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup blue cheese and the parsley on top.

Incredible duck recipe in "The Week" Magazine.  By the way this week's ducks are the nicest of the season, no kidding, lots of fresh ducks at Hillsdale this week, just one more week of poultry season at Kookoolan Farms.  Have you considered a roast duck for Thanksgiving?

Roast duck: A New Orleans take on a Chinatown specialty

This Southern-style roast duck gets its own sweet-salty depth from a 24-hour bath in a sugary tea brine.

posted on October 17, 2012, at 2:26 PM

Down South, “people take their meat very seriously,” said Allison Vines-Rushing and Slade Rushing in Southern Comfort (Ten Speed Press). When we serve duck at MiLa, our restaurant in New Orleans, that local passion is an inspiration, even though we add a bit of New York flavor.
 
The New York influence is subtle. When we worked as chefs in Manhattan, we often spent date nights dining on Peking duck in Chinatown. Our Southern-style roast duck gets its own sweet-salty depth from a 24-hour bath in a sugary tea brine.
 
Recipe of the week
 
Sweet-tea-roasted duck in date sauce
 
For brine:

 •8 cups freshly brewed black tea
 •8 cups ice water
 •1 cup sugar
 •½ cup kosher salt
 •1½ tsp black peppercorns
 •1½ tsp red pepper flakes
 •4 cloves garlic, crushed
 •2 shallots, thinly sliced
 •Sprig each of thyme, sage, and rosemary
 •2 bay leaves
 •¼ tsp cayenne pepper
 
For the roast:

 •One 4-lb Muscovy duck (neck saved, innards removed and discarded)
 •4 shallots
 •2 heads garlic, halved
 •2 carrots, cut in 1-inch dice
 •2 stalks celery, cut in 1-inch dice
 •1 bay leaf
 •2 sprigs thyme
 •Sprig each of rosemary and sage
 •1 cup red wine
 •¼ cup brandy
 •4 cups chicken stock
 •¼ tsp fine sea salt
 •6 Medjool dates, pitted
 •2 tbsp champagne vinegar
 •1 tbsp unsalted butter
 
Combine all brine ingredients in a stockpot and add the duck. Weight it down with a plate, as the duck must be fully submerged. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove duck from the brine and place in a roasting pan with the neck, shallots, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, and sage. Season duck inside and out with black pepper.
 
Roast duck about 1½ to 2 hours, until a thermometer inserted into the thick part of the thigh reads 175 degrees. Remove duck from pan (reserving vegetables and drippings) and cool 30 minutes.
 
To make sauce, place roasting pan over a burner on medium heat. Deglaze the pan with the red wine and brandy. Using
 a wooden spoon, scrape bottom of pan to release caramelized bits. Cook until the liquid has reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add stock and cook for 10 more minutes. Remove vegetables, herbs, and duck neck from the sauce and discard. Strain pan sauce through a sieve into a blender; add the salt, dates, vinegar, and butter. Puree until the sauce is smooth and reserve.
 
Carve the duck and arrange on a platter. Spoon the date sauce on top. Serves 4.

BASIC ROAST CHICKEN RECIPE

Grass-fed poultry is firmer and leaner than battery-raised poultry.  For best flavor and texture, turn down the heat and cook covered.    
1.       “Farmer CZ” likes to brine her chickens first by combining 3 Tbsp salt with ½ gallon of water, and aromatics such as a drop of lavender oil, lemon oil, herbs, and/or fresh black pepper, and 1 to 4 Tbsp of an acid such as vinegar or wine.  In a bowl or Ziplock^TM bag, cover the chicken and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
2.       Pat the chicken dry, rub the inside with salt and pepper. Stuff if desired.
3.       Place chicken in a covered roasting pan, or soaked clay pot, or cover your pan with foil.
4.        Bake, covered, at 325°F.  A 4-lb chicken takes about 90 minutes; 5- to 6-pound chickens can take 2 hours.  When thermometer inserted between thigh and body reads 180°F or juices run clear, the chicken is thoroughly cooked.  For crisp, golden skin, remove the cover, brush the chicken with oil or butter, increase the temperature to 400°F and bake or broil for ten additional minutes.  Remove from oven, and allow to rest 5-10 min. before cutting.

Prep Time:  30 min; Cook Time:  25 min; total time: 55 minutes

Level:  Easy.  Serves:  approximately 30 meatballs, 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 2 slices fresh white bread (we used gluten-free white sandwich bread today)
• 1/4 cup Kookoolan Farms milk
• 3 tablespoons butter made from Kookoolan Farms cream, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion grown at Kookoolan Farms
• A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3/4 pound Kookoolan Farms pasture-raised ground beef
• 3/4 pound Kookoolan Farms ground pork
• 2 large Kookoolan Farms egg yolks
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (we used gluten-free flour today)
• 3 cups beef broth made from Kookoolan Farms beef
• 1/4 cup heavy cream from Kookoolan Farms milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.  Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground beef, ground pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale or a cookie dough scoop, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.  (Note:  up to this step, the meatballs may be prepared ahead of time, then kept in the refrigerator, up to two days in advance.)

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the skillet heat to low and add the flour. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Farmer Chrissie loves brining poultry to bring out its flavor!  Here is a great link with details about brining.  Using the basic brine instructions in the link but adding 1/4^th teaspoon of lavender essential oil, brine your whole Kookoolan Farms chicken for at least four hours.

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1-2 teaspoons dried lavender
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 large onion
1 (4-7 lb) Kookoolan Farms chicken, whole
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/2 cup chicken stock
1-2 tablespoon flour

Fresh or dried lavender blossoms for edible garnish

In a small bowl or mortar and pestle coarsely crush lavender and thyme. Then stir together with butter, zest, salt and pepper until well combined. Spoon mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch log. Chill butter log until firm, at least 30 minutes, and up to 3 days.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Slice herb butter and reserve 2 tablespoons for sauce. Slide hand under skin of chicken breast to loosen skin from meat. Insert about 3/4's of the butter under the skin and spread the rest over the outside of chicken. Truss chicken. Place the chicken in a flameproof roasting pan. Slice the onion into large pieces and scatter around the chicken. Roast bird in middle of oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (be careful not to touch bone) registers 170° to 175°F. It will take roughly 55-65 minutes for a four pound chicken and 8 minutes more per every pound over that.

Lift chicken and tilt, emptying any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Remove the chicken to a platter, cover loosely with foil. Sauce: Add vermouth to pan. Place pan over high heat; bring vermouth to boil, scraping up any browned bits and onions. Strain the mixture into cup with pan juices. Spoon fat off and pour back into the pan. Add reserved 2 tablespoons herb butter and bring to a simmer - or melt butter before adding to pan. When butter has completely melted, add flour and whisk until smooth. Serve sauce with chicken.  Garnish with (edible!) lavender blossoms.

EGG RECIPES
Hollandaise Sauce
makes 1 cup
¾ cup unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. water
yolks of 3 farm eggs
juice of ½ a lemon (or to taste)
sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (use white
pepper if you don’t want flecks of pepper to show in your sauce)
• Melt the butter, then skim the froth from the surface with a spoon.
Let it cool until tepid.
• In a non-reactive saucepan (copper is ideal), whisk the water and egg
yolks with a little salt and pepper for 30 seconds, until thoroughly
combined and light in color.
• Set the pan over a low heat and whisk until the mixture is quite thick
(it will leave a ribbon trail for 5 seconds). This should take about 3
minutes. Take care that the base of the pot does not get too hot or
the eggs will scramble.
• Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the barely warm butter, a
tablespoon at a time, until the sauce thickens, then continue to whisk
while pouring in the butter in a slow, steady stream. Leave the milky
whey at the bottom of the pan.
• Stir in the lemon juice and season. The consistency should be light
enough to pour easily from a spoon. If it is too thick, add more water
or lemon juice.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com

Egg Condiment
Mayonnaise with Fresh Herbs
makes 1 ½ cups
2 egg yolks
1 tsp. lemon juice (plus more to taste)
2 tsp. champagne vinegar (plus more to taste)
salt and pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard (optional)
1 Tbsp. water
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup vegetable or peanut oil
2-4 Tbsp. chopped soft herbs (such as parsley, chervil, tarragon and
chives, or omit the mustard and replace the herbs with ½ cup Douglas
Fir tips, chopped, for a seasonal Oregon mayonnaise)
• Combine the yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and pepper, Dijon
mustard if using, and water in the bowl of a food processor. Turn on
to combine the ingredients thoroughly.
• Add the oil, little by little in a thin stream at first, until the emulsion
begins to form and the mayonnaise starts to thicken. Continue to add
the oil, a little more quickly, but still in a slow, thin stream. Adjust
seasonings, fold in herbs (do not process herbs).
note: mayonnaise can be made by hand by combining the ingredients in
a bowl rather than a processor, and whisking with a wire whisk. Whisk
rather frantically, adding the oil drop by drop in the beginning, gradually
increasing to a thin, steady stream.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com

Sweet Eggs
Sweet Sabayon with Fresh Strawberries
serves 2-4
Simple & seasonal, this elegant dessert makes excellent use of ripe
strawberries and abundant market eggs.
yolks of 3 very fresh farm eggs
3 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. Madeira
1 Tbsp. Cognac
fresh strawberries
• Put all of the ingredients in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering
water and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Serve hot
over strawberries, or try it over other fresh seasonal fruit, such as
peaches, raspberries, or poached pears.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com

La Stracciatella
Roman Eggdrop Soup with Spinach
makes 2 quarts
Substitute spring peas, summer zucchini, or autumn mushrooms for the
spinach. This soup has the charm of being both rich and light, is easily
digestible, and is a wonderful restorative.
8 cups rich, well seasoned homemade meat broth
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3 fresh farm eggs
¼ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
grated zest of 1 lemon
a tiny grating of nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ pound spinach, chopped
4 Tbsp. chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
Bring the broth to a boil.
Meanwhile, prepare the egg mixture. Combine the eggs with the
breadcrumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, lemon zest, and nutmeg. Season
with salt and pepper.
The broth should be steadily, but not rapidly, boiling. Gently whisk in
the egg mixture a spoonful at a time (do not over whisk, as this will break
up the strands of egg mixture too much). Add the chopped spinach and
let the soup cook for 1 minute. Stir in the parsley, adjust seasonings
and serve hot.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com

Savory Seared Grits
with Sautéed Greens and a Poached Farm Egg
serves 4
For a savory breakfast, serve cornmeal grits fresh out of the pot, creamy
and smooth, with sautéed seasonal greens and a poached farm egg. Or
make up a batch of grits the night before, or even a day or two ahead,
and pour the mixture into an oiled loaf pan. When cool, you can slice
and sear the grit-cake in a skillet, or put a slice in the toaster oven and
warm through. Top it with whatever looks good in the fridge; sautéed
peppers, caramelized onions, roasted mushrooms, or even cooked beans
and salsa.
For the grits:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup yellow cornmeal, medium-grind
1 ½ Tbsp. nutritional yeast, or to taste
freshly ground black pepper
For the greens:
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled & thinly sliced
a pinch of chile flake
1 pound spinach, kale, or Swiss chard, cleaned and cut into thick
ribbons
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the egg:
4 very fresh free-range farm eggs, at room temperature
2 tsp. distilled white vinegar
pinch of sea salt
Prepare the grits. Bring 5 cups of water, the olive oil, salt, and bay leaf
to a boil. Whisking vigorously with one hand, sift the cornmeal into the
water in a thin, steady stream. Keep whisking until the cornmeal is
thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Reduce the heat to
medium-low, and bring gradually to a boil (this will take about 5
minutes), stirring frequently and thoroughly with a wooden spoon. When
the grits begin to bubble, lower the heat so that there is a continuous but
slow perking, and partially cover the pot. Cook for 30-40 more minutes,
stirring frequently, and working cautiously around the hot bubbling pot.
When the grits are done, they will be creamy, thick, and glossy.
Season the cooked grits with the nutritional yeast, and freshly ground
black pepper. Serve hot, or pour into a lightly greased loaf pan and allow
to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate the loaf until cool and firm
(ideally overnight), then slice and heat as needed.
To prepare the greens, put the olive oil, garlic, and chile flake in a wide
skillet and warm over a medium flame. When the garlic just starts to
sizzle, add the greens, along with a pinch of salt and freshly ground
pepper. Toss and stir the greens, and continue to cook and stir until the
greens are tender. Serve over grits along with a poached farm egg.
Poach the egg: Crack the eggs into 4 small bowls or ramekins. Fill a
large skillet with water about 2 inches deep and bring to a boil. Add the
vinegar and salt and reduce the heat to a simmer.
Slide the eggs into the water one at a time and poach for 2-3 minutes,
until the whites set and a thin, translucent film forms over the yolks.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the poaching water and set
them over the plated grits & greens. Serve at once.
Chef Kathryn Yeomans
The Farmer’s Feast
http://thefarmersfeast.wordpress.com

Spaetzle with Cabbage, Bacon, and Onions
Pork recipes do not have to be heavy on meat.  This one just uses a little.  Inspired by a recipe in Bon Appetit Cookbook.  Can be made with butter or any oil substituted for the bacon if you prefer a vegetarian option.
4 slices thick-cut bacon
4 oz dry spaetzle
1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
1.5 tsp salt, divided
8 oz thinly sliced green cabbage or 4 oz each sliced cabbage and sliced kale (tough stems removed)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar or Kookoolan Farms Kombucha Vinegar
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 tsp black pepper

1.  Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until risp.  Remove bacon and set aside to cool.  Pou off the rendered bacon fat, reserving 2 Tbsp in the pan.  Crumble or chop the bacon.
2.  Cook spaetzle in boiling salted water until almost completely tender.  There should still be some bite to it.  (It will finish cooking later when added to the rest of the ingredients.)  Drain the spaetzle, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water.
3.  Add the onions to the hot bacon fat.  Att 1 tsp salt and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until onions are soft and beginning to brown, stirring frequently.
4.  Add cabbage and continue to cook until tender.
5.  Add bacon and spaetzle and cook until heated through.
Serve with rye bread, or crusty french bread.


Espresso Stout-braised Pork Shoulder
The flavors of beer and coffee combine to create an earthy sauce, perfect for coating shredded pork shoulder.  Serve the meat in sandwiches or piled atop mashed potatoes with a pint of stout on the side.
3 lbs bone-in pork shoulder blade roast (recommended: Kookoolan Farms Red Wattles heritage breed pork!)
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cups espresso stout
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1.  Rub the pork with the salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large lidded pot over medium-high heat and brown the meat on all sides.  Remove the pork from the pot.
2.  Add the onion to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the stout, sugar, and balsamic vinegar and bring to a simmer over high heat.
3.  Reduce the heat to low and return the pork to the pot.  over the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer until the meat is fork-tender and easily pulls away from the bone, about 3 hours.
4.  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 oF.  Remove the pork from the pot and place it in a large baking dish.  Bake until lightly browned, about 20 minutes.
5.  While the pork browns, place a large strainer over a large bowl and pass the contents of the pot through the strainer, discarding the solids.  Bring the liquid to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat until it has reduced by half and has a consistency similar to barbeque sauce.
6.  Remove the pork from the oven and shred it into large pieces using two forks.  Discard any large pieces of fat.  Ladle the sauce over the shredded pork (you may not need all of it -- serve extra sauce on the side) and toss gently to coat the meat.  Serve immediately.


KEVIN GIBSON'S DUCK BREAST WITH PERSIMMONS
Persimmons are a fall fruit.  Save this recipe for autumn.  Serves 2.
2 tsp whole coriander seed
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp salt
1 duck breast (preferably Kookoolan Farms Pekin duck -- call or email ahead to ask us to quarter one for you; confit the legs separately, see confit recipe on this page)
2 rips fuyu persimmons
2 handfuls arugula, dressed with a simple vinaigrette
1.  Grind together coriander, cinnamon, and peppercorns, and mix with salt.
2.  Score the skin of the duck breast, and rub in the spice mixture.
3.  Refrigerate duck breast for a few hours to allow the spices to permeate -- allow to come to room temperature before cooking.
4.  Heat a dry saute pan over a low flame, and cook gently until the color just begins to change above the skin and the meat has the beginnings of structure but hasn't quite become firm, about 10 minutes.  (The goal is to crisp the skin but keep the top rare.)
5.  Spoon off the excess as fat renders out.
6.  Turn meat over and cook for just 30 seconds on the flip side.
7.  Remove from heat and let rest 5 minutes.
8.  Peel the persimmons, removing cores, and cut into wedges while the duck rests.
10.  Plate the duck with the persimmons over a bed of arugula.


Braised Venison Shoulder Roast

1 2-1/2 to 3 pound boneless venison shoulder roast, tied  (bone-in should work as well; should also be tied)
Extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 cup canned tomatoes, chopped
1 apple, any type, cored and chopped
1/2 oz. dried porcini or chanterelle mushrooms
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup apple juice
1/2 cup red wine
Fresh thyme, chopped
Fresh rosemary, chopped
2 bay leaves
Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

1.       Pre-heat oven to 300.

2.      Season venison with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium high heat and brown venison on all sides.

3.      Remove venison to a plate, reduce heat to medium, and add onion, carrot, and celery. Saute until vegetables have become mahogany in color, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, saute briefly.

4.      Add red wine and deglaze pan, then add tomato, apple, and dried mushroom.

5.      Let mixture come to a boil before stirring in beef broth and apple juice. Bring to a boil again, then add thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, venison and any juices that have collected on plate.

6.      Cover roast with parchment paper, pressing it down so that it almost touches the meat and the edges extend about an inch over the sides of the pot. Cover tightly and place in oven. After 1 hour, turn roast. Continue braising for a total of about 2 hours, or until meat is fork tender (if bone-in, until meat pulls away from bone).

7.           Remove roast to carving board or serving platter and cover loosely with foil.

8.      Run braising liquid through food mill into sauce pan. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Bring liquid to a boil over medium heat and reduce to desired consistency.

  I received this from Debra Lynn Dadd's e-newsletter.  She served this with swiss chard, chopped and sauteed in a bit of butter with a sprinkling of nutmeg.  It was a perfect autumn meal for a rainy evening.  makes 4 servings

FARAONA AL SUCCO D’UVA (Roasted Guinea Hen with Grape Juice) Ingredients:             1 Guinea hen, well cleaned and dry             1 onion, medium chop             1 carrot, medium chop             I stalk of celery, medium chop             Extra virgin olive oil             4 cups white grape must (don’t know why you couldn’t use red)             5 leaves of sage             1 handful of herbs such as rosemary & sage             several cloves of garlic             1 Tbsp butter             1 Tbsp flour             salt & pepper   First, prepare sale herbe, a mixture of ½ sea salt and ½ a mixture of equal parts black pepper, finely chopped rosemary & sage and finely chopped garlic.  Make about a cup.  It’s a fabulous, all purpose seasoning, great on roasted potatoes, too.   Method:   1.                  Cut a deep slit (3/4” wide) in each side of the hen between the breast & thigh joint.  Stuff 1 tablespoon of sale herbe into each slit. 2.                  Put sage leaves and 1-2 tablespoons of sales herbe in the hen’s cavity.  Try to coat cavity generously. 3.                  Place the chopped vegetables in a baking pan and the Guinea hen on top.  Pour about ½ cup of olive oil (or more) over all.  Season with salt and pepper. 4.                  Cook in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 90 minutes.  Remove the hen from the oven and increase the temperature to 425 degrees. Then add 3 cups of grape juice, poured over hen, and cook until hen is crispy. 5.                  Remove the hen from the pan and deglaze the pan with another cup of grape juice (or more if necessary).  Make a buerre mane (equal parts butter & flour as a paste) and add to sauce a little at a time to thicken. 6.                  Cut the Guinea hen and serve with sauce ladled over or on the side.   Serves 4   What a way to showcase our region’s grapes!   Sauteed Rabbit with Cherry Beer and Dried Cherries, from "Everybody Eats Well in Belgium Cookbook" by Ruth Van Waerebeek Sauteed Rabbit with Cherry Beer and Dried Cherries, a recipe created for a beer-tasting dinner at the James Beard House.  The secret of the sauce lies in the lambic kriek beer, a spontaneously fermented ale, original to Belgium, made from wheat, malter barley, and fresh black cherries, which impart their color and flavor.  It is brewed according to la methode champenoise, and the final product has the refinement, bubbles, and elegance of a great Champagne.  I like to serve the dish with wild rice, Belgian endives, and a casserole of wild mushrooms.  The accompanying beverage should certainly be kriek beer served in champagne glasses.  Buy three times the amount of beer called for in the recipe:  to drink during cooking, to cook with, and to serve with the meal! 3 Tbsp unsalted butter 1 whole rabbit, split or butterflied, boned if you're ambitious but OK to skip that salt and pepper to taste 2 Tbsp finely diced carrot 2 Tbsp finely diced celery 2 Tbsp finely diced onion 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour 1 bottle (12 oz) cherry kriek lambic beer 2 Tbsp red currant jelly (visit Ayers Creek Farm's booth for this) 2 Tbsp dried cherries or cranberries (visit Cherry Country farm's booth for this) 1.  Melt butter in a heavy skillet until it foams.  Season the rabbit with salt and pepper, add it to the skillet, and sautee until browned on both sides and medium rare, about 10 minutes.  Do not overcook or the rabbit will be tough.  Remove meat to a warmed platter and set aside. 2.  Add any rabbit bones to the skillet if you have chosen to bone the rabbit; brown them for a few minutes being careful not to burn the butter.  Add the vegetables, stirring constantly, until vegetables have browned slightly. 3.  Sprinkle flour over the vegetables; cooking, stirring, until the flour is absorbed, about 1 minute.  Deglaze with beer, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, and boil for 1 minute.  Add the red currant jelly and stir until dissolved. 4.  Reduce the sauce by half over medium heat, 5 to 6 minutes.  Pour through a strainer and return the sauce to the skillet (Chrissie sometimes skips the straining).  Add the cherries and simmer 10 minutes. Swirl 1 Tbsp additional butter into the sauce; return the meat to the skillet and reheat quickly in the sauce.  Taste and adjust the salt and pepper, and serve at once. Pheasant with Leek and Pecan Stuffing, from "The Silver Palate Cookbook" by Julee Russo and Sheila Lukins -- Chrissie's favorite way to prepare pheasant, guinea hen, and Red Bourbon turkey.  Chrissie and Koorosh agree:  Red Bourbon heritage breed turkey is the best poultry of any kind either of us has ever had, bar none.  It's not just for Thanksgiving. This is hands-down the best poultry stuffing I've ever had.  It takes some work, so whever I make this recipe, I make a double-batch of the stuffing, and freeze it in ziplock bags before wetting it with broth.  Later when I want to roast something small and simple like a chicken or guinea hens, I just pull the ziplock out of the freezer, pour hot broth over the stuffing, stuff my bird, and roast. On an amusing sidenote, the recipe is prefaced this way in the cookbook:  "We think pheasant is one of the most delicious of the domestically raised game birds available to us.  It is rich and meaty, with a firm texture no longer found in chicken.  If care is taken during roasting, the meat is moist and succulent."  Of course our customers know that you can in fact still get Real Chicken, and this recipe works great with chicken too.  And guinea hen.  And almost any game bird. 2 pheasants or guinea hens, or one large roasting chicken, or a Red Bourbon Turkey 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped 2 tbsp plus 1 tsp dried marjoram, or 2 cups fresh in season 1/4 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tbsp fresh in season 1 bay leaf 2 sprigs Italian parsley 3 cups chicken stock (of course make your own from Kookoolan Farms feet and necks, don't buy canned) 12 Tbsp (1.5 sticks) sweet butter 10 medium-sized leeks, white part only, well cleaned and thinly sliced 6 cups crumbs from good-quality white or wheat bread 2 cups toasted pecans 1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley 4 slices of pancetta, 4 oz total (bacon can be substituted, but pancetta really tastes different and better! -- buy the most expensive pancetta at Viande Meats inside Pastaworks/City Market in northwest Portland, it really does make a difference in this recipe!) 1/2 cup heavy cream 1.  Rinse poultry inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels.  If organs are available, chop neck, heart and gizzard but save the liver for another use. 2.  heat oil in a small saucepan.  Brown neck and giblets well, turning frequently.  Add onion, carrot, and 1 tsp marjoram.  Reduce heat to low and cook covered undtil vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. 3.  uncover, add thyme, bay, parsley, and stock, and season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes.  Strain the stock, discarding the solids, and reserve. 4.  melt the butter in a skillet.  stir in the sliced leeks and cook covered over low heat about 30 minutes until very tender. 5.  toss the leeks and their butter with the bread crumbs, pecans, chopped parsley, and remaining marjoram.  Season lightly with salt and generously with pepper, and toss again.  (NOTE:  at this point you can freeze part of the stuffing for later convenience.)  If the stuffing seems dry, moisten it with the reserved broth. 6.  preheat the oven to 375 F. 7.  Stuff your poultry, truss if necessary, and drape the breasts with pancetta.  Set the birds in a roasting pan. 8. set the roasting pan in the middle of the oven and roast until done, basting occasionally with the fat and juices that accumulate.  Chrissie likes to test smaller birds by pricking the thigh to check that the juices are clear; for turkeys, check the breast temperature.  When done, remove the birds from the pan, cover with foil, and keep warm while you make the gravy. 9.  Pour excess fat out of the pan (of course reserve it for later sauteeing of vegetables and potatoes).  Pour reserved stock and heavy cream into the pan, and set over medium heat.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, sturring and scraping up any browned bits, until sauce is reduced by about one third.  Taste and correct seasoning with salt and pepper, and morethyme if desired. 10. Carve birds, arrange the meat on a platter, mound the stuffing in the center of the platter, and drizzle the meat and stuffing with the sauce.  Serve immediately, passing the remaining sauce in a boat.

CIDERHOUSE APPLE CHICKEN

2 1/2 lbs chicken with bones (quartered chickens work well)

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup good quality, fresh apple cider

2 cloves garlic

2 medium yellow onions

1 medium green apple

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 cup cream

fresh parsley

 

1. If you are using chicken breasts, cut them into large chunks, about 2"x2". If you are using pieces, leave wings and legs whole and cut breasts into three pieces. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Melt the butter in your largest skillet, and lay out the pieces of chicken in a single layer. If they don't all fit, do this in batches. On high heat, cook until brown on both sides.

3. Pour the cider into the pan, and finely grate in the garlic cloves (if you don't have a fine grater like a microplane, you can also use a garlic press or chop very fine).

4. Slice the onions and apple (leave skin on but remove core) and lay slices on top of the chicken.

5. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

6. Remove chicken, apples, and onions from pan into a bowl, and cover to keep warm. Add mustard and cream to pan juices. Cook for a few minutes on high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Add chicken, apples, and onions back into the pan and stir to coat with sauce.

7. Serve to warm dishes and sprinkle with parsley.

JACKIE BESSLER'S HASENPFEFFER
(German Peppered Hare/Rabbit)

This is the recipe I used for the rabbit we bought from you awhile back.  It was delicious.  I think the only thing I’d add would be fresh mushrooms, in season.  We served this with wild rice and a fresh salad from Growing Wild Farm. 2 ½ pounds of rabbit (up to 3#), cut up
2 cups Pinot Noir
1 tablespoons good quality wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar (with the mother)
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves

Place cut-up rabbit in flat refrigerator container.  In bowl, combine remaining ingredients; pour over rabbit.  Marinate overnight in refrigerator.  Place marinated rabbit in crock pot.  Add 1 ½ cups marinade, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.  Remove meat to warm platter.  Thicken gravy, if desired.  Serves 4.

 

Confit of Duck or Goose

Here is an easy step by step way to successfully prepare confit of duck with ideas for variations. Ingredients
Curing

• 4 legs of duck, or a whole goose or duck, cut into eight pieces
• 2 tbsp. sea salt
• 1 rosemary stalk
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 juniper berries
• 1 garlic clove

   

To Cook

500-600g (1 lb) duck or goose or chicken fat, or lard

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 rosemary stem
• 1 bay leaf

   

Method

To Cure: Rub the salt into the duck legs and place in a container with the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and juniper berries. Cover and leave in the refrigerator for 24 hours. Remove the duck from the refrigerator and lightly wash off all the salt and pat dry the duck or brush off all the salt.

To Cook: Place the duck fat in a pan which is large enough to hold the fat and duck legs, with a heat proof lid. Over a moderately low heat melt the duck fat. Add the garlic, rosemary, bay leaf and the duck legs. The fat should totally cover the duck. Cover the pan and cook slowly on the stove or in the oven at the lowest setting (it is best to cook in the oven if your stove doesn't have a very low heat). Cook the duck legs for 2 hours then remove from the oven and allow to cool.

To Store: Remove the duck from the fat and place in a jar or container. Strain the fat through a muslin and pour it over the duck so that it is totally covered, be careful not to pour in any of the duck stock that will be at the bottom you may set this aside to use for a sauce. Seal the container well and refrigerate until ready to cook. The duck can be eaten straight away if necessary but it is best left for at least one week to allow the flavours to develop.  Keeps well for months if kept cool and dry, and if each time you remove a piece of meat you make sure what remains is well covered in fat.  

 

Suggestions for use

A piece of confit, sautéed briefly, in which new potatoes and perhaps a truffle are then sautéed.
Porcini or other wild mushrooms, sautéed with a bit of confit,
Fall cabbage sautéed in confit.