THE NEW ENGLAND ASTER KITCHEN
47. CHARD PIGMEAT
Every so often, Carol Ann and I love a brat. We usually choose to wrap them in naan, but setting them down without making a huge mess is tricky business.
I just happened to have four leaves of chard and a couple of beer brats (at the same time) and thought I’d try wrapping these beauties up like an egg roll. Here goes nothing…
• 2 beer brats
• 2 naan
• 4 chard leaves
•wedge of Red Witch
• Poupon
• Arugula Pesto – essay 2
• Salsa roja @ 35k – essay 28
• 4 tostadas
I always prefer using the sous vide method of doing meats like this because I can use a relatively low temperature and kill the bacteria without doing structural damage to the delicate protein. In this case I’ve set it up at 148º for an hour. I can do a rather gentle sear without the need of reaching the normal internal temperature mark.
Don’t take my word on this. Do a little research. Becoming familiar with this cooking technique gives you more options than you have with conventional methods.
I love my Anova Precision Cooker.
I’m trimming some of the mid-rib to make these leaves more supple.
Toasting tostadas. One of the easiest, tastiest and fun things to do on an open flame.
Note: I’ve been watching the fats come to the surface on these beauties while they are being toasted and day dream about making these with lard instead of the oil used by the commercial houses. OMG that would be great. One of these days I’m going to give it a try. If I have any luck, I’ll share.
When stove top toasting, stay alert. Tostadas on an open flame can go from perfect to gone in a nano-second. These are about right for us.
Grating the Red Witch.
I thought I’d drop the leaves into the 148º sous vide bath to soften them up a bit. They don’t really cook, they just become pliable.
Pressing and patting to get them as dry as I can after the soak.
They look perfect. I’ve got my two piles of cheese split up which I’ll spread on the naan once they’re hot.
Time to break up the tostadas into chips.
Heating naan. Hot enough to be moist and pliable – not dry and stiff.
These are just right. I’ll keep them soft, pliable and moist in the paper towel.
A little EVO in this deep sided skillet to sear and to get the brats gooey.
Ready to start the magic.
Once the brats have begun to brown nicely, I’m dumping in the condiments to create a mustard base sauce.
Now with the pesto and salsa roja.
The first thing I want to do after the searing is surgically make incisions the length of the brats on both side – about 1/4” deep. This will allow the brats to open and I can then carefully shove all of the goodies that morph from the pesto deep into the incisions.
Like this.
Note: The beautiful toasty crumbs you see is the Parmigiano Reggiano from the arugula pesto. Temperature control is critical here because the cheese needs to toast but it can scorch very easily. I’m just warning you if one has the urge to give this a go.
If you do it correctly, you won’t be disappointed – guaranteed.
Yum. Can’t wait.
So I’ve got my two brats sitting on naan with grated cheese that is melting. Now I’m preparing two leaves for each sandwich. A little EVO (and a little salt) rubbed on the leaf should act like glue when it rolls.
I’ve rolled the first leaf on the first brat and it was really simple – worked great. Now for the second leaf.
One down, one to go. Observe how perfectly this Red Witch melted from the heat radiating off of the brat.
These were really delicious and worked exactly as I wanted. No mess and can be set back on the plate just like an egg roll. Three cheers to Brady’s brats, Heathers’s cheese, chard leaves, Bell’s Best Brown Ale and a little imagination.
Bell’s Best Brown Ale
E.A. Brady’s – Local Pastured Meats
The Cheese Lady
I think I’ll use mustard or turnip greens the next time – larger leaves. I could not wrap the ends of these brats as my leaves were just not big enough.
MORE NEW ENGLAND ASTER KITCHEN ESSAYS
45. complicated peppers
46. hubbard’s boat
47. chard pigmeat
48. hail, caesar!
49. big shorty
50. little shorty gets a bonus
Thanks for visiting with me.
Paul V’Soske
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