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The Hirshon Salsa Verde For Lamb

April 10, 2018 by The Generalissimo Leave a Comment

Salsa Verde Image Used Under Creative Commons License From The Food Dictator

Citizens, as part of my mighty Passover feast, the always gregarious TFD wishes to share with you a very special recipe, created specifically to complement the Spring leg of lamb that was the centerpiece of my holiday table!

As TFD digs the spicy, the best option proved to be a unique salsa verde for lamb, using ingredients not typically found in Italian salsa verde, but very true indeed to its spirit!

Green sauce is a family of cold, uncooked sauces based on herbs, including the spanish salsa verde, the French sauce verte, the italian salsa verde, the German Grüne Soße or Frankfurter Grie Soß (Frankfurt dialect), and the Argentinian chimichurri.

The Mexican salsa verde, though also called a “green sauce” is instead based on tomatillos.

The basic recipe is probably from the Near East and, as such, is probably at least 2,000 years old. Roman legionaries brought it to Italy, from where it was exported to France and Germany. Evidence suggests that it was introduced in Kassel by the Italian trading families Bolongaro and Crevenna around 1700.

A possible origin of the German variant are French Protestant immigrants emigrating to Kurhessen in the 18th century. The German variant uses a different mix of herbs, since Mediterranean herbs were not available in Germany at the time.

The Italian salsa verde is a cold rustic sauce, and includes parsley, vinegar, capers, garlic, onion, anchovies, olive oil, and possibly mustard.

The ingredients are coarsely chopped, formerly by hand, now often in a food processor. In some regions, cubed bread is soaked in vinegar and blended with the other ingredients, which creates an emulsion somewhat similar to a vinaigrette. In other regions, there is no bread.

Salsa verde is used as a condiment or dipping sauce for meats, fish, poultry, or vegetables. It is traditionally served as an accompaniment to bollito misto or grilled or stewed fish.

My version – as previously noted – does include some herbs that are atypical to this sauce of sauces, but trust me on this: my recipe is PERFECT for lamb! 🙂 It is actually a hybrid of English mint sauce for lamb and salsa verde.

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Salsa Verde For Lamb

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Ingredients

8 anchovy fillets, Ortiz brand only
6 tablespoons drained capers
14 cloves garlic, peeled, green germ removed
2 ½ cups Extra Virgin California Olive Oil
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves
4 tablespoons fresh chives
4 tablespoons fresh sage
6 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, no hard stems
2 teaspoons minced jalapeños
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons hot cream horseradish, Beaver brand preferred
3 tablespoons malt vinegar

Instructions

Combine all in food processor. Serve cold or at room temperature.

https://www.thefooddictator.com/the-hirshon-salsa-verde-for-lamb/

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

April 3, 2018 by The Generalissimo Leave a Comment

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

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

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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

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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

March 18, 2018 by The Generalissimo Leave a Comment

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

The Hirshon Uyghur Tortellini and Lamb Soup – قۇقۇرې سورپا

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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

For the Xinjiang Spice Mix:
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.
For the Crispy Garlic and Garlic Oil:
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.
Stock Directions:
Toss lamb and onion into a pot of water, add a pinch of salt, cover, and wait until the water boils at high heat.
Once the water boils, lower the heat to medium or lower, remove the black foam from the boiled water right away using a spoon.
Add turnip and carrot, boil at medium to low heat without covering for another 1 hour or till the lamb is cooked tender.
For the dough:
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.
Mince lamb and onion together. Add Xinjiang spice mix to taste. Add water, mix.
Roll out the dough flat, round and thin. Cut the dough into a 2 inch x 2 inch rectangle.
Fill the rectangle shape of dough with the lamb mixture.
Shape the ququre into the shape of tortellini. These ququres can be stored in the freezer, if you so prefer.
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.
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/