Cook's Choice Night: Wild Mushroom, SPAM, & Creamy Cheese Polenta

       Cook's Choice Night traditionally lets each of us select our own personalized meal.   This is always some unique favorite to each of our tastes, but not much the other likes.  Mine often consists of chicken gizzards, oysters, and salmon.  Barb, unfortunately is allergic to mushrooms.
      This recipe was a new treat for me and I enjoyed it.  There are some changes I would make, however.  Something a bit different even with the meat.  The recipe does call for SPAM.  I enjoy SPAM in the right recipes. I used Chipotle SPAM.  You can, of course, substitute any meat your prefer.  Pulled pork or shredded brisket would work very well.   I am lucky enough to have quite a few of this spring's Morels dehydrated and still on hand.  This recipe served over polenta creates a creamy dish embracing the parmesan as well.  Since my 'shrooms were dehydrated, I soaked them in water for several hours before use.  You can use any shrooms you wish.  The amount would be determined by the size of your baking dish.  

1- 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms (your choice)
1 tsp. thyme
6 garlic cloves, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter
1 cup polenta (either from scratch or in rolls)
4 oz. parmesan, more for garnish
1 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
flakey sea salt
1/2 can SPAM chopped or thin sliced

     Place chopped or sliced SPAM into skillet and braise till browned.  Seasoning to your tastes. Mine included Flatiron Hatch Valley Green Pepper flakes.  Reduce heat to keep warm.

Thin sliced simmering SPAM

       Place a single rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 325°. Combine mushrooms, thyme sprigs, and garlic on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper; drizzle with oil. Toss to coat mushrooms, then spread out in an even layer. (Make sure not to crowd the mushrooms on the baking sheet; otherwise, they’ll steam instead of getting crispy.)

Seasoned 'shrooms ready to go in the oven

      Transfer to rack in oven and let mushrooms roast while you prepare polenta, roasting for about 25 minutes.  I prefer to use prepared and rolled polenta available from our local store.
     Remove the commercial roll packaging and place polenta in saucepan.  Add butter and a bit of water, but only what is needed to make it smooth not wet.  Heat on medium low, stirring and breaking up till tender and then add parmesan.  Whisk constantly until melted and incorporated; taste and season with more salt and pepper and moisture as needed. Cover and keep warm while mushrooms finish roasting.

                                               

Simmerin' polenta with parmesan

Roasted shrooms & SPAM

     Remove mushrooms from oven; drizzle with vinegar. Toss to coat; let cool slightly. Divide polenta among bowls and top with mushrooms, SPAM, thyme leaves, sea salt, and more Parmesan.

Plated with salt, Parmesan Romano Cheese, and a bit more thyme 

      Not only is this a bit different, but if mushrooms are your THANG, this IT my friend.   The mushrooms do crispy, but pair well with the SPAM.  Next time I would add much more cheese to the polenta and salt or Cavendar's Seasoning to the shrooms.  A great meal or side dish for fall.  

"In love if you can say things that give the magical air and the beauty of the forest mushrooms, then what you say will definitely fascinate the person you love".

Mehmet Murat Ildan 

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Preparing the Winter Food Pantry

      Each year when Barb and I travel south for the winter we take with us as much of the local/regional favorites that we enjoy either as treats or staples.  Our freezers are always full on departure.  This year for example we froze:

10 pounds of cudighi
10 pounds of whitefish and lake trout
7 pounds of local sausages, brats, boudin, and links
2 pounds of turtle meat for stew
3 lb. Dearborn Ham
10 packs of pasties and sheppard's pies
the last of the venison (about 4 pounds)
2 packs of homemade Pastrami
2 pounds of lamb for stew
About 5 pounds of razor clams
Several packs of 'on the road' meals including BBQ Beef, Shrimp Maque Choux, BBQ Chicken, Cholula Mac n Cheese, and Gumbo.
Various small packs of chicken, bacon, FF, breakfast sausage, etc.

NOTE:  On the road meals (OTR) consist of leftovers from previous meals that we froze to save.  These are great 2 portion meals that thaw easily and provide good food with little effort when pulled over for the night. 

One of our two RV freezers

      Additionally we bring along as much of our garden harvest as we can.  We used to can everything, and I mean nearly a hundred pints of beans, corn, carrots, and quarts of sauerkraut, tomatoes, etc.  However, any amount of canned vegees adds lots of extra weight to the RV.  We have since modified our process towards blanching, and then vacuum sealing meals to be frozen.  These are easily stacked in the freezer and weigh much less.  Each pack will feed us for one meal.  It doesn't last the winter, but it's a good start of our own healthy vegetables and helps to defray costs.
      Each vegetable requires blanching for several minutes in boiling water then immediately removed and placed in ice water to cool.  This will seal in the nutrients and cease further cooking preventing mushiness.  Many of these can be reheated or cooked to completion right in the bag in boiling water.

Blanching whole corn cobs 3 minutes, then place in COLD water

Trim the corn from cob

Vacuum seal 2 servings per bag

      Corn and tomatoes present different approaches.  Corn can either be blanched, vacuum sealed, and frozen as whole cobs or by trimming into kernels.  Tomatoes can be blanched and squeezed whole, removing the skin and excess water as possible before vacuum sealing.  They can also be quartered and cored, then blanched and vacuum sealed.  Lastly, they can be sliced and then sun dried or dehydrated before vacuum sealing.  The key to tomatoes is to only vacuum seal enough to last 2  meals max as they don't last a long time in the fridge.

Oven roasted and dehydrated and vacuum sealed (4 per pack)

 

Slicing, dehydrating, vacuum seal, and freeze (about 3 per pack)

      We really enjoy the bounty of our garden as much as possible each fall, but often end up giving away quite a bit to our neighbors.  Everyone wins.  The fact is that we own a Lite RV and as much we like to pack it in we have to always consider the GVWR.  Decisions always have to be made and load readjusted or eliminated.  Especially this year with all the initial supplies we're taking to Texas.  Of course, when we return in the spring our freezers are once again full with the riches of our southern travels.  It's all good.  Our cup runneth over.....

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without"  

Amish Proverb

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Quarantine at Home Series: Cholula Andouille Corn Mac & Cheese

     MY WIFE LOVES MACARONI AND CHEESE.  Me, not so much, but I try to accommodate her on nights other than "Cook's Choice".  I have a very nice cookbook that specializes in these meals, but recently I found yet another on a Cajun Family Website.  Don't get me wrong, I like Mac n Cheese provided it's not too simplistic and there is something else added, such as meat, vegees, a variety of cheeses, etc. Andouille is not critical, but a suitable sausage with some spice is.  It depends on your tastes. I used 1 link Andouille and 1 link Kielbasa. 

4 cups pasta (any shape)
4 Tbsp. butter
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup bread crumbs
2 cups shredded cheddar (Sargento or other GOOD cheese)
several BIG splashes Cholula  or your choice of hot sauce
2 tsp salt
2 links Andouille, sliced (I used 1 Andouille, 1 Kielbasa)
2 ears of fresh corn, shucked or 1 can kernel corn
1 bunch green onions, diced

       Preheat oven to 450F.  Melt butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.   When melted whisk in flour till combined smoothly. Whisk milk into mix and continue stirring till thickened, about 8 minutes.  Also, slice and simmer Andouille in skillet till lightly browned.

Stirring the initial Roux, milk and cheese are next

Simmerin' sausage just till lightly browned for flavor

      Mix in cheese and stir until incorporated; remove from heat.  Stir in all remaining ingredients except bread crumbs until evenly mixed.

Ingredients mixed and ready to go into oven

      Place mixture into 9" by 11" casserole dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.  Place in oven and bake for 25 minutes or top is golden and bubbly.

Plated for dinner

      Warm, bubbly, meaty, and spicy flavor takes over this version of Mac n Cheese.  It is delicious. My bride, of course, was happy......

"I'll always order macaroni and cheese, but I don't want it to be fancy"
Drew Barrymore

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Summer 2020: The Adventures of Pork Belly

Fresh from the butcher

      This summer has really been the Blog of Food.  The pandemic has restricted many folks from traveling far and as such has inspired more home cooking.   I took this as an opportunity to try something new once again.   I was able to finally locate an 8 lb pork belly in Michigan this summer and there are several recipes I wanted to try.  One of which, Pork Pastrami, has been chronicled elsewhere in this blog.  Pork belly has long been the source of bacon, but lately the range of recipes and culinary treats has expanded.  There is Smoked Pork Belly, Bacon, and Pastrami among others.  As sandwich, breakfast, or main course the list continues.  This has been a summer long project for me and as such this is my list of recipes and results.  Enjoy.

HOMEMADE BACON

2 pounds pork belly trimmed of excess fat
2 Tblspn Morton Tender Quick
2 Tblspn brown sugar
1 2/3 tspn maple sugar or syrup
1 2/3 tspn cracked black pepper
2 tspn red pepper flakes

     Trim the excess fat off the belly and lay flat.  Cover with cure and massage into flesh. Keep in mind this amount of cure is for 2 pounds.  After applying cure, place in plastic zip loc or turkey bag and squeeze out as much air as possible.  Seal and place in refrigerator for 7 days for inch of belly. Morton makes an excellent cure recipe for this.  www.copymethat.com/r/uiKl1Fk/smoked-bacon-with-morton-tender-quick-cu/

Cured 7 days ready to go in smoker

  

NOTE:  There is an old rule that cure will penetrate and cure a belly 1/2" each side for each 7 days. This means a 1" thick piece of belly will cure in 7 days, a 2" inch piece of belly in 14 days.  

      Remove from bag and rinse well.  Rub extra black pepper on outside of top and bottom, place in refrigerator for 24 hours uncovered to produce a 'pellicle'.  This outer sticky covering will help the smoke and flavor to better adhere and penetrate.  Place in smoker over your choice of wood (I used a mix of cherry and apple) for about 5-6 hours, till inside temp reaches 150F.  Then remove, wrap in pink butcher paper or foil and place back in smoker. When inside temp reaches 190F remove and let rest.  Then lay and slice the bacon to your desires.  When cooked we found the bacon to be very tasty, but a bit salty.  Maybe a little less cure or more maple/brown sugar next time.  I've been told to rinse it very well before cooking, maybe even a bit of a soak.

Ready for the skillet in the morning

SMOKED PORK BELLY

2 pounds pork belly
1 cup apple juice, divided
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup sweet rub (I like KC Sweet n Smokey)

         Using a sharp knife, score the top layer of fat on the pork belly in 1 inch squares.  Don't cut too deep, just barely into the muscle. Season liberally with the Sweet Rub on all sides.  Place in turkey bag and age in fridge for about 2 days.  Get your fire going in your cooker/smoker and preheat to 250 degrees F.  I have been running my smoker hotter than normal this year for better results.  I usually run 225 F.

Trimmed, scored, and rubbed out with KC Sweet n Smokey

       Place the seasoned pork belly on the grill and smoke until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F (about 5 hours). Spritz with the apple juice every hour while it is cooking.  Controlling the temp today was a 'booger' as it was storming and raining most of the afternoon. The fire was a constant challenge.

Spritzin' apple juice during a rain storm

      Once the belly reaches 165, remove from the grill and wrap in heavy duty aluminum foil or pink butcher paper with 1/2 cup of the apple juice. Seal the edges of the foil completely and return to the grill until the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.

Temperature checks to determine wrapping times

Returned to the smoker wrapped for another 2 hours

       Carefully remove the belly from the wrap and drizzle with the apple juices from the wrap.  Remove the finished pork belly to a cutting board and let it rest for 10-15 more minutes. Slice and serve.  We found this to be delicious, although Barb did not care for the side of 'Burnt Ends' I made.  I loved them.  NOTE:  If you would like Burnt Ends, then leave the unwrapped belly on the grill and cook longer, watching for crunchy/crispy, but not burnt.

NOTE:  I NEVER COOK MY MEAT WITH BBQ SAUCE ON BOARD.  I SERVE IT ON THE SIDE WHEN PLATED.   

Cherry Smoked Pork Belly with Burnt Ends, Beans, and Fried Taters

NOTE:  WE HAVE 1 PORK BELLY LEFT.  I LET BARB DECIDE HOW SHE WANTED IT MADE AND AND FROZEN FOR WINTER;  SHE CHOSE PASTRAMI.  I HAVE NO COMPLAINTS.  

"If I had to narrow my choice of meats down to one for the rest of my life, I'm quite certain that meat would be pork" 

James Beard

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