Mint Lamb Sausage Inspired by Jorgensen Farms {Charcutepalooza}

On a picturesque 65 acres in east central Ohio, there lies Jorgensen Farms, a biodynamic animal and vegetable operation. Proprietor Val (pictured below in blue) works the land guided by her distinguishing palette and eye for pleasing design. She builds vibrant soil through careful crop rotation and pasturing. Perhaps the most recognized crop is her mint grown especially for central Ohio based Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream's Backyard Mint flavor. You may click on pictures to enlarge them.

I attended the Ohio Lamb Chef's Day at Jorgensen Farms one cold and rainy day this May. The event included tours and tastings aimed at educating restaurant chefs. We walked through herb gardens near the farm houses and viewed sheep out to pasture on rolling hills. Two chilly day-old lambs visited in the arms of flower grower and livestock helper Roger Genter.

The meat of the event was a fascinating demonstration by Dr. Paul Kuber, associate professor of Animal Sciences at Ohio State University. He expertly butchered a lamb into cuts usable by restaurants and home cooks, sharing anatomy and culinary tidbits throughout. A six course sampling meal followed, using some of the cuts demonstrated.

At the end of the lamb cutting, a large bowl of scraps was left. Kuber shared that these could be used for sausage or other charcuterie. When the June Charcutepalooza challenge, stuffing, was announced, I knew what I had to make: mint lamb sausage, inspired by Jorgensen Farms.

Lamb mint sausage makes good use of the abundant mint and garlic scapes in our own backyard. We chose Ohio lamb and pork to keep the recipe local. The binding liquid included some of our own apple cider vinegar made last autumn.

As we have been stuffing sausage for a few years, the process runs quickly and smoothly now. Alex and Lil do most of the meat handling while I clean up behind them. From grind to bind to stuffing, a batch only takes about thirty minutes.

I served the sausage tonight with barley risotto and wilted homegrown greens. I highly recommend this hearty and healthy combination. It warmed us on a unseasonably cool evening, reminiscent of the chilly day I spent at the lovely Jorgensen Farms.

[print_this]

Mint Lamb Sausage

Makes 10 7 inch links

2 pounds lamb shoulder, boned 1 pound pork shoulder, boned 0.9 oz kosher salt (a hair less than 2 tablespoons) 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh mint 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh young garlic scapes 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup water hog casings

1. Grind lamb and pork with a large die. 2. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add salt, mint, and scapes. Mix with batter paddle to combine. 3. Slowly pour in apple cider vinegar and water while mixing on low speed. Continue mixing until sausage binds or becomes very sticky, approximately 5 minutes. 4. Stuff into hog casings and make links.

[/print_this]

Preserving at Wild Goose!

In partnership with Wild Goose Creative, I am pleased to announce a new series of home preserving classes. Join me on third Tuesdays from 6:30 - 8:30 to preserve local fresh foods by freezing, canning, drying and curing. Each workshop will include hands on experience, tastings, recipes, and a sample to take home.

Schedule

6/21: Jam Canning -  We will use a seasonal fruit to make jam and freeze berries. The basic water bath methods in this class are the same as those to can jelly or fresh fruit.

7/19: Tomatoes - What to do with an excess of tomatoes? I will teach how to make and can sauce, demonstrate dehydrating, and share recipes for canning-ready barbecue sauce and ketchup.

8/16: Pickling - Using traditional vinegar and lacto-fermented methods, we will create pickled cucumbers and peppers.

9/20: Apples - I will share my favorite ways to enjoy apples year round including dehydrating, canning applesauce, and storing long term.

10/18: Home Charcuterie - Learn how to make pancetta and bacon at home with no special tools or equipment. Alex and I will also demonstrate how to make sausage and sample a variety of home cured meats.

Pricing

We are offering several pricing options, starting at $30 per class. Choose the whole series and save over 10%.

Visit the Wild Goose Creative Preserving Series page to register. Class size is limited, so sign up today to fill your jars and freezer this summer!

Wild Goose Creative

Wild Goose Creative is about a lot of things. It’s about sustainable partnerships and artistic collaborations. It’s about giving artists resources and facilitating their work. It’s about creating a space for people to experience art and engage each other. Mostly, Wild Goose Creative is about building a vibrant community of people who care about art and who want to change the world.

The Wild Goose gallery and class space is located at 2491 Summit Street in Columbus, OH 43202, just north of Ohio State University campus.

Foodie Tidbits from Atlanta {Friday Five}

It seems like forever since I returned from BlogHer Food '11 in Atlanta, but in reality it was only a few days ago. Here are five things I want to remember:

1) Homemade popsicles are the best. Amongst my wanderings in downtown Atlanta, I visited King of Pops, a handmade popsicle stand. The salty chocolate was a perfect midday chiller to the humid Atlanta heat.

2) Sugar-coated Radical is doing amazing work, through candy. I walked by this micro-company's stand twice at Sweet Auburn market before stopping at their bicycle transported stall. The handmade caramels and lollipops included wild flavors (even tobacco plant!) infused into the cream. The company philosophy is as imaginative and hopeful as the candy tastes.

3) Roasting peaches is a magnificent idea. The coffee shop serving roasted peach lemonade was a hit among food bloggers for good reason - the drink was comprised of real fresh peaches, roasted and blended with fresh lemon juice and a slight bit of sugar. It was refreshing and healthy among a conference otherwise filled with carbo-fatso-goodness.

4) Cakes and Ale serves a fantastic, local-intensive meal, the best of my trip. I fell in love with chef's palate because it is so similar to mine: vegetables in every dish, err on the salty side of things, and playful with temperature and texture.

5) Pork is 'done' at 145 degrees F with three minutes resting time!! The USDA just announced this update. Many of us have been disregarding the old temp and cooking to 145 for years because stopping there leaves a more tender and  juicy meat.

Of course, the food news and restaurants pale in comparison to the connection and conversations I had with fellow food writers. My blog reader list grew by hundreds, including these new friends:

Nicole (Arctic Garden), Amy  (Idiot Mom), Melissa (Taste Sip Travel), Janet (A Cook at Heart), and Kate (Blue Chair Fruit), my Cakes And Ale dinner companions.

Fellow Ohio dwellers I had to fly to Atlanta to meet, Faith (Apartment Therapy and cookbook author) and Tricia (Once a Month Mom).

Kim (The Yummy Mummy), Cathy (Mrs. Wheelbarrow) and Sean (Punk Domestics) served up a rousing Charcutepalooza workshop, with contributions from Winnie (Healthy Green Kitchen) and Hank Shaw (Hunter Angler Gardener Cook) in the audience. This is the kind of hands-on demonstration I would like to see more of at conferences.

Are you a blogger writing Friday Five posts? Link up here!

Taco Truck Chorizo Sopito

Often described as a 'cow town', Columbus, Ohio is actually full of cultural treasures. One such subculture is the taco truck scene. Food carts across the city highlight delicious specialties from the owners' regions of their home country. One of my favorite trucks, Taqueria Jalisco, serves a menu reflective of the Jalisco state of Mexico. Their meat is perfectly seasoned, service is prompt and attentive, and everything is clearly homemade.

My favorite menu item? The chorizo sopito, pictured above. A sopito is a small thick corn shell topped with beans, meat, lettuce, and crema, at a minimum. When the Charcutepalooza challenge for May was announced, bulk ground sausage, I knew I had to recreate a taco truck chorizo sopito at home.

I started by making the sopito shell. The dough is a simple mixture of 2 parts masa harina corn flour to 1 part water and a dash of salt. After it rested for about half an hour, I hand formed thick shell shapes out of the dough. Alex fried them in four inches of oil at 350 degrees F for four minutes, turning once during cooking.

While homemade chorizo browned in a skillet, we cooked down pinto beans with onion and green chili and blended them to a fairly smooth texture, ideal for topping. Shredded lettuce, grated queso blano cheese, and faux crema (sour cream mixed with a little milk) were the frosting on the sopito cakes. Had I remembered it in the fridge, I would have added chopped avocado ala another of our favorite trucks, The Eighth Taste.

I am, of course, biased, but I believe our homemade sopitos bested Taqueria Jalisco. The freshly fried shells were mouth-wateringly crisp on the outside and densely corn flavored inside. The cheese and crema cooled the slight heat chorizo. The only downside to making this dish is that after two hours of preparation, the sopitos were gobbled up in a matter of minutes!

[print_this] Chorizo Sopitos makes eight-twelve appetizer sized servings

3 cups masa harina 1 1/2 cups water 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup homemade chorizo, browned ((I refer you to the book Charcuterie or Mrs. Wheelbarrow's tutorial for instructions on making bulk chorizo at home.)

1 teaspoon olive oil 1 yellow onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 4 oz can diced green chilis 1 can pinto beans 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon chili powder

oil for frying (1-2 quarts)

1 cup shredded lettuce

1/4 cup crema or 1/4 cup sour cream plus 2 teaspoons water

1/2 cup shredded queso blanco cheese

1/2 avocado, diced

your favorite hot sauce (optional)

1. Mix masa harina, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium sized pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until translucent.

3. Add chilis, beans, chili powder, and salt to the pot. Cook until beans begin to break down.

4. Turn off the heat. Use an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a stand blender, to blend until almost smooth. Set aside.

5. In a dutch oven or wide pot, heat oil to 350 degrees F. Oil should be at least 4 inches deep.

6. Form sopito shell shape by forming a disc with approximately 1/2 cup of the dough. Press it into your palm while raising the sides up.

7. Carefully fry two-three shells at a time, turning once during cooking. When they are golden brown all over (approximately 4 minutes total), remove to a paper towel lined plate.

8. Assemble the sopitos: Top each shell with blended beans, chorizo, cheese, lettuce, and crema. Allow guests to add hot sauce as they desire. Eat with gusto! [/print_this]

How An Ohioan Forages for Clams in Massachusetts

Foraging for shellfish is one of Alex's great pleasures of vacationing oceanside. It's always happenstance when he comes across a bed of something tasty, so the method for digging is a bit untraditional. Here's how Alex, and later me, dug for clams yesterday on Planting Island causeway near Marion, Massachusetts.

1) Negotiate with the five year old for the use of her green plastic shovel.

click pictures for bigger images

2) Look for the telltale bubbles in sand that indicate something is breathing under the sand. Abandon the shovel and dig your fingers into the cold black muck.

3) Cheer when you pull up a quahog.

4) Be distracted when you find a whole conch, with dead animal inside. Try to remove animal because it reeks.

5) When your fingers are frozen, find a plastic sack in the car to hold your bounty. Make plans to cook chowder.

Red's Canadian Bacon Or Why I Had To Kill a Pig To Eat Meat Again

It was just over one year ago that my husband and I killed and butchered Red the pig. That single event informed my eating more than any other ever has. A Vegetarian Slaughters a Pig

At the time of the slaughter, I was a vegetarian, as I had been for a decade. I didn't eat meat for many reasons. Chief among them was that I didn't know how to assess the quality of the animal's life and I was uncomfortable with slaughter.

When I met Red, I could sense she was a happy animal. She had been given ample opportunity in her life to explore the land around her, eat like a pig, live with other creatures and roam with ample space.

The moment of her death was stunning in how very not dramatic it was. I expected horror for some reason, and the end of her life was anything but. Alex carefully aimed a rifle, shot once, and she knocked over dead. It was as simple as the pulling of a dandelion weed or plucking of basil leaves.

As soon as Red died, we went to work butchering the meat. There was an overwhelming sense that what was killed at our hands must be used completely and well.

Beginning to Eat Meat

After the slaughter my attitude towards eating meat began to change. I started to realize that the designation I had made, that eating plants was ok and animals was not, was totally arbitrary.

When my husband grilled Red's ribs for his birthday dinner, I couldn't help but try them. I had seen with my own eyes the kindness of Red's life and her honorable death. I had participated in saving every part of her body and I wanted to participate in the consumption. I began eating meat that I knew had lived a good life.

Everything is a Sacrifice

"It had a nice life and then you killed it?!" is the accusation I have heard more than once from incredulous vegan friends. I hear the point: who are we humans to decide the end of a life?

In contemplating all the foods we cook, I realized that this choice happens with every meal that we eat, indeed every decision we make.

The tomatoes I grow and harvest are hard wired for reproduction. Whether they have feelings or not, their leaves and stems clearly gather water, nutrients, and sunlight for one goal: to make flower to fruit to seed to new plant.

If I pluck a ripe Julia Child heirloom tomato to chop and eat, am I not choosing to break that life cycle?

When I yank spinach plants from the garden bed after the weather has turned hot and they begin to bolt, I am intentionally depriving them of setting seeds and reproducing. I totally control the end of their nice life.

When I buy strawberries out of season shipped across the country, even if they are organic, there is no way they can possibly set seed and start new strawberry plants. On a bigger scale, the contaminants released by long-hauling crops thousands of miles deprive many species of clean air and may introduce reproduction-intercepting chemicals. We are negatively affecting our own personal and species health when we choose to consume well-traveled foods.

Realignment

I realized, in the examination of my feelings following the slaughter of Red, that my line in the sand was wrong. Killing a pig has no less value than killing a lettuce by eating the whole plant. They are both interruptions of the life cycle, choices I make to feed myself.

I suppose someone could argue that given the right conditions a fruit could re-seed itself whereas a dead animal will never make new life. Indeed volunteer tomatoes do always show up around my compost bin. But the staples of most non-animal diets - grains, leafy greens, tree fruits, root vegetables - are 'dead' in that they can no longer grow or reproduce, just like Red.

It took killing a pig to match my values to my diet.  If all ingredients are dead, it is my belief that I must make sure their killing is humane and justified. I must use every part of the plants and animals I consume.

It is fitting that the last piece of Red left in the freezer, almost exactly a year after her death, was the loin, the subject of this month's Charcutepalooza Canadian bacon challenge.

As the smoke curled over the brined loin, I had time to reflect on Red's year-long journey. The act of knowing my food to the moment of its death transformed my thinking about what I eat and why. In the end I am left with gratitude that I have a chance to reflect and the opportunity to make choices about my food. Thank you, Red, and all edible plant and animal creatures, for feeding me.

Added to Fight Back Friday April 15 and Charcutepalooza April.

The Story of The Rachel

Once upon a time, a brown eyed girl named Rachel lived in a small Midwestern town. Her family occupied a hundred year old house surrounded by edible gardens. Their kitchen was always bustling with cooking activity. Granny invited Rachel and her little brother Reuben to lunch. Father sliced off some fresh homemade corned beef and pastrami and sent them to walk the few blocks to Granny's.

Ten year old Rachel and six year old Ruben peaked into their wicker basket lined with checked cloth. Rachel's mouth began watering and her thoughts turned to what would pair well with the cured briskets. Waiting at the cross walk, Reuben picked up a nickel while Rachel dreamed of the perfect sandwich for Granny.

"Eww! Did you know money is one of the germiest things in America?!" Rachel admonished her little brother. "Let's go, the light changed."

Across the street, Rachel and Reuben stepped into the grocery store. Rachel had decided that rye bread with its spicy seeds and dark color would contrast nicely with the rich pastrami. She passed by the cabbage and placed a head in her basket. "Crunchy cabbage would be good on a sandwich too, don't you think?" she muttered to Reuben. Reuben ignored her, running his hand along the rows of shiny apples.

They passed the cheese display on the way towards the checkout. "And some melted swiss on top," Rachel concluded.

"Can I get a chocolate bar? PLEASE?" Reuben begged his sister at the checkout. Rachel refused, saying "You know there will be cookies at Granny's, Reuben. No candy now." The cashier rang them out and the siblings walked back into the sunshine outside.

They soon arrived at Granny's to her smothering hugs. As predicted, Granny offered them cookies. Reuben grabbed one in each hand and looked for a way to hold a third before Rachel reminded him they were planning to make Granny lunch.

Rachel searched Granny's fridge for the rest of the ingredients for her creation. She mixed mayonnaise and mustard with sliced cabbage to make coleslaw and whipped together ketchup, mayo and relish for a sandwich dressing. Rachel carefully sliced the pastrami, layered on swiss cheese and broiled it to melt. "Reuben, are you making something with yours? Come on! I'm almost done!" big sister hollered.

Fueled by cookies, Reuben threw together a sloppy sandwich of rye bread, corned beef and swiss topped with what he found in Granny's cupboard - thousand island dressing and sauerkraut.

The grandkids served their sandwiches side by side. Rachel's was layered with perfect proportions of pastrami, cheese, coleslaw, and dressing on rye. Reuben's was a hot mess on a plate. "Try mine first!" Reuben insisted. Granny bit into his slip-sliding dressed corned beef between bread. It was so goopy that it fell from her hands. Her dog snatched it in midair and swallowed in one gulp.

Granny was able to enjoy the whole of Rachel's sandwich. She loved the balance of flavor and texture among the layers of pastrami, coleslaw, cheese, and dressing. Granny sighed with contentment, "That is one fantastic sandwich. Thank you Rachel!"

Many years later, Reuben opened a deli and offered the Reuben sandwich to all the world. At the urging of Granny, he put the Rachel on the menu too.

This entirely fictional story of the Rachel and Reuben sandwiches was inspired by the March Charcutepalooza challenge, brining. The pictures of corned beef and the Reuben sandwich are the very real and exceptionally delicious brined and cooked brisket we made.

If weather had cooperated, some of the beef would have been smoked into pastrami to create a Rachel sandwich. Alas, nearly-spring rains prevented us from firing up the smoker. As I am enthralled with the idea of eating a sandwich that shares my name, we must make pastrami at home soon.

Friday Five: New CSA Concepts in Central Ohio

Fruit and vegetable Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) shares have been available for years here in Columbus and many of us have partaken of their local produce goodness. Today I want to highlight several new twists on the classic CSA. Follow the links in each post for registration and more details. 1) Mockingbird Meadows Honey and Herb Farm is offering a Healthy Herbs CSA from June through February. From their website: "Designed to mirror the traditional vegetable CSA, our farm share program is meant to provide you with the basics of a healthy lifestyle through the use of our herbal helpers. Along with your share of fresh cut and dried healing herbs, handmade herbal health aides, seasonal tonic teas, fresh herbal foods and our raw honey we include 2 custom-made tinctures, 2 herbal consultations (not to exceed 2 hours), 2 reservations to our Farm Open House and 10% off product purchases. Each share will be a $300 investment for the year. Pick-ups will be once a month at various farmer's markets to be named soon. Please email Dawn form more information- dcombs@mockingbirdmeadows.com. Deadline for registration is May 31, 2011"

2) Frijolito Farm is selling farm gift cards. The idea is that farmer Wayne Shingler will accept investors now for early farm costs. Investors are given gift certificates loaded with credit equal to the amount of the investment plus 10% and can be exchanged for free range eggs, chicken meat, fruits, vegetables or anything else Frijolito sells. On December 1, any remaining balance can be redeemed for cash. This is micro-financing at its most local!

3) Based on their success in the fall, Blues Creek Meats in the North Market is expanding the meat CSA program. You choose the type of meat (beef, lamb, or beef/lamb/pork/goat/veal combo) and pick up once a month. The deadline for the spring CSA sign-ups just passed, though you might be able to call or go in person and see if any shares remain. Sign up now for summer-fall shares.

4) Green B.E.A.N. delivery just began offering their services in central Ohio. They make available a variety of CSA fruit and vegetable basket sizes plus customized additional options, all delivered to your doorstep. I was most intrigued by this concept when I heard a farmer recommending it, saying Green B.E.A.N. is providing the infrastructure to deliver his organic grains fresh to consumers. Green B.E.A.N. is offering me a trial basket over the next month so that I can write a full review soon.

5) Sunny Meadows Farms is offering a unique co-operative CSA. Full and half shares will include vegetables from their greenhouses and fresh cut flowers, fruit, herbs, fresh baked bread, canned goods, homemade soap, cheese, eggs, meats from a variety of local all-natural farms. This eclectic CSA would be great for someone who wants to explore the great variety of sustainable farms in central Ohio.

Do you have more CSA news to share? Please comment!

If you are ready to move beyond the CSA and grow your own, be sure to download my free Grow Your Garden ebook.