Afterwards I went to BJ's to get a jump on TG shopping. I think that I've got 99% of what I need. I was a little peaked after my hunting and gathering. I didn't do any of the EPA cleanup needed (though I've been chipping away at it). Probably just as well as my tendinitis in might right arm has come back. The doctor gave me a cortisone shot, and I've had no problems until this week. Falling apart!
One of the suckey things about Thanksgiving is that you still have to feed your family in the 2-3 days ahead of time while you are schlepping and prepping. I wished we could just eat cereal or sandwhiches!
We were given a deer hindquarter and a tenderloin. The hindquarter was so small and lean, I simply fed it to the dogs. I whacked the bone parts with my Chinese meat cleaver. Dexter wouldn't touch it which surprised me. I knew that Daisey wouldn't. I could cont on Greedy #1 (Angel) and Greedy #2 (Ella) to enjoy it. They did. With gusto.
The tenderloin I cooked in my new DeBuyer pan. I soaked it about an hour in a solution of weak vinegar which helps draw the bloodout. I rinse, pat dry and then season with salt/pepper. I then put a small amount of oil in the pan and get it shimmering hot. I put the tenderloin in whole and sear all over. It is medium rare. I served with a red wine sauce (red wine, butter, red fruit jelly/preserves and some thyme).
I have found that make very thin slices to within about 1 inch of the other side, and then cutting a serving section through provides a lovely presentation (imagine a book--the cut sections are the pages and the long end the spine). I then spoon the sauces over it so that it gets into the slices. It really is lovely.
I made lamb shanks this evening. I got 2 for just under $17. I've never made lamb shanks. I pulled out the DeBuyer pan again and shimmered some oil, patted dry, salt and pepper. I then seared the heck out of them before putting them in sweated onions, celery and carrots all roughly chopped with some rosemary and thyme. I put them in the oven on very low temperature. I made a pan sauce with a roux starter and then spooned in some of the braising liquid. I cooked red potatoes in the microwave and smashed them in a soup bowl. I spooned the vegetables from the braising liquid over, sliced the meat off the bone (it fell off), and then spooned some of the pan sauce over. I made homemade biscuits (using White Lily flour, which makes the best biscuits).
I would have never guessed that the meat was lamb. I love lamb; I know that many think it 'gamey'. But this I could not recognize as lamb. Really, really good.
The pleasures of good food--and the pleasure of cooking it with good equipment.
0 comments:
Post a Comment