Text 10807, 144 rader
Skriven 2008-07-19 21:37:00 av JIM WELLER (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av DALE SHIPP
Ärende: Re: Wildlife
====================
-=> Quoting Dale Shipp to Jim Weller <=-

 DS> I thought of you and our discussion of ravens today.
 DS> Gail spotted a very big black bird -- bigger than any crow
 DS> we have seen.  He was picking at the carcus, but it had moved to the
 DS> sidewalk and was out of the road.  I figure that was one of your smart
 DS> ravens:-}}

Sounds like it!

 DS> Just now, at midnight, Gail saw some other furry animal working on the
 DS> spot -- I caught a brief glance and think it might have been a coyote.
 DS> It had bushy tail, bigger than any possum I have seen, but walked away
 DS> hunched over -- not typical coyote gait.

More tail than body? A fox?

 DS> What would have been doing clean up duty in your neck of the woods?

Ravens and foxes mainly. Coyotes have made an appearance lately;
they made their way up from the prairies through the boreal forest
along the 200 foot wide highway right of way, as have magpies,
gophers and dandelions. The highway was built in 1967 and the
dandelions arrived in the 80's, coyotes this decade. The gophers and
magpies are seen just inside the NWT-Alberta border but are
advancing annually. Ravens kill magpies on sight, on general
principal (they must sense that they are competitors.)


MMMMM-----Meal-Master - formatted by MMCONV  2.10

     Title: Cantabrian Meat Stew With Chickpeas Part 1
Categories: Spanish, Pork, Stews, Beans, Dumplings
  Servings: 4

           For stew
      1 lb dried chickpeas (2 1/3
           cups)
      1 lb smoked ham hock
    1/2 lb piece slab bacon
    1/2 lb piece salt pork
      2    inch-thick cross-cut veal
           shank (ossobuco; 1/2 pound)
    1/4    -pound piece cured dried
           beef such as Italian
           bresaola
      6 oz pig's ear, slice of pig's
           snout, or piece of pig's
           foot (optional)
      5    (4-ounce) Spanish chorizo
           links (cured spiced pork
           sausage) 
    1/2 TB Spanish smoked sweet
           paprika
     10 c  water
    1/4 lb fideos (dried coiled
           vermicelli noodles)
           For cabbage:
      2 lb Savoy or green cabbage,
           cored and cut into 1-inch
           pieces
      2    garlic cloves, finely
           chopped
    1/2 TB Spanish smoked sweet
           paprika
    1/4 c  olive oil
           For dumplings:
      5 lg eggs
    1/4 ts salt
    1/4 c  chopped fresh flat-leaf
           parsley
  2 1/2 c  fine bread crumbs from a
           day-old country round or
           baguette (1/2 pound)
    1/4 c  olive oil

The hearty pork stew known as cocido is eaten all over Spain but
varies from region to region. This one comes from Liebana, the
westernmost part of Cantabria, where it's traditionally served in
stages — beginning with the broth and fideos (fine pasta) and
followed by the meat, chickpeas, and cabbage arranged on a large
platter. We prefer to eat it all together, as the broth lends a nice
moistness to the other elements.

Make stew: Soak chickpeas in cold water to cover by 2 inches at
least 8 hours. Meanwhile, rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then soak
in a bowl of cold water to cover by 2 inches, chilled, at least 8
hours. Drain chickpeas in a colander and add to a wide 7- to 8-quart
heavy pot. Drain and rinse ham hock and slab bacon, then arrange on
top of chickpeas along with salt pork, veal shank, dried beef, pig's
ear (if using), and chorizo. Sprinkle meats with paprika and add
water (10 to 11 cups) to just cover meats by 1/2 inch. Bring to a
boil over moderate heat, skimming foam from surface as necessary,
then reduce heat to low and gently simmer, tightly covered, 2 1/2
hours.

Prepare cabbage while stew simmers: Put oven rack in middle position
and preheat oven to 250 F. Boil cabbage in a 6- to 8-quart pot of
boiling salted water covered, until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain
in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain
well.

Cook garlic and paprika in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over
moderately high heat, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 2
minutes. Add cabbage and saute, stirring, until cabbage is well
coated and heated through, about 8 minutes. Season with salt.
Transfer to an ovenproof serving dish and cover with foil, then keep
warm in oven.

Make dumplings and continue simmering stew: Transfer salt pork and 1
chorizo link to a cutting board (for dumplings). Finely chop
chorizo, then finely chop enough salt pork to measure 1/4 cup,
returning remaining salt pork to pot. Continue to simmer stew until
chickpeas are cooked and all meats are very tender, about 30 minutes
more. 

Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, salt, and parsley in a large bowl,
then add chopped meats and bread crumbs and stir until combined
well. Using 2 soupspoons, form bread-crumb mixture into 16 to 20
oval dumplings (about 2 tablespoons each), transferring dumplings as
formed to a tray lined with wax paper. Heat oil in cleaned 12-inch
heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then
brown dumplings, in 2 batches if necessary to avoid crowding,
turning, until golden on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch.
Transfer dumplings as browned to paper towels to drain.

:Gourmet |  March 2007
:Cocido Lebaniego

MMMMM






Cheers

YK Jim


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