Ah yes, here comes the Porchetta and this time it’s fancy Berkshire Pig from Newman Farm. I haven’t had a lot of the Newman Farm product, but what I have had has been rich and tasty. A little redder than one might have guessed, so nice. Remember, cook this cutie no more than 138 degrees F, then pull and let stand for a bit. If you have a smoker or grill, this is most certainly the way it likes it the best. Or you can roast it in the oven with some veggies or just by itself. I usually roast it by itself, this way I get the pure roasting sensation. Not all mucked up with vegetables making a damned steam bath, ick. I like my skin & fat all caramelly.
If the Porchetta isn’t enough, they’ve whipped up a badass crepinette for this week. Lamb Crepinettes with Cumin, Persian Mint and Orange, you can read that again if’n you’d like. I’m not convinced I’ve seen these before, that orange and mint sound too good to pass up. Crepinettes are so good for breakfast!
ooOOooo, look. Rabbit Pate with Chives. Oh man, the rabbit has such a nice mild sweet flavor and the chives melt right in making it a great dinner in itself. But of course we’d never indulge that far, would we? I would.
The menu looks really good this week and you’d be missing out if you didn’t at least stop by for a gander.
If you’d like to pre-order your roast so it will be waiting for you, please visit their order page now. I use it on a frequent basis, it’s nice to have the security of your meat with your name on it.
I look forward to seeing you at the market in Berkeley Saturday morning, rain or shine.
Please continue on to read the real Fatted Calf Newsletter written by them, not me.
Fatted Calf
Phone/Fax (510)653-4327
I have an obsession with food from a truck. When I see those glittering
white boxes on wheels I want what’s inside. All rational sense of appetite
and concept of sanitation disappear. I’ll eat anything those roving
kitchens dish out, from Tacos Pescados in nearby Fruitvale to steaming piles
of choucroute garni on the streets of Paris to anchovy decked pizza in out
of the way Nyons.
In central Italy the porchetta truck is ubiquitous. A whole seasoned pig is
roasted over a wood fire and then loaded into the truck to be taken to any
one of the markets that spring up in the towns that dot the rolling hills.
By late morning the somewhat ravaged pig spills forth its salty, herbaceous
contents. As the porchetta personnel split your roll you point to the bits
of roasty meat that catch your eye; a little bit of grassa, some garlic and
maybe some crackling. Locate a chilled swishy white and a few buttery pears
and you are transported to truck food paradise.
However one cannot sustain themselves on romantic notions and since we have
not graduated to big shiny white truck status we will offer forth our
“Porchetta” style pork loin roast. It is a beautiful cut of well marbled
Berkshire Pig from Newman Farm with all the same aromatic seasonings as the
larger version only structured to fit in your conventional home oven or your
backyard grill. Don your long white apron and let your loved ones pick and
choose their ideal pieces; the meaty rib, the crusty end, lots of pan juice.
See you at the market!
Saturday, March 25
Special
“Porchetta” style Pork Loin Roast
Sausage
Lamb Crepinettes with Cumin, Persian Mint and Orange
Boudin Blanc with Chestnuts
Calabrese
Merguez
Sweet Italian
Toulouse
Mexican Style Chorizo
Breakfast Sausage
Pates, Confits & Terrines
Pate Maison
Rabbit Pate with Chives
Guinea Hen Terrine
Duck Liver Mousse
Duck Confit
Duck Rillettes
Rabbit Rillettes
Salumi
Fegatelli
Petit Sec Aux Herbes
Mortadella
Pancetta
Spanish Style Chorizo
Finocchiona
Other Meaty Goods
Smoked Ham Shanks
Duck Demi
Glace de Viande
Sugo di Carne
Bacon
I picked up a pair of those lamb crepinettes at the Berkeley farmers market today, but now I am hit with the realization that I have no clue what to do with them. My girlfriend is a recovering vegetarian and hasn’t quite conquered red meat yet, so I never cook it. But she’s out of town. So help this hapless cook.
I assume I should cook ’em in a bit of oil in the cast iron skillet. But for how long? How hot? How do I brown them nicely without overcooking the insides? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Jesse
Hey JA,
If you have an outdoor grill, this is the best way, rain or no. Why? They get a little splattery due to the fat content and the caul fat.
If the fry pan is your way, use a cast iron with no oil. Use a splatter shield if you can or use a cast iron dutch oven (that’s what I do).
Preheat the pan a bit at medium low. Most if not all of FC’s sausages need tender loving care and searing them over high heat isn’t what you’re looking for.
After maybe 4 minutes of cooking, they’ll start to puff up a little bit in the center. Like little meat clouds they are.
No more than 7 or 8 minutes a side, don’t be afraid to cut in to the little bugger to see how things are going. Pay attention and don’t go off doing other chores.
Serve with something green and a good wine that you enjoy. Or a cold beer, oh yes.
Biggles
Thanks for the advice — I had the crepinettes with a simple French green lentil salad. Perfect lunch.
Jesse
BIGGLES!!!! Been missing you, guy (heh).
I’m just about to cook up the crepinettes I picked up today and HOW MUCH DO I LOVE that you already have cooking instructions up?
You rock. Thank you!!!
Hey Fatemeh,
It’s nice of you to stop by!
You’re welcome for the instructions. Meathenge cares.
About time for a Spring Bloggers Picnic, don’t you agree?
Biggles
Total agreement about food from a moving vehicle Dr. Biggles. I think the appeal of “food movin’ w/wheels” comes from our childhood memories of the ice cream truck and the jingle it would blast on its loudspeaker. For trucks with meat, the wafting smoke and sizzling meat on the grill is “simply irresistable!”