Saturday, July 11, 2009

Was ist das?


Today I was playing around with sausage. I really wanted to do a Braunschweiger. Who knew pork liver would be impossible to find? I'll have to try an Asian market. In the meantime, I made a lot of coarsely chopped lamb sausages, still curing with garlic, rosemary and such. But for kicks I tried a weisswurst, bockwurst, I don't know what to call it, as usual. It's all veal, finely pounded, with juniper and pepper. It's being steamed over Sierra Nevada Torpedo IPA. I may lightly smoke it next. Jane Grigson suggested such weirdness for a saucission de foie, so who knows? The white one is about a half pound. And the little one is lamb, just to see what would happen with the same technique. They smell really great. Maybe dinner, who can wait?

7 comments:

Peter Hertzmann said...

Over here on the Peninsula, the Mexican markets with butchers all carry pork liver, and other pork offal. I would think it would be similar in the valley.

Peter Hertzmann

Jeremy said...

Shouldn't you have titled this "Wurst is das?"

Lo said...

Love the juniper and pepper combo -- Das kalbfleisch est gut. Bet it would be fab smoked.

Any farms in the area that would sell you pork liver?

Ken Albala said...

Liebes Peter und Lo, You're right, it would have to be a Mexican or Asian market, of which there are dozens here, or straight from the farm. Butchers just don't butch any more. I think I'm just going to find a good market and say give me whatever guts you got and go from there. Must find blood somewhere too. MUST - HA! HA! HA! *insert derisive vampire laughter here.

And Thanks Jeremy, I have been making great use of some of those old sausage recipes too.

sharon parquette nimtz said...

Ken, i love your spontaneity, and jumping into the braunschweiger concept. Thanks so much for doing your really wonderful experiments. Now it's up to me to begin... again, thanks. Sharon

Heather said...

I've seen pork blood at the Chinese market, along with every bit of pig offal imaginable (including the "pizzle" and uteri!)

Weisswurst is one of my very favorite things. With soft pretzels and warm, vinegary potato salad. Oops! Made my own tummy growl.

dinner jackets said...

A sausage?