Roger's View of the World, Love and Seafood Gumbo!
Seize the Day! Put no trust in the morrow! — Horace
The above version departed slightly from the original recipe incorporating lean ground pork and lamb with the bacon and a spicy curry flavoring to the rice… oh yes, our five chef’s marinara sauce completes it!
Bon appetite!
If you’ve been to the grocery store recently, you’ve noticed the price of many products have gone up significantly, particularly pork. Frankly, I am a little disturbed that ‘other people’ have discovered the wonders of pork products and actually like it! It is a staple in much of what I cook from soup bases to using Bacon fat along with butter in many fun recipes.
Now I am not trying to cause a panic, but I noticed something as simple as Bacon has become quite pricey! It’s not like I am going to give it up anytime soon… I am only going to fill my freezers! However, there is hope; the inventory will continue it’s downward trend reflecting the jump in deman, but supply will catch up in the years ahead.
I am also impressed with the offerings of pork in many restaurants, some including an all pork section!
Hmmm… I am definitely hungry!
Oh yes, I think we know what this is all about! My daughter Kristin was visiting the Island of Pilau and had one of their — uh — dare you eat it delicacies called Fruit Bat Pie. Judging from how it looks the recipe seems fairly simple: 1) catch a fruit bat, 2) boil ’em 3) bake ’em in a pie and 4) eat ’em!
Don’t you love to eat something that can look right back up at you?
Bon Appetite!
My chef grandmother always said that it is hard to be a good chef and skinny… because of the need to taste everything before it is served. After all, how else would you catch the obvious omissions or unintended substitutions. The chef is the ultimate quality control.
I made just what any young man would want on his birthday and Scott amused me by saying that the steaks were so tender it was easy to enjoy 4 pounds worth. I might add , with room to spare! Flavoring and tenderizing meat has many secrets, but most are all time intensive.
As for me, I do indulge in a Biscotti every day that represents around 200 calories or so. This is my ultra diet version as it contains no nuts ( actually, I was so busy with the steaks, I forgot to add them!)
I think the key to any successful diet is to have something you like in your day that doesn’t taste or represent the word ‘diet’ in any way.
There is no secret that certain parts of the world have food that I find intriguing, delicious and worth the effort. Sometimes old recipes find modern day adherents because the food is timeless and wonderful. In other posts I have talked about the ‘one pot’ cooking method that is duplicated around the world, although I am most familiar with recipes of European origin. In Europe, at one time, a pot continually was cooking and things were thrown in and periodically a portion was drawn out for a meal. I love the story of the famous French tavern that cleaned out their famous pot once a year to the loud objections of their regular patrons!
The early Dutch settlers of southern Africa brought with them in the 1600’s, a large three legged iron pot and a meal they called ‘Potjiekos’ pronounced pot·jie·kos [ póykee kàwss ]. In America our electric ‘crock pot’ does much the same sort of thing, although cooked in the outdoors near or around a fire with hot coals makes a big difference n the final result.
I wanted a Potjie recipe designed with wild game in mind, particularly Elk or Moose and I knew who exactly would be able to give me a start and that was Africhef Michael Tracy. I smiled when I saw one of the ingredients was ‘Rashers’, a term for a particular type of bacon that I haven’t seen since I was a kid…. but I found some and plan to use!
Another favorite of mine is Boerewors… or a nice Afrikaner sausage of beef and pork. I will make plenty of this for the holidays …when we all can sit back over a fire and pour down a cold ‘Castle’ …if I can find a case or two.