Pig-ervention....French Canadian recipe link located! p3

Hattie the Hen

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FarmerDenise said:
:drool Suelze :drool
As soon as you make it, I'll drop by for a visit :lol:
:frow

Now you have really got me interested as a friend of mine in Koln used to make this for me from a recipe of her grandmothers. I never got the recipe for it & I have never heard the name since until FD posed it; so I looked it up on Google. Yum-yum :drool I might have problems with the veal bone though.....Hmmmm....I'll have to work on that....!! Maybe some chickens feet to add more gelatinous content....??? I love the idea of the juniper berries.

http://wegottaeat.com/karden/recipes/head-cheese-or-suelze

Hattie
 

freemotion

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Suelze and cretons for everyone! :lol:

Cretons must be served on ployes: http://www.sufficientself.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=6526

I think it is gross. Cinnamon and gelatin and pork? :sick Ya love it or ya hate it. But I will make it for my loved ones. I definitely inherited that from my Memere. The satisfaction of watching people chow down on something I made. Boy, that woman could cook!
 

keljonma

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This recipe for Choucroute Garnie comes from Alsace Lorraine (French-German). I have been making this particular recipe for over 20 years; my grandmother's version is a bit different. We find this recipe is always good, very versatile, and can be adjusted to feed 4 or a small army of 45. :lol:

The original recipe feeds 12 very hungry people. But, cut the veg numbers down and put a pork roast in and you've got Sunday dinner, or invite the extended family and friends for a celebratory dinner without much work, once it is in the oven. The recipe calls for smoked meats, but we found most pork meats are delicious here. I have some variation

Choucroute Garnie

6# bagged sauerkraut or homemade equivalent
3 c chopped onions
2 c chopped carrots
1/2# chopped bacon
3 c peeled & chopped Granny Smith apples
1 T caraway seeds
2 bottles of sparkling cider OR 2 quarts broth OR half of each
4-5# assorted smoked meats & sausages
Bouquet garni consisting of:
a handful of parsley
2 bay leaves
12 peppercorns
20 crushed juniper berries

Soak the sauerkraut in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly and squeeze excess water out. Set aside.

Tie up the bouquet garni ingredients in cheesecloth or place in a tea ball. Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or large oven-proof roaster pan place the bacon over medium heat for a couple of minutes to render the fat. Add the onions and saut for about 5 minutes or until wilted. Add the carrots and cook a few more minutes. Add the apples, then the sauerkraut, caraway seeds and cider or stock. Bury the bouquet garni in the sauerkraut. Bring the dish to a boil on top of the stove, cover and place in pre-heated 325F oven for 3 1/2 - 4 hrs or until much of the liquid has evaporated.

Remove from oven and bury the sausages and meats throughout the sauerkraut mixture. Recover the pot and return to the oven for 1 1/2 - 3 hrs. Check the sausages the last 1/2 hr of cooking and if they are not brown enough or if there is still a lot of liquid left in the dish, uncover it and turn the heat up to 375F for 1/2 hour.

Longer cooking will not hurt this dish and it reheats beautifully if you want to prepare it a day or two ahead and refrigerate it. Serve with a variety of crusty breads and spicy mustards. YUM! Salad optional.

MY VARIATIONS:
-add 4 whole cloves to bouquet garni

-instead of serving with boiled potatoes, add cut up raw potatoes with carrots

-I've used Granny Smith's but they aren't my favorite apple, so I've used Jonathon or Melrose or any of the Delicious apples instead

-I usually use half sparkling cider and half veggie stock

-I have put the meats into the sauerkraut before the pot goes into the oven and just let it cook for 3 1/2 hours

-Meats I've used in this recipe are: pork loin, bratwurst, knockwurst, pork chops (smoked and raw), kielbasa, smoked sausage, smoked ham, German-style wieners. Once I even used Ball Park Franks in a pinch for some nephews and nieces who didn't eat anything else. Put what you like best, it's all good.

NOTE: I don't worry so much about the amount of broth left in the pot. Just don't let it all cook away to nothing, leave a little.
 

MorelCabin

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This might help...it's not a recipe, but very informative. I don't think headcheese IS really a recipe per say anyway, it is simply the result of boiling the head of the pig, or the feet of the pig. I am French Canadian, (Beaudoin) and head cheese, like you are looking for is very common around here...I just never liked it:>) Haha I can definitely find out how they make it if you want.

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/head-cheese.htm
 

freemotion

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Thanks, Kel, looks yummy!

And yes, Morel, I would like any and all recipes, but especially French Canadian ones, as I am trying to find something close to what my Memere made.
 

freemotion

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Look at the link my dad sent me! Lots of recipes here, that he grew up on. For those interested, there are many recipes for game and catfish, and many recipes that use the parts of the pig that you can't buy at your local grocery store....

http://www.terriau.org/cuisine.htm

Many of these recipes are VERY old!

The ones that bring back mouthwatering memories to me....six pate, I had it made with bear and game birds and pork and venison and who knows what else....I can't stand the taste of game, and this dish was wonderful!

Ployes....yum!

It is the cretons that I will be making next week....originally a headcheese, but not necessarily in some of those recipes.
 

Bubblingbrooks

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OH! you have not lived until you have eaten Porketta!
It is a staple in Northern MN.

Here is the recipe.

Pork Butt Roast
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Fennel Seeds
Parsley Flakes

Cut roast ALMOST in half lengthwise, and open it up like a book. Butterfly as needed.
Generously sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic.
Sprinkle Fennel seeds sparingly on one side and Parsley generously on the other side.
Then, sprinkle the whole top with pepper and garlic again.
Fold roast back together and tie securely with string in several places.
Generously sprinkle the outside of the roast with salt, pepper, garlic, salt and pepper, in that order.

Place in roasting pan and press fennel seeds on the top and sprinkle with parsley.
Cover and bake at 325' for 3-4 hours or until roast comes apart when pierced with a fork.

Note: You can use other types of meat as desired, but pork is the best.
 

freemotion

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Hmmm....where, oh where, will I get enough pork to make all these lovely recipes??? :p

I'm still going through the recipes on that French Acadian/Cajun link....did you see the pork fat and molasses pie? Did you see the pissenlit salad? Do you know enough French to see the humor in that one? :lol:
 
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