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The Hirshon Leg of Lamb, Gascony Style – Cuisse de Mouton Gascony

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The Hirshon Leg of Lamb, Gascony Style - Cuisse de Mouton Gascony

Cuisse de Mouton Gascony Image Used Under Creative Commons License From pinterest.com

My Citizens, I hope you had a very happy Easter Sunday, replete with the delicious meat of the season – LAMB! 🙂

While there are many ways to prepare a classic leg of lamb, your beloved and parenthetic Leader – the mighty TFD! – is especially fond of a less well-known version of this recipe. Specifically, one from the southwest region of France, the oak-festooned hills of the Dordogne!

This recipe is unusual in that it calls for adding anchovy into the flesh of the meat itself – fear not, the final version has no taste of anchovy, but the fillets add an amazing umami kick and when you add garlic, herbs and especially the beloved black truffles of the region (TFD’s addition to the canonical recipe), you are talking about one amazing piece of meat!

If you are unfamiliar with the Dordogne region, allow me to educate you!

The county of Périgord dates back to when the area was inhabited by the Gauls. It was originally home to four tribes.

The name for “four tribes” in the Gaulish language was “Petrocore”. The area eventually became known as the county of Le Périgord and its inhabitants became known as the Périgordins (or Périgourdins). There are four Périgords in the Dordogne.

The “Périgord Vert” (Green Périgord), with its main town of Nontron, consists of verdant valleys in a region crossed by many rivers and streams;.

The “Périgord Blanc” (White Périgord), situated around the department’s capital of Périgueux, is a region of limestone plateaux, wide valleys, and meadows.

The “Périgord Pourpre” (Purple Périgord) with its capital of Bergerac, is a wine region.

The “Périgord Noir” (Black Périgord) surrounding the administrative center of Sarlat, overlooks the valleys of the Vézère and the Dordogne, where the woods of oak and pine give it its name.

It is in the Périgord Noir that this recipe originates and I hope you will find favor with the flavor. My recipe is based very closely on one found at www.dartagnan.com and it is there you can find the truffle, demiglace and duck fat needed for this recipe.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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The Hirshon Leg of Lamb, Gascony Style – Cuisse de Mouton Gascony

Ingredients

  • One 5- to 6-pound bone-in leg of lamb
  • 8 cloves garlic, halved
  • 1 small black truffle, cut into batons
  • 12 anchovy fillets, packed in oil - TFD endorses only the Ortiz brand
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 7 ounces duck fat
  • Several sprigs of rosemary, thyme and parsley, minced into a paste
  • black truffle salt
  • 1 carrot, chopped coarsely
  • 1 onion, chopped coarsely
  • 1 turnip, chopped coarsely
  • 1 cup demiglace

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Using a sharp knife, make 16 small incisions in the leg of lamb and slide the garlic halves into them. Make 8 more incisions around the surface of the lamb and insert black truffle batons into them. Make several broad incisions and push herb paste into them.
  3. Make 12 small incisions between the fat and the flesh of the lamb and slide the anchovies into them. The anchovies should stay near the surface of the meat. Season with pepper, to taste.
  4. Heat the duck fat over high heat in a heavy ovenproof pan large enough to hold the entire leg of lamb. Quickly sear the lamb on all sides then place the pan in the oven. Cover lamb with black truffle salt.
  5. Roast for 45 minutes, scatter the carrot, onion, and turnip around the roast and cook for another 40-45 minutes for medium-rare, or more, according to your preference.
  6. Remove the meat from the oven and let it rest in a warm place. Slice the lamb and serve with the demiglace sauce on the side and with potatoes sautéed in duck fat.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-leg-of-lamb-gascony-style-cuisse-de-mouton-gascony/

The Hirshon Uyghur Tortellini and Lamb Soup – قۇقۇرې سورپا

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The Hirshon Uyghur Tortellini and Lamb Soup - قۇقۇرې سورپا

Ququre Sorpa Image Used Under Creative Commons License From twitter.com

My Citizens, your well-travelled and all-knowing Leader – the magnificent and magical TFD! – is extremely fond of the exotic cuisine found in the Xinjiang autonomous region of northwestern China. Behold in the awe and wonder of TFD as he brings you ququre sorpa – Xinjiang tortellini in lamb broth!

Xinjiang cuisine (Chinese: 新疆菜; pinyin: Xīnjiāng Cài) reflects the cooking styles of many ethnic groups of the Xinjiang region, and refers particularly to Uyghur cuisine (Uyghur: ئۇيغۇر تائاملىرى, Уйғур Таамлири‎, ULY: Uyghur Taamliri; Chinese: 维吾尔菜; pinyin: Wéiwú’ěr Cài). Signature ingredients include roasted mutton, kebabs, roasted fish, and rice. Due to the Muslim population of the region, the food is predominantly halal.

The Uyghurs form a large part of the population of Xinjiang, their food therefore dominated the region.

Uyghur food is characterized by mutton, beef, camel (solely bactrian), chicken, goose, carrots, tomatoes, onions, peppers, eggplant, celery, various dairy foods, and fruits. A Uyghur-style breakfast is tea with home-baked bread, smetana, olives, honey, raisins, and almonds. Uyghurs like to treat guests with tea, naan, and fruit before the main dishes are ready. Most Uyghur foods are eaten with chopsticks, a custom that was adopted from Han Chinese culture in the 19th century.

Many Uyghur dishes are also found among other ethnic groups in Central Asia, and their food also shows Chinese influence. Spices used include cumin seeds, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper. Sultanas (raisins) and the fat of meat are also used for flavoring dishes.

The most commonly consumed meat among Uyghurs is lamb. Naturally the most common soup is lamb soup (also called “Sorpa” in Uyghur language). Ququre are Uyghur tortellini and in fact look identical to the Italian version, though the flavor profile is vastly different.

It is entirely possible that Marco Polo, who brought pasta to Italy from Xinjiang, may have also introduced the shape of ququre to Italy as well!

TFD’s version of this classic is more complex than the original, both in spicing and presentation. That said, the flavors are all totally traditional and well worth your time and effort, Citizens! 😀

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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The Hirshon Uyghur Tortellini and Lamb Soup – قۇقۇرې سورپا

Ingredients

  • Soup Ingredients:
  • 1 lb lamb on the bone, cut into pieces
  • 8 cups bottled water
  • 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 turnip, thickly sliced
  • 1 carrot thickly sliced
  • ½ medium tomato
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro for garnish
  • ***
  • Xinjiang Spice Mix:
  • 30 g cumin
  • 1 tbsp chili flakes
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • ½ tbsp Sichuan peppercorns
  • ½ tbsp ginger powder
  • ½ tbsp garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp chili powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ***
  • Crisp Garlic and Garlic Oil:
  • 250 ml vegetable oil (1 cup)
  • 8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • ***
  • Ququre Dough and Filling:
  • 3 cups all purpose Flour
  • ¾ cup water
  • 1 pound lamb, minced
  • salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 Tbsp. water

Instructions

  1. For the Xinjiang Spice Mix:
  2. Toast Szechuan peppercorns until fragrant, remove. Toast cumin until lightly browned, remove. Add all into spice grinder and process to achieve a spice powder. Store excess in a tightly-closed container.
  3. For the Crispy Garlic and Garlic Oil:
  4. For crisp garlic and garlic oil, heat oil in a wok over high heat until surface shimmers, add garlic and stir continuously until garlic is golden (1½-2 minutes). Transfer garlic to a bowl with a slotted spoon and cool oil separately.
  5. Stock Directions:
  6. Toss lamb and onion into a pot of water, add a pinch of salt, cover, and wait until the water boils at high heat.
  7. Once the water boils, lower the heat to medium or lower, remove the black foam from the boiled water right away using a spoon.
  8. Add turnip and carrot, boil at medium to low heat without covering for another 1 hour or till the lamb is cooked tender.
  9. For the dough:
  10. Mix the flour, oil, water and salt in the bowl of a bread machine for 4 -8 min. Set the dough aside to proof for 30 minutes before the next step.
  11. Mince lamb and onion together. Add Xinjiang spice mix to taste. Add water, mix.
  12. Roll out the dough flat, round and thin. Cut the dough into a 2 inch x 2 inch rectangle.
  13. Fill the rectangle shape of dough with the lamb mixture.
  14. Shape the ququre into the shape of tortellini. These ququres can be stored in the freezer, if you so prefer.
  15. Otherwise, put all the ready ququre into the hot soup, mix. Add the cut tomato from the soup ingredients and let boil softly for 5 minutes.
  16. Add chopped cilantro on top of the soup. Adjust the salt of the soup and add more Xinjiang spice mix to taste. Serve with crispy garlic and garlic oil on the side so people can add to taste to the soup.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-uyghur-tortellini-and-lamb-soup-%d9%82%db%87%d9%82%db%87%d8%b1%db%90-%d8%b3%d9%88%d8%b1%d9%be%d8%a7/

The Hirshon Outer Hebrides Scotch Broth with Pepper Dulse

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The Hirshon Outer Hebrides Scotch Broth with Pepper Dulse

Scotch Broth Image Used Under Creative Commons License From radynacestu.cz

Citizens, today your magnanimous and windswept leader shares a recipe from the ultima thule that is the Outer Hebrides Islands of Scotland! 🙂

The Outer Hebrides, also known as the Western Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar or Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Innse Gall (“islands of the strangers”) or the Long Isle or the Long Island (Scottish Gaelic: An t-Eilean Fada), is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland.

The islands form part of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch and the Sea of the Hebrides. Scottish Gaelic is the predominant spoken language, although in a few areas English speakers form a majority.

The climate is mild and oceanic and the 15 inhabited islands have a total population of 26,900 with more than 50 substantial uninhabited islands. From Barra Head to the Butt of Lewis is roughly 210 kilometres (130 mi).

There are various important prehistoric structures, many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors. The Western Isles became part of the Norse kingdom of the Suðreyjar, which lasted for over 400 years until sovereignty was transferred to Scotland by the Treaty of Perth in 1266.

Control of the islands was then held by clan chiefs, principal of whom were the MacLeods, MacDonalds, Mackenzies and MacNeils. The Highland Clearances of the 19th century had a devastating effect on many communities and it is only in recent years that population levels have ceased to decline. Much of the land is now under local control and commercial activity is based on tourism, crofting, fishing, and weaving.

Scotch broth is a filling soup, originating in Scotland but now obtainable worldwide. The principal ingredients are usually barley, stewing or braising cuts of lamb, mutton or beef, root vegetables (such as carrots, swedes, or sometimes turnips), and dried pulses (most often split peas and red lentils). Cabbage and leeks are often added shortly before serving to preserve their texture, color and flavors. The proportions and ingredients vary according to the recipe or availability.

Scotch broth is a classic one-pot dish that can either be made as a soup-like starter or, as here it can be made as a richer main course. This is a version from the Western Isles that uses the dried seaweed, pepper dulse as a pepper substitute.

The unique addition of a spicy local seaweed called pepper dulse (also known as ‘the truffle of the sea’) is what differentiates Outer Hebrides Scotch Broth from its mainland cousin. Since pepper dulse is practically unavailable anywhere outside the Outer Hebrides region, the ingenuity of TFD has kicked in, substituting crumbled wasabi-flavored seaweed snack as a decent replacement.

I’ve also replaced the wild thyme with dried wild thyme flowers that are easily available from Daphnis and Chloe.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

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The Hirshon Outer Hebrides Scotch Broth with Pepper Dulse

Ingredients

  • 1kg scrag end (the lean end of a neck) of lamb or lamb neck fillet
  • 50g washed pearl barley
  • 3 medium carrots, cubed
  • 2 medium onions, cubed
  • 2 medium potatoes, cubed
  • 1 swede (rutabaga), cubed
  • 200g baby turnips, cubed
  • 3 leeks, shredded
  • 1 small head of cabbage, shredded
  • 1 sprig thyme (wild thyme in the original, TFD recommends a few minced dried wild thyme flowers from Daphnis and Chloe)
  • 2 tbsp dried pepper dulse, ground, to season - since this seaweed is impossible to find outside these islands (by all means use it if you can get it!), substitute Wasabi-flavored seaweed sheets
  • sea salt, to taste
  • fresh greens such as peas, French beans, broad beans etc.
  • Chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

  1. Trim any excess fat from the meat, then place in a large heavy-bottomed pot and cover with water.
  2. Bring to the boil and begin skimming any fat the raises to the top. Once the surface is clear replace any lost water, bring back to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the pearly barley.
  3. Add the vegetables, thyme and pepper dulse (or Wasabi seaweed) and cook for a further two hours. The broth can be served immediately, but actually tastes much better the following day.
  4. At this point you can add fresh greens such as peas, French beans, broad beans etc. if you so prefer. Cook for 20 minutes then adjust the seasonings to taste and serve garnished with parsley.
https://www.thefooddictator.com/hirshon-outer-hebrides-scotch-broth-pepper-dulse/