Ground Lamb, Venison, or Beef Kebab (Kubideh)

I bought My Charming Companion some birthday kebab skewers - they are Persian style skewers that are 1" thick and VERY long, which assists in better cooking in the wood stove. The wide skewers are really useful to make Kubideh - or ground meat kebabs. I've never had them before, but the recipe in A Taste of Persia was enticing, and the photos are beautiful. It's almost like sausage - because really, it is spiced meat, but the spicing is so different, and the meat is much more lean, so it also isn't like sausage at all. I found that the kubideh mostly reminded me of gyro's - I think because of the texture, but also some similar spicing. *Note: you can also make this as meatballs and just saute them in a skillet. Super easy and delicious, without the fire!

I tried the kubideh with both venison and lamb. They were both delicious, but I found that the venison stuck much better to the skewer. You kind of need the wide skewer so that the meat has something to stick to - and even so, the lamb was falling off! I did a little research, and I think that using a food processor to make the mixture as paste-like as possible will really help (versus twice grinding it, then kneading it by hand for 15 minutes). I cannot wait for summer to have this dish with tomatoes (also roasted on the grill). I also think a mix of beef or venison with lamb would be excellent.

For meat:
1 large onion, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 pounds lean beef, venison, lamb
2 t salt
1 t freshly ground pepper
1 T fresh lime juice
1/2 t baking soda

For basting:
2 T melted butter
1/2 t fresh lime juice
1/4 t salt

*Before you start preparing the food, get your fire started/charcoal going so that everything is burned down to nice coals to cook on.
1. Puree onion and garlic in a food processor. In a large bowl, mix meat with onion puree. Add other spices, lime juice, and baking soda (this is to help tenderize the meat).
2. Working in 2-3 batches, put the meat mix in the food processor and process until a thick paste. Once all the meat has been processed, cover the paste and set aside for 15 minutes at room temperature.(If you are making meatballs, skip this step and just combine all the ingredients and shape into balls, then brown on medium-high heat on all sides.)
3. With damp hands, divide the meat paste into 12 equal sized lumps. Form each lump into a sausage shape about 5" long and mold it firmly around a flat skewer. (I watched a youtube video with a fancy technique to sort of scallop the meat on the skewer. Watch at 7:20 for that demo - he is using larger pieces of meat and is clearly quite skilled at this.)
4. For basting, combine the butter, lime juice, and salt in a small saucepan. Keep warm over very low heat.
5. When the coals are glowing, arrange the skewers 3" above the coals. You do not want the ground meat to touch the grill (though if you have a grill, this would prevent you from losing any meat should it come off the skewer). Let the kebabs cook a few seconds, just until they change color; then turn the skewers gently to color the other side of the meat. This keeps the meat from falling apart. Then turn gently one more to brown each side.

This is what I will strive for mine to look like!

6. Grill the meat for 3-5 minutes on each side, and brush it with basting mixture just before removing it from the grill (or in my case, just after taking it out of the wood stove). The total cooking time should be 6-10 minutes, and the meat should be seared on the outside, but pink on the inside. If it gets overcooked, it will become a bit rubbery, like a sausage. That is not the effect you  are going for!
7. Slide the meat off the skewers onto a plate with a fork. Sprinkle with lime juice to taste. Traditionally this is served with grilled tomatoes, saffron rice and lavash bread, but I ate it with a tahini sauce (tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, water, and salt). Any grilled veggies would be great.

Bacon wrapped Sardines

My longest standing memory of sardines is from the movie/play "Noises Off!" In the film version it is Carol Burnett who keeps getting to talk about the sardines, but really all of the characters do and I remember finding the whole thing hysterical when I was young. I think it was the way Carol Burnett said sardines, or just the way the sardines became like a character in the whole show.

Anyway - I had never actually had sardines until a year or two ago when I ate them copiously with rice, and then on cucumber slices after I stopped eating grains. My co-workers think it is an odd lunch, but sardines make Mark's Daily Apple list of top foods that are chock full of good stuff for you. They fall in the category of "Tiny fish with heads and guts" - though the brand I buy (and that is currently on sale for $2 each at the co-ops) is Wild Planet, and the heads are no longer on the fish. Alas. But you still get the guts and all the Omega 3's and algae and all that.

In the winter I often like to eat lunches that are warm or hot - so I was excited to stumble upon this bacon wrapper idea for the sardines. It's also kind of festive, you could make these as a party appetizer if you were so inclined. I have thought about stuffing a little water chestnut (a la Rumaki - which is liver and water chestnut wrapped in bacon) inside too, but have not tried it yet. This is such a good weekend lunch with a little soup or salad.

I get the Beeler bacon ends because they are cheaper, but each package inevitably includes some strips of bacon that are thin or too fat, and also a bunch of shorter bits. I find the "ends" work well to wrap the sardines in because they tend to be smaller, but regular slices would work too. You probably will need to cut them in half though.

Just wrap a bacon slice around each sardine - you can keep it in place with a toothpick, but I just wrap them up and tuck the bacon end under the sardine. Bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees, until bacon is crispy. Dip them in homemade mayo if you want, or eat them as is!

Butternut Squash Khoresh

Khoresh # 2! This is another recipe from A Taste of Persia. I used venison in this one too, and it tasted great. This recipe is a little on the sweet side - something I am less used to in meat dishes, and it is also a bit more broth-y than other stews. The broth was delicious though.

I am posting the original recipe below, however I changed the recipe some: I used way less prunes (maybe 5 of them) and 1/2 c. of apple cider in place of sugar; I used 2 c. chicken broth in lieu of water; and I added an extra 1/2 lb of meat. I found it plenty sweet and will maybe forgo the apple cider all together next time. The prunes break down, and I found that even the handful of them (chopped up) gave a really nice hint of dried plum flavor without the extra fructose. 

Butternut Squash Khoresh
5 T ghee, butter or coconut oil
2 small onions peeled and thinly sliced
1 lb. skinless boneless chicken or meat (lamb, venison, beef) cut into thin strips
1 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1 t cinnamon
1 1/2 c pitted prunes
2 lbs butternut squash
4 T sugar
1/4 c fresh lime juice
1/4 t saffron threads dissolved in 1 T hot water (opt)

1. In a medium pot, heat 3 T butter/ghee over medium heat. Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the meat and stir-fry 15 minutes longer, stirring occasionally until browned. Add salt, cinnamon, prunes, pepper, and 2 1/2 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, peel the squash and cut into 2-inch cubes. In a large skillet, heat 2 T butter/ghee over medium heat. Add the squash and stir-fry for 10 minutes, until all sides are golden brown.
3. Add sugar, lime juice, saffron water, and butternut squash cubes to the meat. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes over low heat.
4. Taste the khoresh and adjust the seasoning for salt and lime juice. Serve!

Paleo Tuna Melt (in a pepper)

As I kid I used to love tuna: tuna salad, "tuna on toast" (which seems to be a midwestern concoction of cream of mushroom soup mixed with tuna heated up, poured over toast or shoestring potatoes. Kind of strange sounding now, but I loved it), and I especially loved tuna melts - something about the crunchy toast and warm tuna and salty olives. Yum.

Last summer, when I still had garden green peppers, I tried making tuna stuffed peppers as a version of a tuna melt. It turned out great - somehow the roasted pepper keeps that nice crisp feeling that is slightly toast like, while also being charred. Charred peppers as toast - who knew?!

I had one this week for dinner - it is super easy and fast, without any fussing. You know, one of those dinners I can make in 10 minutes and then eat it while watching Top Chef or whatever...it's one of those bachelor weeknight moments. 

Paleo Tuna Melt (for one)
1 Pepper (any color works)
1 can tuna
homemade mayo
mustard
olives
celery
onion
parsley
salt and pepper
Anything else you like in your tuna salad

1. Cut pepper in half, de-seed it, and put both halves (bottom side up) under the broiler for 5-7 minutes. You want them to blacken just a little.
2. While peppers are roasting, mix up your tuna salad however you like - I like to chop everything up small and use a good amount of mayo.
3. When peppers are starting to blacken, pull them out to stuff. They will be really hot, so I usually need to use oven mitts to hold them while I stuff them with the tuna mix.
4. Put the stuffed peppers back in the broiler, face up this time. Roast them for another 5-7 minutes until the tops brown. Eat!

Cream of Mushroom soup

There are some really beautiful (local) crimini mushrooms at the co-op right now: I was checking out at the Wedge last week, and the check-out person, who was jovial and chatty, joked that they were nearly portobella sized.

Later, as I was packing them up in my bag, I overheard the check-out person greeting the next customer: "Wow. You look just like the person who plays with Bon Iver - do you know Bon Iver?" I did not hear the reply, except that clearly the person behind me WAS indeed that person because then the checker-outer got really excited, saying "Oh wow, I just really love your music. This is really exciting to meet you..." and sort of continued on in a very endearing, fan sort of way. I figured the checker outer must be a pretty big Bon Iver fan, because I would guess that Bon Iver's band members don't usually get recognized in public outside of their home towns.

So. These crimini mushrooms had sighting of fame - not the big lead singer kind, but a behind-the-scenes, less recognized-but-still-so-important fame. So really, that is how I will describe this soup: not flashy, but good and wholesome!

Cream of Mushroom soup (serves 3-4)
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, chopped or sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
4 T butter or ghee
1 t thyme
2 c. chicken bone broth
1/2 c. dry wine
1/2 c. heavy cream (coconut cream/milk would work too)
salt to taste
parsley

1. Heat butter in a large, heavy pot. Add onions and saute 5 minutes, until slightly translucent. Add mushrooms and thyme and continue sauteing another 10 minutes or so, until juices are released from mushrooms. 
2. Add wine and simmer for a few minutes before adding the broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 5 more minutes.
3. Add cream and salt. Taste to check salt amount until it is to your liking. Top with chopped parsley and serve.
*I am thinking that this soup would also be nice blended up - it might get a bit thicker and be a little more Campbell's-soup-like that way (you know, with all the minced up mushroom bits...)

Roadkill + My last kabocha squash

Well, I've been sort of hoarding my supply of kabocha squash over the past couple of months, but I finally ate the last one this weekend, with lots of steak. Yum.

These steaks are backstrap, from the roadkill deer My Charming Companion named "Nice Guy" after the really nice guy who pulled over when he saw My Charming Companion by the side of the road. (All of the deer get named so as to know what one is eating, and to help remember the circumstances of that specific deer.) Their conversation then went like this:

Nice Guy: (very casual-like) "What are you going to do with that, use the hide?"
MCC: "Oh, no. I am going to eat it."
NG: (smiling now) "Oh, Yeah. I eat them too."
And then Nice Guy helped get the deer into the truck.

I have been along for some deer acquisition, and it seems common for roadkill eaters to sort of wait to reveal that yes, they do indeed eat it. One state trooper who was issuing us a permit asked "Are you bringing that home for your dogs or something?" and when we said, no - it is for us, he said "I eat them too! Sometimes I bring a cooler in my car so if I am working I can at least get the backstrap." And then all kinds of cameraderie ensues. It is quite fun, and definitely a contrast to the response of non-roadkill eaters, who tend to get a sort of confused, avert the gaze look.

Anyway, the backstrap was delicious cooked in a cast iron skillet until medium rare, then eaten with with butter and fleur de sel. I also made my 2012 fave fall winter recipe: Roasted squash with date relish and pumpkin seeds. Though in this case I used a few dried cherries in place of the dates, and just cut up the squash in small bite sized pieces to roast it for ease of prep.

Chicory "coffee"

A couple of weeks ago I discovered chicory root "coffee" - really, it is a root and more of a tea, but this is the most coffee like substance that is not coffee that I have ever had. (I will note that I have only been drinking decaf for the past two years, and not everyday, so maybe that affects things?)

I have been getting roasted chicory root in bulk at either the Seward ($18/lb - it's organic) or the Wedge ($13.30/lb - conventional), and I mix it with another tea of some kind. Straight up chicory is a little strong for me - it's bitter and rich and feels high octane - but I love it as a blend. I've become a bit obsessed lately, and I have a cup with almost every meal.

Apparently chicory is found wild throughout the United States, including Minnesota. The purple flowers and tall height seem easy to spot, so I will keep my eye out. There is a nice post from Hunter Angler Gardner Cook about his experience growing chicory and roasting it to make the coffee/tea. I am intrigued to try to find some root 9or look into growing it?) and roast it because the roasting smell sounds amazing, in addition to the tastiness.

So, in the meanwhile, if you procure yourself some chicory, my method of preparation is similar to cowboy coffee.

Chicory in St Paul

For one 8oz mug:
1 tsp roasted chicory
1 tsp or 1/2 tea bag of tea of choice

Put the water, chicory and tea in a small pot on the stove. Heat it just until it starts to simmer, then turn the heat to low to have a low simmer for a minute or so. Remove from heat and strain out the tea/chicory through a tea strainer.

This is the dairy free cream - it is like whipped cream!

The tea will be very dark - the chicory is almost inky black, more so than coffee. I like it with lots of cream. I also tried it with this dairy free cream that is really thick - it was really good in this beverage - it made it taste almost chocolatey. 

My favorite teas to use in combo with chicory are:
Twig (very slightly caffeinated, sold in bulk at the Wedge or in boxes at the Seward)
Yogi Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut
Rooibus or Vanilla Rooibus
Decaf Green Tea

I have not liked a combo with anything fruity - it doesn't go with the bitterness of the chicory to me. You could also go with a coffee/chicory blend, which seems to be the most common way to have chicory. If you try that, use 1 T coffee with the 1 tsp chicory. Enjoy!