Turkey Turkey everywhere but which is the best?

Posted on 24/11/2008 by cwildman

Have noticed that the world has many different sorts of Turkey available this Christmas season, but which is the best for me? bronze turkey, white turkey, free range, organic, ethically reared, turkey crowns and what does it all mean?  I try to explain a bit more about all things Turkey here :-

  • Bronze Turkey – the bronze turkey, most like the original wild turkey, slightly more gamier, usually traditionally or free range reared, can have a little black stubble when prepared before cooking, moist rich flavour, finely grained meat
  • White Turkey -generally a larger breasted bird, clean skin, short legs
  • Black Turkey – fuller gamier flavour than the white turkey with a smaller breast, the black turkey is the traditional British bird
  • Free Range Turkey – definition, poultry that range freely for food rather than being confined, UK Trading Standards state that “free range” the poultry must have continuous daytime access to open air runs, access to ground mainly covered with vegetation and each have at least 10 square metres of ground available
  • Ethically Reared – should be free range, high welfare, small scale family farms with lots of space, TLC and basically “Quality Life” not to be confused with Organic or GM free
  • Organic Turkey – Produced according to the Organic Standards, Definition of Organic Poultry from the Soil Association is here
  • Turkey Crown – this is basically a whole turkey with the legs and wings removed, easier to carve, cook and less waste
  • Basted – Basted or pre-basted can mean it’s been injected with fat & salt ! beware and read the label!
  • How big a Turkey do I need? for a quick calculation allow a minimum of 1lb per person, more if your hoping for lots of leftovers for additional meals e.g. cold turkey sandwiches on Boxing Day or Turkey Curry!
  • Does size matter! – Do you need one massive Turkey or would two smaller turkey’s be better and easier?  Smaller turkeys will cook much more quickly than one huge Turkey and will usually end up being more moist as haven’t been in the oven for as long as a big turkey.  Is the fridge/oven big enough for your huge turkey!!
  • Christmas Turkey – the traditional meal of choice served on Christmas Day along with all the trimmings, cocktail sausages, pigs in blankets (sausages wrapped in bacon), sage & onion stuffing or  chestnut stuffing, sausagemeat stuffing or my favourite sausagemeat balls, accompanied by veg, Brussels sprouts, roast potatoes, roasted parsnips, carrot & turnip, peas or other veg and gravy, not forgetting the cranberry sauce and/or bread sauce.
  • Thanksgiving Turkey – as above but American version! never had one so not sure what the extra’s would be…
  • Turkey Dogs – Copas Turkey’s round up the Free Range Turkey’s at dusk with 2 farm sheep turkey dogs!
  • Stuffing – Cook your stuffing separately from the bird its much safer as stuffing the bird can prevent the core of the bird cooking properly, you can still add some meat juices from the roasting tin for flavour.  Hope to do some stuffing recipes soon including if your lucky, Mum’s superb Sausagemeat ball’s!
  • Cooking the Turkey – Have checked various opinions on this and this looks like the clearest instructions from Copas Turkeys :-

Place your turkey or turkey crown in an oven pre-heated to 230°C/450°F/Gas 8.  Cook at this temperature for the first 30 mins (or for the first hour for birds over 5kg) and then lower the oven temperature to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.  Total cooking time will be approximately 30-35 mins per kg.   Please see table below.

About half an hour before the full cooking time, remove foil and turn the bird over so the breast bronzes.

Copas Turkey Cooking Times

Copas Turkey Cooking Times

  • Carving the Turkey – Remove turkey from roasting tray & allow to stand in a warm place for 15-30 minutes prior to carving.
    1. Hold the turkey leg by the knuckle
    2. Cut close to the body & twist off, then carve this dark leg meat
    3. Remove the wing & cut in half
    4. Slice the breast meat from one side
    5. Repeat for the other side

Alternatively remove the whole breast by sliding the knife down the breast bone and then carve the breast into slices, serve on plate with gravy poured over the top….

Turkey Trivia –

  • Scientific Name – Meleagris gallopava
  • Yorkshireman William Strickland is believed to have brought the first Turkeys to Britain in 1526
  • Edward VII made eating turkey fashionable at Christmas

Turkey Jokes –  maybe not!

Yorkshire Herb Fed Bronze Turkey available from Paganum

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Homemade Chicken Liver Pate

Posted on 19/11/2008 by cwildman

Really simple Chicken Liver Pate, very quick and cheap to make.

Ingredients:-

  • 1lb chicken livers (you can buy frozen from butchers or supermarket)
  • 1 medium onion thinly sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 tea cup of water
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 6 oz butter, soft and another 3 or 4 oz melted to seal the ramekins
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons brandy or whisky

Method:-

  1. place the chicken livers, onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, water and 1 teaspoon of salt into a saucepan and bring to the boil and simmer for approx 7 minutes.
  2. remove from heat and let mixture sit for 5 minutes
  3. take out the solids and place in a liquidiser
  4. start liquidising and add the soft butter bit by bit until combined
  5. add second teaspoon of salt and black pepper then the brandy or whisky
  6. process for 2 more minutes until the mixture is really smooth and creamy
  7. spoon into ramekin dishes and smooth off top leaving some space for the butter
  8. Melt remaining butter and add some white pepper and pour over to just cover the pate
  9. leave in fridge for at least 4 or 5 hours to set, longer if possible

Method for Melba Toast:-

  1. toast bread
  2. cut off crusts
  3. then slide a knife between the slice to split the slice in half, knife should slip through the middle soft part of the bread easily
  4. cut into triangles, they look better than my rectangles in the photo!
  5. serve and enjoy n.b. make extra, because it gets eaten very quickly!!
Homemade Chicken Liver Pate & Melba Toast

Homemade Chicken Liver Pate & Melba Toast

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Chicken and Spinach Karachi Curry

Posted on 19/11/2008 by cwildman

This is one of my all time favourite curry recipes adapted from Mumrez Khan’s Lamb and Spinach Karahi curry recipe from Rick Stein’s “Food Heroes” series, Mumrez is from the Karachi Restaurant in Neal Street, Bradford,  West Yorkshire and this is potentially the ONLY curry recipe you will ever need.

Ingredients:-

  • 250g/9oz ghee/clarified butter (you can just melt & skim some unsalted butter for this)
  • 65g/2 1/2oz garlic
  • 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
  • 1 tablespoon ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 550g/1 1/4lb chopped onions
  • 50g/2oz fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
  • 900g/2lb chicken breast (1 1/2 inch cubes)
  • 120ml/4fl oz water
  • 3 tablespoons fresh coriander
  • 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
  • 350g/12oz fresh washed spinach, any large stalks removed
  • 2 medium size green chillies
  • 1/2 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 x 400g/14oz can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • a pinch of ground cumin & freshly ground black pepper to serve

Method:-

1. Heat the ghee in a large, heavy based pan. Add the onions and cook over a medium heat, stirring now and then, for 20 minutes until they are soft and a light brown

2. Put the tomatoes, water, ginger and garlic into a liquidiser and blend until smooth.  Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon, add them to the paste and blend briefly until smooth.

3. Lightly brown the chicken pieces in the ghee and then return the puree to the ghee left in the pan and add the salt. Simmer for 30 minutes, by which time sauce will be well reduced.  Stir in the turmeric, chilli powder, cumin, paprika and ground coriander and continue to cook for 30-45 minutes for shoulder or 45-1 hour for leg, until the lamb is tender, adding a little water now and then if the sauce starts to stick.

4. Meanwhile, put 175g (6oz) of the spinach leaves into a large pan and cook until it has wilted down into the bottom of the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then transfer to the rinsed out liquidiser and blend to a smooth puree. Set aside. Rinse out the liquidiser again and add the green chillies and 2-3 tablespoons of water and blend until smooth. Set aside.

5. When the lamb is cooked, there should be a layer of ghee floating on the top of the curry. You can either skim it off or leave it there, whichever you prefer (LEAVE IT). Then stir in the spinach puree and the remaining spinach leaves and cook for 2 minutes.

6. Now taste the curry and add as much green chilli puree as you wish, according to how hot you like your curries (ALL OF IT). Simmer for 2 minutes more.

7. Stir in the fresh coriander and Garam Masala. Transfer the curry to a serving dish and sprinkle with a little more ground cumin and some freshly ground black pepper just before you take it to the table.

Serve with your choice of rice, Naan breads, poppadoms, chapattis

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The Pork Pie Challenge – who makes the best pork pies?

Posted on 19/11/2008 by cwildman

In the interest of research I have decided to willingly face the grueling task of endlessly testing and tasting the best of the best, Great British Pork Pie.

I will start with the Yorkshire Dales (should be plenty there to keep me going for a while & we can always increase the test area later!)  and my first report will be on those scrumptious pie makers from Pateley Bridge – T Kendall & Sons.

You will have to check back for the results as they are still in the fridge! but a scientific tasting session will follow very soon…..    Mmmm

Well the pies have been scoffed tested with the following observations:-

  • Pork & Mushy Pea Pie – excellent pork and the green of the mushy peas looked well in the top of the pie but doesn’t taste any different to a normal pork pie, excellent all the same. 99p
  • Pork & Apple Pie – very nice combination of excellent solid pork filling with very little jelly and a nice sweet/savoury mixture. 99p
  • Pork, Stuffing & Apple Pie – or Farmhouse Pie, lovely layered effect when the pie is sliced, good short pastry, just enough apple and a nice layer of stuffing between two layers of pork, lovely stuffing flavour, excellent pie. 99p
  • Pork & Pickle Pie – nice pickle smell, pie qualities as others but with a nice sweet chutney/pickle flavour, yummy… 99p
  • Steak Plate Pie – a big family pie and full of big chunks of quality steak, no bits of fat and very good gravy and pastry. £4.75 excellent value easily feeds a hungry family of four.

General observations on Kendall’s of Pateley Bridge Pies, Very well filled, solid, no air space, very little jelly with a thin, crisp short pastry.  Also additional flavourings added to the pie rather than completely smothering the quality pork pie, all made and baked on the premises with meat from own on site butchery.

The 10 year old assistant tester gave the pork & pickle and pork & mushy pea pies a thumbs up and said “100%, 5 stars and 10 out of 10” !  great praise indeed…  He wouldn’t touch the ones with Apple “coz that’s minging”!

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Deliciously Yorkshire Breakfast

Posted on 17/11/2008 by cwildman
Deliciously Yorkshire Breakfast

Deliciously Yorkshire Breakfast

Does your local Pub, Hotel or B&B serve a Deliciously Yorkshire Breakfast?

When staying in accommodation the last thing I remember about a place is the breakfast, not the clean rooms or the chocolate on the turned down bed, the breakfast.  If served a rubbish breakfast after a pleasant stay somewhere, all you remember is the dodgy sausages !

Well now you can look out for, or suggest to your favourite B&B that they serve a Deliciouslyorkshire Breakfast, your guarantee of a truly local breakfast made with quality, locally grown or homemade ingredients!

Designed to encourage hotels, B&Bs and cafes to source more regional produce, the Deliciouslyorkshire Breakfast scheme is only open to those who source 5 ingredients or more regionally – look out for the distinctive Deliciouslyorkshire Breakfast logo.

The scheme continues to go from strength-to-strength – capitalising on the growing interest in sourcing and serving more locally produced food with all the benefits of few air miles and a healthier, greener environment – not forgetting the great, fresh taste!

If you would like to serve Deliciously Yorkshire Breakfast’s then get in touch with Paganum to supply all your Yorkshire Breakfast ingredients and then register with the Deliciously Yorkshire Regional Food Group to promote your quality local breakfast.

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Win Yorkshire Food and Drink Prizes!

Posted on 17/11/2008 by cwildman

Deliciously Yorkshire the regional food group for Yorkshire are running a competition to win some great Yorkshire Food prizes including :-

First Prize – The White Swan, Pickering – 1 night stay mid week with dinner, bed and breakfast

Second prize – Perk Up restaurant in Ripon – meal for two

Third Prize – Breakfast hamper from Side Oven Bakery

to enter answer a simple question and submit your details on the Deliciously Yorkshire Website you can also download the Deliciously Yorkshire Recipe Cards which incude the following recipe selection :-

Apple Cake Recipe

Yorkshire Tapas Recipe

Aloo Gobi Matar Recipe

Rhubarb Crème Brulee Recipe

Barnsley Chop Recipe

Yorkshire Venison Recipe

Whitby Sea Bass Recipe

Ginger Spiced rare breed Pork Recipe

Yorkshire Buffalo Figs Recipe
Deliciously Yorkshire

Deliciously Yorkshire

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Angel Inn, Hetton, Yorkshire Dales

Posted on 06/11/2008 by cwildman

The Angel Inn at Hetton near Skipton in the Yorkshire Dales is only a couple of miles from home and therefore does tend to get overlooked when “going out”.   As we had not been for a while, thought we should try the revised and updated Brasserie menu.  The new menu has added a few new dishes whilst retaining a few old Angel favourites such as money bags, blackpudding and the provençale fish soup.  Also a very good range of vegetarian dishes if that takes your fancy!

The Food… no starter’s today straight into main courses! (we were running a bit late and opening hours had just reverted to Winter!)  Our choices included, Seared veal calves liver with sherried lentils, spinach, citrus sauce, fondant potatoes, Goosnargh Chicken Breast with canellini beans, tomato and olive sauce, rocket leaves,  Pork & Prune Casserole with , Roasted root vegetables with creamed spinach, fondant new potatoes, red wine reduction and Plaice in a cream sauce.

The Plaice & Calves Liver were voted best and the Pork & Prune got a thumbs down, weird combination and way too salty.  Btw we mentioned this and a complimentary dessert appeared.

The Beer… Timothy Taylor’s Landlord of course, sweet & creamy…  Also the usual great selection of wines to choose by the glass or bottle.  Also all the wines are now available from the Wine Cave across the road.

The Angel Inn, Hetton Daily Specials Board

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WordPress Magazine Interview

Posted on 06/11/2008 by cwildman

The power of web 2.0 and twitter! I replied to a twitter from a journalist who subsequently interviewed me about the Paganum business and Blogging, the article was finished and published within 12 hours and already seeing the hits, online PR, Twitter and fast results ….

I was interviewed by Steve @ WordPress Magazine yesterday and the finished article is now live on the WordPress Mag site here Yorkshire Dales Food Blog Interview.   Makes a good read, talking about local food, producers, promoting your blog, beer, all sorts, didn’t know we could be so interesting!!

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WordPress Blog of the Day – Growing Blogs No.77

Posted on 05/11/2008 by cwildman

We’ve been listed by WordPress as a blog of the day !!  wow …

Were listed at no. 77 in the global growing blog list for today, remember, remember the 5th November.

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The Cheese Shed

Posted on 03/11/2008 by cwildman

My cheese curiosity got the better of me and I couldn’t resist trying out the Cheese Shed in Devon.  Run by Ian Wellens and James Mann this online Westcountry artisan cheese shop is based in or at least run from a blue shed in Devon.

The website is great, quirky and works well, the order process was smooth, the cheese arrived quickly and well packaged.  My selection included :-

  • Menallack – Penryn, Cornwall, great tasty hard cheese better than a traditional mature cheddar
  • Keltic Gold – Bude, Cornwall, very smelly strong flavoured medium soft cheese!
  • St. Endellion Brie – Cornish Brie made with double cream, very creamy and delicious
  • Rachel – Somerset goats’ milk cheese, very ripe, distinctive goat taste!
  • Devon Blue – Totnes, unpasteurised cow’s milk as it should be, moist & crumbly as described, very nice for the blue cheese fan
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