Tis the season for our little red friends

Cranberry Sauce is Better with Bourbon

• Sometimes the holidays can be a nightmare. Too much family, too much anxiety, too much food.
• While the triptophans from the Turkey can lull you into a minor coma, leaving you drooling a little snuggled up on the couch watching the big game, and the immense amounts of butter makes you feel like a slow stuffed pig, sometimes the only thing that can really help you through the holiday is a little booze. So, we have discovered the delicate balance of booze and one of your favorite Turkey day relishes....
• cranberry sauce is better with bourbon
• 
  
• 1lb bag organic cranberries
• 1 c raw turbanado sugar
• 1 texas orange (peeled & diced)
• 1 texas apple (peeled & diced)
• pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg & salt
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 
  
• In a medium saucepan, simmer cranberries, orange, apple, cinnamon & nutmeg. Cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst. Remove from heat, add bourbon and let cool to room temperature.
•  
• Eat up and put on a big smile, this is something to be very thankful for, indeed.

Turkey Day Delight!

We love to cook for people, we love to cook for people we love, and Thanksgiving gives us ample opportunity to stuff our loved ones faces with delights.

Here is Sonya's recipe for a turkey made with love.

Have a great Turkey Day everyone.

Sonya’s Maple Brined Turkey

1 large Natural Turkey

For Brine:

2c Kosher salt

1c Maple syrup

2 Bunches o thyme

Whole black peppercorns

1 T Juniper berries, crushed

4 bay leaves, crushed

12 Peeled garlic cloves

2 Whole Lemons, cut in half & squeezed

For Roasting:

2 lemons

ghee (clarified butter)

Chicken Stock (or Turkey Stock if you can find it)

Rinse turkey in cool water, place in stockpot & let rest in refrigerator.

In a separate sauce pan on medium heat, simmer about 8 quarts water, 2 cups kosher salt & 1c maple syrup in pot until salt and syrup dissolves.

Remove turkey from stock pot & fill about ¼ of the way with ice, fresh thyme, peeled garlic cloves, juniper, bay, lemon and whole black pepper. Pour brine over ice & add the bird.  The turkey should be covered with brine. Refrigerate pot with turkey in brine at least 12 hours (24 is best!).

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Drain turkey well; discard brine. Pat turkey dry inside and out. Squeeze juice from lemon halves into main cavity. Add lemon rinds and remaining 1 bunch fresh thyme to main cavity. (I love to use preserved meyer lemons here if you have any)  Tuck wings under turkey; tie legs together. Place turkey on rack set in large roasting pan. Rub turkey all over with clarified butter.
Roast until turkey is deep brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, about 2 ½- 3 hours. Transfer turkey to platter and cover with foil and let stand for at least 30 minutes.

Pour pan juices into large glass bowl. Put bowl into fridge (or freezer) to harden fat, then scrape it off with spoon.  Simmer pan juice with chicken stock until reduced to ½ the amount. Salt & Pepper to taste  & spoon over turkey (or just make a gravy, whichever you decide, make sure to use the pan drippings! Enjoy!!)

The final result! Sweet and spicy!

National Pickle Day! Or recipe for Pickled Jalapenos!

jalapeno garlic pickles

splash of good quality white wine

white wine vinegar

water

whole sprig dill

bay

salt

turbanado sugar

peppercorns

red chili  flakes

garlic, finely chopped 

slice jalapenos thinly & cover with half water & half white wine vinegar. add remaining ingredients

*Springdale Farms has some great jalapenos, organic, sustainable, and local!

Make sweet love to the Goose Pastrami

Dry Cured Goose Pastrami

2 goose boobs with fat on, tenderloins removed (snack on those while you make this)
1c salt
cinnamon stick
crushed garlic
paprika
coriander
tons of crushed black pepper
white pepper
ground yellow mustard seed
bay leaves
whole cloves
2 1/2 T sugar

Pack goose boobs in box of course kosher salt.
Refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove from salt.
Combine all the rest of the ingredients.
Pat spice blend on fat side of breast
Wrap with cheese cloth
Tie up with fancy butcher knots and hang in you fridge for 10-12 days!
Slice on extremely sharp mandoline or deli slicer.

*if you live in a really cold climate (like Rhode Island) you can hang it in our basement

Pate Party!

The final result! Beautiful and delicious!

Countryside Duck and Cremini pate

Our wonderful friends and local farmers at Countryside farm delivered us a mountain of ducks and we have been coming up with innovative ways of presenting these delicious animals to the public at East Side Showroom. Tonight we make Duck Pate with Cremini Mushrooms!
And we are sharing our secrets (some of them)!!

In a processor blend together duck livers, add cream, 2 duck eggs, cognac, and secret pate spice blend*.
             *pate spice blend
                nutmeg
                allspice
                clove


Chop shallot, garlic chives, garlic clove.

Blanche whole Cremini mushrooms.

Season your blend, cool, and place on the bottom of a plastic wrapped pate pan.
Place the creminis in varying depth throughout the pate.

Cook until done in a double bath

Viola!

Pate Party!