Adventures in Sausage & the Search for the Perfect Poutine Sauce Recipe

While my (also Celiac) sister was visiting, we got the bright idea (or, rather, Charles did) to make our own sausages while taking a lovely stroll through Parc National d'Oka.  We gathered recipes and our supplies and went to work!

I don't have the exact recipes saved, but we made two types: chicken-sage-apple and pork-chipotle-beer.  Both were GF (I actually found a halfway-decent Quebec-made GF beer) and delicious!

If you want recipes and information about making your own sausages, Charles found them here, on TheSpicySausage.com.

Getting it started after the casing had to be cut.

Yeah, sausage!

The completed raw pork sausages, in natural casing.

Now, for poutine.

If you don't know what this is, fret not, you just haven't been to Montreal or Canada and had the heart-attack-in-a-bowl that is (at its very basic state) fries (fried in lard, typically), cheese curds, and "poutine sauce".

The recipe for poutine sauce has eluded me for ages.  No one's online recipes seem to get it right.  Something is always MISSING.  It is NOT just chicken gravy, like many people would have you believe.  But this time around, I HAVE DISCOVERED THE MISSING INGREDIENT.

It is soy sauce.

Not much.  Not more than a few dashes.  But just a tad to deliver its heavy umami flavor.

I didn't write down my recipe (good job, Amy), but, basically, it is:

1 1/2 cups each chicken and beef broth.
A few dashes of soy sauce.
Salt & pepper.
2 T. each cornstarch & water to thicken.

Heat broths in a saucepan until boiling.  Add in soy and S&P.  Add in cornstarch and allow to cook down to a gravy consistency (or thicker).

The taste was DEAD-ON this time, but it was a little thin.  I was too excited.

Also, cheese curds are a necessity.  No substitutions work quite as well.  They are fresh from the cheese factory here and they squeak when you bite into them.

Gluten-free poutine!

We baked our sausages on a bed of peppers and onions.

Complete meal!

Cornmeal-Crusted Basa (Catfish) with Homemade Tartar Sauce and Kalyn's Ratatouille Wanna-Be

A few weeks ago, I discovered basa fish, which was super-duper on sale at IGA and had the "sustainable fish" stamp of approval on it (I try to be aware of which fish are on the do-not-eat list, typically).  Upon coming home and researching, I have discovered that basa is indeed a Vietnamese catfish, and is being shipped worldwide due to its large numbers and nutritional value.  So, take that as you will.  I will buy it again when I see it.  The fillets are HUGE, and it's relatively low-calorie.

Sometimes, I feel like having some good ol' Southern-style food.  Fried catfish is one of those things.

First!  Homemade tartar sauce, because you want this to sit for at least an hour before you eat it.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup mayonnaise
Juice of 1 lemon
3 T. minced dill pickle (or sweet relish, but I prefer the sour aspect)
1 T. dill
Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Taste and correct any ingredients (you may want more dill, more pickle, whatever).  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before eating.  That was easy!

Fish time!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup finely ground corn meal
1/2 t. half-sharp paprika
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper

2 basa fillets (I have no idea how big mine were, really...)

Vegetable oil for frying

Instructions:

Fill a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with enough oil to fill it about 1/2 inch from the bottom.  Heat over medium-high heat.

Mix corneal and spices/herbs on a plate or shallow bowl.

Dredge both sides of the fish in the cornmeal mix, pressing to make sure the fish is well-coated.

Your oil is ready when, if you dip your fingertips in some water and flick water droplets at the surface of the oil, it sizzles and pops and generally goes crazy.

Fry your fish for about 6 minutes on each side (or according to the packaging), until golden brown and crispy.  Place on a plate with paper towel to remove any excess oil.

Serve immediately with your tartar sauce and a side of your choice!  The ratatouille wanna-be recipe can be found here.

 I also enjoyed a mojito :D.

Bircher Muesli

Yes.  I know.  It's been a while.

I have been busy with people/lazy with updating.

My mother came to visit, my sister came to visit, Charles got home, and there was much rejoicing *cue Monty Python clip*.

We've had a wonderful insurgence of fresh local produce at markets, so I've been going eggplant crazy and zucchini crazy and managed to get some strawberry jam made (now I need to do raspberry).  It looks like we'll be another year without blackberry jam...I don't know why, but no one seems to grow them here.  Sad face.

On with the recipe!

This is a very simple breakfast recipe with many, many variations and options.  It's very filling and nutritious, loaded with protein, and it can be made at the beginning of the week and had for breakfast all week long.  I discovered it at the (AMAZING) breakfast buffet we had at the Novotel in Sydney, Australia, and have been wanting to make it since.  My sister brought me some gluten-free oats (something else that seems impossible to find here), and I now can do just that!

Mine is super-simplified because I choose to add the toppings daily, rather than mixing them in.

Bircher Muesli

Ingredients:

3 cups prepared oatmeal*
1 cup unsweetened applesauce OR a combination of grated/chopped tart apples and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup of honey

Garnishes/Mix-In:

Chopped walnuts
Sliced almonds
Other nuts!
Sultana raisins
Dried cranberries
Other dried fruit!
Fresh fruit!
More yogurt!
Flax seeds

The possibilities are endless!

*NOTE:  Recipes I have read call for rolled oats soaked in apple juice overnight (not cooked), but I cannot find ANY gluten-free rolled oats here, so I used steel-cut, which you really, really need to cook, haha.  Left them a little under-done so that they would soak up more liquid and have a bit of texture to them.  If you want to make the "real thing", a good recipe is here: http://editor.nourishedmagazine.com.au/articles/bircher-muesli.

The original recipe from the early 1900s is here!: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muesli#Original_Bircher-Benner_muesli_recipe

Instructions:

Take your prepared oats, mix them in a large bowl (with a lid) with the yogurt, honey, and apples/sauce, and refrigerate.

Huzzah!  You are done.  Mix in or top with whatever you desire!

So far, the batch I made is a little soupy, so next time I will try soaking the oats in everything overnight to see how they do.  Also, it's been enough for about 6 or 7 Amy-breakfasts.  YMMV.

Snack-sized (maybe 1/4 cup) with walnuts and concord grapes (nope, not blueberries).

Breakfast!  Sliced almonds, banana, concord grapes, dried cranberries, and wild blueberries.

Happy 100th, Julia!

Today would have been Julia Child's 100th birthday, if she had been able to grace us with her amazing presence for any longer.  I never watched her show (I think I was too young), but she greatly inspired and aided me in my creativity and technique in the kitchen.  I grew up constantly hearing about how wonderful she was and how she revolutionized cooking in the United States.

So, today, I honor her by making a couple of her recipes (gluten-free, of course) and feast upon the deliciousness.

Both recipes are adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

Aubergines (Eggplant) Stuffed with Mushrooms and Goat Cheese

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized eggplants, stemmed and halved lengthwise
3 T. butter, divided
3 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 a large yellow onion, finely minced
1/2 pound of mushrooms (I had buttons, but you could easily use portobellos or something else to your liking), finely minced
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 1/2 oz. soft goat cheese, crumbled (the original recipe had cream cheese)
1/2 t. dried parsley
1/2 t. dried thyme or basil

Instructions:

Take the eggplant halves and score the flesh within 1/4 inch of the skin.  Sprinkle salt onto the flesh and place them, cut-side-down, on paper towels to allow the water to seep out of them.  Leave them for 30 minutes to an hour.

Once the eggplant have drained some of their water (give them a good squeeze to get even more out, preheat your broiler on high, and place the halves cut-side-up on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with a small bit of oil (I used my Misto sprayer) and broil 5-6 inches from the heat for 10-15 minutes, until the flesh is golden brown and fork-tender.

Scoop out the flesh with a spoon, leaving the skin and about 1/4 inch of flesh, and place in a medium mixing bowl.  Set scooped-out eggplant in a roasting pan big enough for them to fit side by side.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add onion and saute for 5-6 minutes, until it is beginning to turn translucent.  Add in the mushrooms and saute together until both are cooked through and slightly browned, about 5-6 minutes more.

Combine eggplant flesh, mushrooms, and onions.  Stir in the goat cheese, herbs, and salt and pepper.  Be sure to taste and correct any seasonings you desire.

Place filling in the eggplant halves in the pan. If you desire, top with grated Swiss cheese and bread crumbs (I didn't think it needed it).  Add 1/8 inch of water to the pan, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until tops are browned and everything is heated through.

Before cooking!

After cooking!

I had a helper for some of this.

Chicken in a Tomato and Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

6 boneless and skinless chicken thighs
2 T. butter, divided
2 T. olive oil, divided
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced (again, I had buttons, but you could use others)
2 shallots, minced
1 cup of peeled, seeded tomatoes, chopped (I used canned whole San Marzanos)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 t. tarragon or basil
1/4 t. salt
Pinch of pepper
1/2 cup of dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock, mixed with 1 T. cornstarch (I used GF potato starch) and 1 T. water

Instructions:

In the same skillet as before (I used it out of haste and not wanting to clean another pan), heat over medium-high heat and brown both sides of the chicken thighs (this should take about 6-8 minutes).  Set aside on a plate.

Heat 1 T. butter and 1 T. oil over medium heat in that pan, add mushrooms, and saute until browned.  Set aside with chicken.

Heat remaining butter and oil and saute shallots for a minute or two.  Add tomatoes, garlic, herbs, salt, and pepper, bring to a simmer, and cook for 4-5 minutes.

Add wine and broth mixture, bring to a boil, and allow sauce to cook for 5 minutes or so, until the sauce is reduced a bit and thickening.

Add the chicken and mushrooms back into the pan.  Cover and allow to cook through (about 5-10 more minutes).

Serve hot!  Enjoy!  The sauce would be GREAT over some rice or something, but I am avoiding too many carbs lately due to lack of exercise (I injured my foot a while ago).

Here's to you, Julia!

OPERATION GLUTEN UPDATE:

Also, after going GF for a month, I glutened myself and reacted badly.  So I will be GF from now on.  I feel great, it just sucks having to entirely avoid anything with gluten in it.  Oh well, at least I know!  But, oh my, I miss my beer.