Blueberry Bacon Jam

Although only recently has such a recipe become fashionable again, meat and fruit presented as a sweet dish has ancient roots.  A few Egyptian texts referred to meat preserved with honey. Then during the Victorian Era, mincemeat was all the rage. Grinding bits of beef or venison with dried fruits and strong spirits to create a pastry filling.  Over the years, such labor intensive recipes fell out of favor when people began to consume more ready made products.  A relatively new growing interest in more traditional foods has sparked a creative revival.  This blueberry bacon jam recipe is my contribution to that revival.

Blueberry Bacon Jam

2 lbs. Bacon

2 Large Yellow Onions

1 Bulb of Garlic

1 1/2 C. Dried Blueberries

1/2 C. White Wine Vinegar

1/2 C Brown Sugar

1 C. Strong Coffee

1 C. Rogue Dead Guy Whiskey

3/4 C. Maple Syrup

Use a medium sauce pan.

Chop the bacon finely. Slightly frozen helps.

Start Rendering the bacon until browned, and just starting to crisp.

Reduce the heat, and discard all but 1/4 C. of fat.

Finely chop the onions and add to the pan with the bacon.

Crush the garlic and add it.

Caramelize the onions, garlic, and bacon over medium low heat.

Occasionally add a few tablespoons of water to deglaze and promote color development.  Allow it to reduce out.

When caramelized, reduce heat to low.

Add the brown sugar, and blueberries.

Add the coffee, syrup, and vinegar stirring slowly.

Carefully add the whiskey to avoid flare up.

Simmer on low heat reducing nearly all the liquid out.

It should be thick, but not entirely dried out.

Not to sound obvious, but jam like.

Cool completely and store in the food safe container of your choice.

This is a super fun recipe to play with.  You could change the fruit, or the alcohol.

You could take this bit of culinary decadence a step further with bear bacon.

This jam is a fun multiuse condiment. Enjoy with biscuits, or on a burger.

I have not been paid by Rogue Spirits to endorse their brand.

They are just a cool Oregon distillery that makes a quality product.

I'm not saying I'd turn down a bottle or ten if it showed up.

Check with your local liquor merchant for availability.

http://www.rogue.com/rogue_spirits/dead-guy-whiskey/

Tomato Basil Soup

   Tomato Basil Soup

3 1/2 C. Crushed Tomatoes 29 oz.

3 1/2 C. Tomato Sauce 29 oz.

8 oz. Jar of Sun Dried Tomatoes In Oil

1 Yellow Onion

8 Basil Leaves

1 Quart Heavy Crème

2 C. Vegetable or Chicken Stock

3 Cloves Garlic Crushed

2 T. Roux
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste

Use a 6 qt. or larger pot.

Drain the oil off the sundried tomatoes and reserve the oil.

Mince the onion and caramelize it and the garlic in the pot with the reserved oil.

Add the crushed tomatoes allowing the pot to deglaze.

Reduce the heat to low.

Chop the sun dried tomatoes and add to the pot.

Finely chop the basil and add it.

Add the stock and the roux.

Give it a light whisking to ensure the roux has pretty much dissolved.

Add the tomato sauce and allow to come up to a slow simmer.

Add the heavy crème and stir.

Simmer over medium low heat for 20 minutes stirring often.

Can be served with French fried onions as a garnish.
You can add chopped fire roasted peppers for more texture.

This soup would pair well with a duck fat grilled, smoked gouda sandwich.

London Broil Of Elk Pot Roast

     Ideally, best prepared in a cast iron covered roaster. This is a great slow roast or crock pot recipe.

London Broil Of Elk Pot Roast

3-5 Lb. London Broil or Roast

4 Medium Potatoes

3 Carrots

1 Yellow Onion

2 Cloves Crushed Garlic

3 Stalks of Celery

1 Pkg. White Mushrooms

1 Pkg. Beef Au Jus

2 T. Worcestershire Sauce

1T. Corn Starch

1 1/2 C. Warm Water

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Salt & Pepper the roast, then place it in the roasting pan.

Cut the vegetables into bite sized pieces and place on top of the roast.

In a 2 cup measuring cup, measure 1 1/2 C. of water. Dissolve the au jus and corn starch in the water. Add the Worcestershire sauce & mix.  

Pour the mixture into the roasting pan and cover.

Place in a 300 degree oven for 2 hours.  

Baste occasionally.

Continue roasting uncovered until vegetables are cooked through and roast reaches 165 internal temp.

The roast should be ready to fall apart, but you can roast until it does if you want.  Just add enough liquid so your gravy doesn't dry out.

Serve with a nice fresh baked bread.  

This is going to do a pretty good job of feeding  4 people. (We eat a lot here in the woods)

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Roll

     This is a fairly simple appetizer. With a small amount of care, it displays well when served with cocktail bread or crackers.

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Roll

1 Pkg. Cream Cheese

1/2 C. Smoked Gouda

1 T. Chopped Dill

2 T. Capers

2 Oz Smoked Salmon Chopped

1 C. Finely Chopped Filberts

Soften the cream cheese with a mixer.

Mix in the grated cheese and dill. Mix very well. It should be an almost smooth even texture.

It helps to use a baking sheet.Turn the mixture out onto a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper. Slightly smooth with a rubber spatula.  Cover with another sheet and lightly run a rolling pin over it just to get a smooth surface. You don't want it too thin. Chill thoroughly.  When chilled, remove the top layer of plastic or wax paper.  Spread an even layer of smoked salmon over the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle the capers to evenly distribute.  Begin at one end and slowly begin to roll into a log.  Take your time and try to keep things neat and even when rolling. Have a length of plastic wrap ready.

Once rolled, Wrap in plastic and chill again.

While your roll is chilling, place the filberts in a food processor and pulse to a fine chop.

Turn the processed filberts out onto a plate or baking sheet wide enough to fit the roll.

Unwrap the log and roll in the chopped filberts.  You should have enough to give the roll a nice even coat.  Wrap in waxed paper chilling again. 

This will keep refrigerated for 3 days.

When ready to serve, simply unwrap and place on a cheese board or plate with sliced cocktail bread or crackers.

 

Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad

     This is a fairly easy salad to assemble. A perfect recipe for someone who doesn't really cook, but needs to bring a dish to pass. This is a recipe that will likely result in more invitations, and maybe a few new friends.  The ingredients are fairly simple, and can be found in almost any full service grocery store.  I prefer to use Rogue River salmon for this recipe. Then again, the river is just out back.

Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad

1/2 Lb. Pasta

(Bite sized, but not too big. small penne, bowtie, ect.)

1/2 Lb. Smoked Salmon

(A few pieces of whole hot smoked)

1/2 C. Diced Red Bell Pepper

2 T. Capers

1 T. Dill

(Fresh or Dried)

1/2 C Mayo

1/2 C. Asiago Cheese Divided

(Use half in salad & half to garnish)

1 T. Lemon Juice

1 T. Milk

Your choice of pasta is a chance to play with colored pasta, or odd shaped pasta. Cook the pasta to just al dente. (Just barely done) Rinse the pasta in ice cold water until it is chilled. Any warmth means still cooking. The goal is to have pasta that is done, but not so done that it falls apart when you mix the salad.  

   Use a large mixing bowl that will allow you to evenly combine the ingredients.  Add the mayo & milk. Mix to loosen the mayo. Add the lemon juice, capers dill, peppers, and cheese. Mix lightly to combine.  Break the smoked salmon up. Think about making pieces than can be seen easily, but small enough to evenly distribute. Think pea sized and bigger.  Fold the pasta into the mixture. Fold lightly to evenly coat the pasta and salmon.

Pick a serving dish you feel is appropriate for the setting and turn your salad out of the mixing bowl into it. Chill thoroughly, at least 2 hours. Garnish with the reserved asiago & maybe a sprig of fresh dill if you gathered your own.

Keep your salad cold until serving time. At picnics, you can rest your serving dish on a few gel ice packs wrapped to keep your dish stable. It will keep it plenty cold for service.

Burger Seasoning

This is a pretty basic seasoning for burgers. I usually make up a batch and keep it in an airtight container to refill shakers as needed.

Burger Seasoning

1 C. Sea Salt

1/4 C. Black Pepper

1/4 C. Garlic Powder

1/4 C. Onion Powder

Place all ingredients in a food processor.

Pulse the spices until combined.

Store in an airtight container.

Slow Roated Pulled Elk

     As the tourists begin to go back to their lives in the cities, locals gather to have a beer and swap tall tales about "the one that got away".  Many of those gatherings revolve around food. Since we have world class game, in many cases quite literally right outside our door, we can pull out a prime Roosevelt Elk roast to share with friends over growlers of Arch Rock.

Slow Roasted Pulled Elk

5 to 7 Lb. Elk Roast

(Any large roast portion will work)

3 Lbs. Yellow Onions

2 Lbs. Apples

1 Quart Apple Cider

10 Peppercorns Cracked

4 Cloves

2 Bay Leaves

Sea Salt to taste

Break out the trusty roasting pan.

Peel, quarter, then slice the onions.

Peel, core and slice the apples.

Make sure the onions are all broken up.  The idea is to create a bed for the roast.

Place the roast on the bed of apples and onions.

Make a pique for the spices and randomly place it in the pan.

Pour the cider in.

Roast covered at 300 degrees for 3 hours.

Continue roasting uncovered, basting occasionally until roast begins to fall apart.

Usually an hour.

Nearly all of the liquid should have evaporated by now.  A 1/2 cup or so will likely remain.

Pull apart with tongs or forks.

Remove the pique

Mix the meat and the rendered onions to evenly combine.

Dress with Rogue River Blackberry BBQ Sauce

https://davidbriggspdx.blogspot.com/2017/08/its-grilling-season-aftter-all.html

For a little added dimension, you can add coleslaw on top of the pulled elk for a dressed sandwich.

https://davidbriggspdx.blogspot.com/2017/09/coleslaw.html

I like to use a nice hard roll for pulled meat sandwiches.

Coleslaw

There are probably as many recipes for coleslaw as families who make it.  I tend to be a bit of a purist and enjoy a light citrus taste.  It's a very simple side dish to prepare.  It's almost obligatory when frying fish.

Coleslaw

1 lb. Cabbage grated or hand cut

1/2 C. Grated Carrot

1/2 C. Mayo

1/2 C. Buttermilk

1 T. Lemon Juice

Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

Mix ingredients until well blended and all ingredients well coated.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled completely.

Clams Casino

     This was one of the first dishes I learned how to make on a professional level.  We made it by the thousands.  Essentially, clams casino is chopped clams mixed with stuffing and baked on the half shell.  You can really do it with oysters, scallops, or mussels.  It's just called stuffed (insert bivalve here) All nit pickery aside, it's a really easy recipe to put together.  You can bake, grill, or smoke them.  This is an awesome recipe for a party. Make a bunch and keep them warm in a chafing pan on a bed of pie weights.  Just try to make in no more than double recipe.  If you wish to produce this recipe on a commercial scale, email me for required modifications to my wallet for scaling.

Clams Casino

2 Dozen Fresh Clams 

1/2 C. Minced Onion

1/2 C. Minced Red Bell Pepper

1/4 C. Chopped Parsley

1/4 Crisp Fine Chopped Bacon

4 Cloves Garlic Crushed

1/4 C. Grated Romano Cheese

1 1/2 C. Bread Crumbs or Stuffing

1 T. Butter

2 oz. Dry White Wine

Clean cook and shell the clams. 

Separate and reserve the shells.

Chop the clams finely enough to evenly distribute through the ingredients and set aside.

In a skillet, sweat the peppers, garlic, and onions with the butter.

Deglaze the pan with the wine and remove from the heat.

Add the clams, bacon, bread crumbs, parsley and cheese.

Stir just enough to combine.

Spoon into the clam shells and place on a baking sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes.

Cook to an internal temp of  160 degrees at least.

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

   When I start working on cookie recipes, I think about how the finished cookie will look, taste, and even smell while baking.  I've given this recipe to a few realtors over the years.  Seal up the house and bake off a few dozen of these before a showing.   Sounds crazy, but it helped get offers on hard to sell properties.  I wrote this small batch recipe based on one of my production recipes.  Not much different than my original recipe except that it doesn't start with 15 pounds of butter.

Blueberry Lemon Cookies

1/2 C. Butter

1 C. Sugar

2 Eggs

1 C. Dried Blueberries

Zest of 1 Lemon

1t. Vanilla

2 1/2 C. Flour

1/2 t. Baking Soda

1/2 t. Baking Powder

1/8 t. Salt

Cream the butter and sugar.

Mix in the eggs, zest and extract.

Blend dry ingredients in a separate bowl then add to the wet ingredients mixing until a dough starts to form. 

Add the blueberries and mix until incorporated.

Form the dough into logs and wrap with wax paper or plastic wrap.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4 inch or so discs.

Lightly press one side of the dough into a dish of pearized casting sugar. You don't want to overload it. just get a nice spread of grains across the face of the cookie.

Place sugar side up on a baking sheet.  There will be a small amount of spread, so not very close.

Bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe can be frozen. Just make sure it is well wrapped. May be frozen for up to 6 months.

Coconut Cookies

All too often when you think of coconut cookies, people envision macaroons.   While perfectly fine,  they don't store well.  This is one of my go to recipes for cookie trays.  When combined with my other cookie recipes,  you can create a tray of cookies that will have people coming back for more.  A great cookie jar cookie.  This recipe is easily adapted for flour replacement or egg replacement.  The recipe tends to tolerate 1 allergen replacement at a time.  Plus, I believe in keeping recipes in context while consuming in moderation. 

Coconut Cookies

1 C. Butter (softened)
1 C. Sugar
2 Eggs
1 T. Rum Extract
2 C. Finely Shredded Coconut
2 C. Flour
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Baking Powder
1/2 t. Salt

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the eggs, sugar, butter, extract, soda, powder, & salt.
Mix in the coconut and flour. 
Firm into uniform balls with a scoop or spoon. 
Roll in sugar and flatten with a glass.
Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until edges start to brown.

Braised Rabbit Peperonata

     Many times we pass by really amazing ingredients because we might not know how to prepare it in a way everyone at the table is going to enjoy.  I think that rabbit is one of those ingredients.  All too often, rabbit is framed in some impossible to prepare context.  Rabbit is a beautiful protein with nearly comparable usage as to chicken.    Wild rabbit is found throughout the forests of the Rogue Valley.  This braised rabbit recipe is inspired by my upbringing in an Italian American neighborhood.  Amazing on it's own, or served on a bed of wild mushroom polenta or risotto.

Braised Rabbit Peperonata

Mountain Cottontail

 2 Dressed Rabbit Broken Down To Quarters

3 Green Bell Peppers

3 Red Bell Peppers

3 Yellow Bell Peppers

2 Yellow Onions

4 Cloves Garlic

4 Large Tomatoes Rough Chopped

1/2 C. Basil Leaves (2 ounces ish)

1 T. Oregano

1 C. Tomato Sauce

1 C. Chicken Stock

1/4 C. Butter or Duck Fat

Dash Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Black Pepper

     In a roasting pan, quarter, and slice the onions.  Hull and slice the peppers. Slice the garlic thin or crush it.  Chiffonade the basil. (Bunch it up and slice into thin ribbons. WATCH YOUR FINGERS)  Add all vegetable and spices to the roasting pan and make sure everything is evenly mixed in the bottom of the pan.  Lightly rub the rabbit with butter or oil and salt and pepper it.  Lay the rabbit on the bed of vegetables.  Add the butter in small pats evenly around the pan.  Cover and roast 90 minutes at 300 degrees, occasionally basting the rabbit.  Uncover after 90 minutes and roast an additional 30 minutes uncovered to allow the sauce in the roast to reduce some.  Continue roasting uncovered until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached.

     Serve with a wild mushroom polenta or risotto.  Honestly, if the thought of new fangled I talian starches scares you, mashed potatoes are just fine.  Just because you hunted it yourself, doesn't mean you need to eat like a caveman on the brink of desperation.  Wild game is the primal root of cuisine.  Embrace your inner hunter gatherer and experience food that doesn't come wrapped in more plastic than a stripper.  

Ginger Soy Smoked Salmon Brine

  

   Here is a basic wet marinade for smoked salmon.  There are several different types of wet marinades for seafood smoking.  All involve salt.  Salt drives out moisture and makes a difficult environment for food born bacteria during and after smoking.  

Ginger Soy Smoked Salmon Brine

1 Quart Hot Water
2 C. Sea Salt
1 C. Soy Sauce
1 T. Black Pepper
2 T. Ginger Powder
1/4 C. Honey

In a large bowl,  mix to dissolve. 
Place your salmon in a container with a lid. Pour enough brine to cover the salmon.
Brine for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Follow the directions for your brand of smoker. 

Dry Smoked Salmon Brine

  Fall salmon season is in full gear here on the Rogue River.  More than a few large fish have been landed.   With a large catch comes an equally large problem of storage.   There are a few options.  Having had my fill of fresh salmon from 20 years of catering, I love hot smoked salmon.  It's relatively stable and resists bacteria.  The indirect heat and smoke deeply penetrating the fish infuses a delicious flavor. 

For this post we are concentrating on a dry brine recipe. You can call its rub if it makes you feel better, but it's still a brine.

Dry Salmon Smoking Brine

3 C. Sea Salt
2 C. Sugar
2 T. Ground Black Pepper
2 T. Garlic Powder
1/8 t. Fine Ground Cloves

Mix and store in an airtight container until needed.
To use, snake the container to mix ingredients then portion into a shaker.
Evenly coat fillets with the brine.
Place coated fillets in a single layer in a container or baking sheet.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Follow the direction for your brand of smoker.
Smoked fish can be canned or vaacum sealed for long term storage. 
Be sure to carefully can your foods. Very bad things can happen to poorly canned foods.
In case my last statement wasn't taken seriously,  don't make that mistake. 
Take the time to ensure your awesome smoked salmon is safe to enjoy.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I have been working on a series of cookie recipes that produce a soft cookie that retains it's shape 

That may not mean much now, but as further recipes in the soft cookie series are posted, the creative potential will become clear.  The peanut butter cookie is such a basic cookie, but holds great potential for creative variation.  Changes to nut butters and extracts can make a plain classic cookie something truly exceptional.

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 C. Butter (softened)

1 C. White Sugar

1 C. Brown Sugar

1 C. Peanut Butter

2 Large Eggs

1 T. Vanilla Extract

1/8 t. Cinnamon

2 1/2 C. Flour

     Mix the Butter, Sugar, Eggs, Peanut Butter Cinnamon, and Vanilla. Just mix enough to combine the ingredients. You don't want to really dissolve the sugars.  Mix in the flour.  This is going to take some patience unless you have a sturdy kitchen mixer like a KitchenAid. Then just mix on low until a dough forms.  I like to let the dough rest a bit in the refrigerator with a plastic wrap cover.  An hour or 2 is really enough.  

     Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

The easiest way to get uniformly sized cookies is to use a scoop.  In the commercial setting, uniformity means measurable food cost and attractive display.  At home, a simple spoon and sound judgment do the trick.  Form balls of dough and place them evenly on a cookie sheet.  I use the bottom of a cup dipped in a saucer of sugar to slightly flatten the dough.  I then use a long tined fork to complete the traditional design for each cookie.

This recipe is compatible with a springerle mold.

Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.

10 minutes for a convection oven.

Cool on a wire rack and store in your favorite cookie jar if they last that long.

Makes 3 dozen reasonably sized cookies. 

This recipe may be varied using exact measure replacements of different nut butters, or extracts.

Pecan, walnut, or even macadamia come to mind, but there really isn't much of a limit to the combinations possible.  

Wild Mushroom & Bacon Soup

   

  As the fall coastal mists drift into the river valleys, it signals the beginning of fall mushroom season.  Chanterelles, Oysters, Prince, and Angel Wings can be seen by the diligent hunter.  Many a hunter uses mushroom season as a way to scout for game.  They can scout the land they would like to hunt and bring back a bounty in otherwise very costly fresh ingredients.  One of my favorite things to do with mushrooms beyond steaks, is this amazing Creamy mushroom bacon soup.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 Lb. Bacon

2 Medium Onions minced

1/2 Lb. Chanterelle Mushrooms 

1/2 Lb. Oyster Mushrooms

1/2 Lb. Prince Mushrooms

1/2 Lb. Angel Wing Mushrooms

4 Oz. Dried Mushrooms (leave dry)

2 Quarts Chicken Stock

1 Quart Heavy Crème

3 T Flour

Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste.

In a large soup pot

Cut the bacon into small pieces while slightly frozen and render it down.  Once rendered, add the onions and caramelize them in the bacon fat.  Add the flour and stir.  Allow the flour to cook off a bit and brown a tad.  Use a medium low heat.  Let it cook 5ish minutes.  Add the fresh mushrooms, sliced to an edible size. Carefully stir, just barely wilting the mushrooms.  Slowly pour in the stock while gently stirring. Add the crème and stir.  Add the dried mushrooms and simmer for 20 minutes on low heat to allow the ingredients to cook through.


Serve in anything you darn well please with a small pat of butter.
Makes enough to feed a crowd but you won't want to share it with anyone.
Best with a fresh baked bread hot out of the oven.