Why? Because you can! And pickle, and jam, or otherwise celebrate the resurgence of the domestic arts our forebears held so dear. Put on your best apron and step into our kitchen, won't you?
The October Charcutepalooza challenge was to “stretch.” I decided to make pork rillettes, or pork jam as the French affectionately call it. From a technical aspect, rillettes are about as easy as making pot roast.
For June's Charcutepalooza challenge I made sweet Italian sausage. I opted to showcase it in a deconstucted pesto dish with some sauteed peppers and onions.
Chicken sausage, I hesitate to admit, does not appeal to me. Pork, venison, even duck works, but chicken seems too delicate to be called sausage. I made it and the results were not so bad. Indeed, the herbs conjured up Provence on a summer day....
Itching to try your hand at home-cured meats? This Lonza is for you babe. A quick brine and 6 week air cure, S.D.'s Lonza uses succulent port tenderloins yielding smooth dark slices of intense flavor. Just do it!
Rillettes are a spread made of salted meat slowly cooked in fat, first mentioned in 15th century cookbooks. Although they were originally made from pork, I chose wild pheasant today to satisfy my never-ending wintry game cravings.
