Friendsgiving is this weekend for our little chapter of sonoma-marin queers, co-run by myself and @leafnoodle! You know what that means - it's time for..... A COOKING THREAD! 🎉🍴🔥
My menu contributions this year are:
- Goat Ale Stew
- Vegetarian Shepherds Pie
- Mulled Cider w/Butterscotch Sauce
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Let's go over our progress so far!
Yesterday morning my partner and I picked up 2 lbs of bone-in goat loin from the local Weird Butcher. I broke it down into stew meat, and tossed the bones in a pot for a few hours with some basic stock veggies to make a goat broth.
Broke out the mortar and pestle and hand-ground cinnamon, clove, mace, black pepper, and just a little cardamom to make a version of Poudre Forte - a medieval spice blend that I'll be seasoning the meat with before browning!
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Today I got up early and got started on the filling for the pie. Minced together Seitan and Mushrooms, and stewed that with onion, carrot, celery, peas, and garlic in a mix of red wine and vegetable broth. Seasoned with thyme, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaf! Reduced the mix for about and hour, and poured it into a casserole dish to cool. Topped the mix with smoked salt and fresh ground pepper!
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Mortar and Pestle time again, this time making a mulling spice blend for the cider. Ceylon cinnamon, mace, clove, allspice, star anise, black pepper, cardamom, and orange peel. Rough it all up and toss it in some satchets!
This brings us up to date, current task is...... A break to do laundry and play a bit of Pokemon.
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Sugar, butter, and half-and-half melted into a slurry then boiled! Transferred to a bowl and whisked in vanilla bean paste, salt, and a rum reduction. Now back in the pot to reduce into something lovely and dark!
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Sprinkled my homemade Poudre Forte over the goat chunks, letting them sit for an hour or two
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Got busy cooking, let's play catch-up!
Crisped up some bacon lardons and rendered the fat out of them, then lightly browned the goat meat in that! Lardons and goat went into the slow cooker with some ale, while I used the remaining fat and juices to saute the vegetables
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Potatoes were mashed with some half-and-half and salt, then spread over the shepherds pie. Scored a checkered pattern in to make sure there were lots of grooves and topped it with sharp cheddar and ground pepper. Ready for the oven!
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Gallon of apple juice over low heat, with the mulling spices from earlier! I am want this to be a bit tart to balance out the butterscotch sauce, so some crabapples and Granny Smith slices are stewing with it.
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Veggies into the slow cooker - deglazed the pan with a bit more ale and some goat stock and added it to the pot. Finally added potatoes, pearl onions, and enough stock to cover. Time for these babies to stew!
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Stew is stewed! Cider is mulled! Shepherd's pie is out of the oven and half-devoured! Everything is delicious and friends are wonderful!
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It's the big day! Potatoes are boiling to top the pie, stew contents have been cut up.