Here we find a rotisseried turkey portion from Rick’s Quality Meats of El Cerrito. I bought a breast portion thinking it would be an easy during the week supper. I got it home and smelled it, took a huge whiff and was suddenly overwhelmed with the urge to Gravy. How the hell was I supposed to get turkey gravy from a breast portion? Turns out I had some reduced turkey stock (with meat bits) in the freezer. I made a very rich, yet tender gravy and was able to get on with the meal. The turkey portion was reheated in an Asian style bamboo steamer, JUICY. And this was that.
Looks as though Fatted Calf has a gift for us this week. The little darling is called Petit Sale, a French style pancetta. I know Chef Shuna has been in to the guanciale, yum. Maybe greens are good, maybe it’ll be okay in the end. Next up we have the meal in a package, the Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with Savory Pork Sausage and Chard. I can’t say enough about these guys and that savory pork sausage with chard is amazing in itself. The weather is picking up, get that smoker going. It’s time. And now one of my favorites, the Pork and Wild Mushroom Crepinettes. I could survive on those alone, no kidding. Hey the Cotechino is back this week, too cool. If you missed it last weekend, try again this coming Saturday. It’s so good, so different. I noticed the Pate De Maison is back, it’s been absent. A local restaurant was hoarding Taylor’s stash, I almost considered visiting the restaurant to get me some. I backed out and figured it’d come back soon enough. And here it is and if it wasn’t for a bit of gout, I’d git myself a loaf. Looking under the Salumi heading I’m seeing something called Cacciatorini. After doing a bit of googlin’ it says that it’s usually half beef & half pork, could be all pork though. It is seasoned with black pepper, garlic, spices, dry white wine, and packed into a small natural casing. Aged for about a month. It does sound good huh? Go have a taste yourself this coming Saturday at the Berkeley Farmers Market, supposed to be sunny and niiiice.
Read on …
OK, class. Let’s sit up straight and pay attention. Today is the first day of Charcuterie 101, the class where you learn all about various items on the Fatted Calf Menu that you weren’t sure about before, or in some cases, the class where you get to feel all superior and smug cuz you already know everything there is to know about Charcuterie. (Meat Nerds, you know who you are.) Quickly, class, scan down the menu, and try to notice if there is anything you’re not too sure about. Well, we think Petit Sale would be a good place to start. Petit Sale is what is known as a French-Style Pancetta, according to the famous meat scholar Taylor. It’s cut a little thicker, cured a little more, and is just as aromatic and piggy as its’ Italian cousin. Generally cut in chunks and used for braising (think cabbage, shelling beans), or cut in chunks and fried into lardons, which is exactly what you want atop that frisee salad, nestled up next to that po ached egg. It’s bacon, people, you can’t go wrong. Homework: Buy some Petit Sale, cook it up, contact us at Meat Headquarters, and let us know what you come up with. In the coming weeks we’ll share some of the class projects with everyone.
Extra credit: Explore the many joys of Hoffman Quail (see below) and Pork and Wild Mushroom Crepinettes
See you at The Market!
SPECIAL
Hoffman Farm Quail stuffed with Savory Pork Sausage and Chard
Sausage
Pork and Wild Mushroom Crepinettes
Merguez
Hot Italian
Sweet Italian
Toulouse
Mexican Style Chorizo
Breakfast Sausage
Wieners
Bordelaise
Cotechino
Savory Pork Sausage with Greens
Pates, Confits & Terrines
Pate de Maison
Duck Pate
Duck Confit
Duck Rillettes
Rabbit Rillettes
Duck Liver Mousse
Salumi
Cacciatorini
Fegatelli
Chorizo
Mortadella
Pancetta
Petit Sale
Other Meaty Goods
Bacon
Duck Demi
Glace de Viande
Sugo di Carne
Went to the Fatted Calf stall last weekend. The breakfast sausage from there is really damn good and the Chorizo we got was perfect. Great tip!!
Hey Drew,
Glad you could make it. I picked up some Crepinettes, wieners, Sugo and a few other goodies. The next time you go, you may want to try the Toulouse sausage, very nice. Mild and tasty. Also pick up a jar of the Sugo Di Carne. It’s an amazing blend of beef & pork with hebies and stuff, mostly meat. Add this to a 16 oz can of your favorite tomato sauce or crushed, simmer for 20 and you have a red sauce that will most likely replace the one you make yourself. The reason I say that is because it’s replaced mine. If you’re feeling giddy, get a stick of any salami he has. It’s so fresh and bright with the best amount of fat/flavor delivery you could ask for. Just try it, I dare ya.
Biggles
Hey! I think we deserve a gravy recipe from the ineffable you, no?
and about that guanciale—it was mentioned in Knife’s Edge too and in this month’s SF Magazine when they reviewed Jack Falstaff!! It looks like I am going to be able to procure some of Haddock’s guanciale on his trip down here…maybe we need to have a guanciale brunch day sometime soon….?!
S
Hey Shuna,
Oh, I’m not ineffable, am I? I’d rather be elusive or aloof. Yes, Biggles is Elusive.
AHHAHAH, that would be cool. A guanciale party filled with Greens & Pasta !!! Nothing wrong with THAT.
Biggles
Hi Biggles! I’ve been an avid reader since I saw your blog promoted in the SFGate article. Great website! I love the idea of your “Charcuterie 101” class because I see all the different meats offered by Fatted Calf, but if I were to go to their stall at the farmer’s market, I’d have no idea what to get or how to prepare it. I’m all for trying new things, but it can be intimidating at the same time…
Hey Amy,
Hope you’re doing well this evening. Just go and start with something easy. Get a package of the Toulouse sausage. Fry lightly in a pan, serve with scrambled eggs & toast. The Toulouse is such an easy sausage to start with. Light and not too crazy.
You could also pick up a package of the crepinettes, cook the same way and serve with asparagus. Go tomorrow morning, for sure.
It’s fun. And just across the way you’ll find Loulou’s jams & marmalades, too nice.
You go, have fun.
Biggles
Hey Biggles,
You could be on to something, AGAIN! Reheating leftover turkey/chicken in a bamboo steamer.
Great idea…..got a steamer gathering dust right now, next leftover poultry will get the ‘Asian-Steam Treatment a la Biggles’.
Melissa
Hey Melissa,
Oh you bet. But since yours has been in hiding for a while, take it out and wash it with warm sudsy water. Scrubby Scrub. Rinse and let dry. Or put directly on to your wok with water underneath. Jack the heat and do a ‘dry run’ so to speak. Get it to temperature and let go for about ten minutes with no food in it. You may find some little mites or something else crawling from the cracks. It’s fine, just get them out before you load it with FOOD. Ya know?
Biggles
I’m looking for rabbit liver for sale. please email me at NCDAD42@GOOWY.COM to let me know if your company can help me or refer me to another.
thank you.