Friday's Frightening Photo

WHAT IS IT?

You'll Never Think of Necking in the Same Way.....

.... after you find out the contents of Friday's Frightening Food Photo. This, my friends, is a beautiful dish of sliced lamb neck! What I find fascinating is that just as you can sometimes see images in the clouds, I see some distinct images in this mess of necks. To the far right, I see the face of a wolf peering forward. Below that, I see a cartoonish face, looking in the opposite direction. And right at the top, I clearly see the image of a little barking dog.What don't I see? I don't see anything I'd care to eat!

BRAISED LAMB NECK SLICES WITH VEGETABLES

4 double lamb neck slices
2 TBS. flour
2 TBS fat
1 cup water
4 carrots
2-1/2 cups green beans

3 potatoes, pared

salt and pepper

Have double lamb neck slices cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick [this alone might be a barrier to making the dish. Who has a butcher with lamb necks in stock?]. Dredge in flour and brown in hot fat. Add water, cover, and cook slowly for 1 hour. Cut vegetables into small pieces and place in a greased casserole. Season. Place lamb neck slices on top. Pour liquid from neck slices into casserole, cover and place in a slow oven (350 degrees F) Cook until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Serves 4

250 Ways to Prepare Meat, edited by Ruth Berolsheimer, Culinary Arts Institute, 1940

Friday's Frightening Food Photo

WHAT IS IT?

Grandma's Not the Sharpest Tool in the Shed

Why am I maligning the mental prowess of dear old Grandma? Let me give you the quote accompanying a photo of what appear to be pumice rocks in a coconut nest, "Liver dumplings with sauerkraut was one of grandmother's best ideas." One of the best? Really? God only knows what she fed the family when she wasn't at the top of her game! Maybe moose nose! [Check out that recipe in the 5/18/11 post.] Liver was BIG in the 1940's. On the same page as the Liver Dumplings there are recipes for Baked Liver Rolls, Braised Liver, Creole Liver, French Fried Liver, Liver a la Bourgeoise, Pan-Broiled Liver, Liver and Ham Loaf, and Liver Birds. The last one, by the way, is made like a halupki, except that liver plays the role of cabbage and bread stuffing plays the part of the ground meat mixture. The picture doesn't help to sell this dish. Does this look like an appealing plate?:

No, I don't think so either. But Grammy Berolzheimer apparently did. Makes you feel sorry for the poor kids for whom this was the best they were served!

LIVER DUMPLINGS

3/4 lb. lamb, beef or pork liver

1/2 onion

1 strip bacon

3 thick slices dry bread

Water

2 eggs, beaten

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. chopped parsley

1/4 cup sifted flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Slice liver and let stand in hot water for ten minutes., then grind with onion and bacon. Soften bread in water and squeeze out as much moisture as possible; add eggs, seasoning, parsley and liver. Sift flour and baking powder together and add to liver mixture. Drop by teaspoons into boiling water. Cover tightly and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with fried onions or sauerkraut. Serves 5.

250 Ways to Prepare Meat, edited by Ruth Berolsheimer, Culinary Arts Institute, 1940

Keep Your Tail Covered

Don't you just wish that you had more variety to offer at those many dinners where you serve oxtails? Osso buco, and then what? Tonight's recipe gives you an alternative - cover it with breading and fry. And so convenient; after a mere 2 or 3 hours of boiling your oxtail is tender (maybe),  then a little chopping, dipping and frying and voila!. So next time the kids whine, "Oxtails, again?" you can let them know there is a yummy surprise for them this time around! When it's chopped into pieces like this, it's just like a little fried finger!

BREADED OXTAILS

2 oxtails
3 sprigs parsley, chopped
3 sprigs of thyme
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
Dash cayenne pepper
1 egg, beaten
1 cup sifted dry bread crumbs

Wash oxtails and cut into 4" lengths. Cover with boiling water. Add all spices; simmer until tails are tender, 2 to 3 hours. Let cool in the stock. Drain meat, dip into egg and roll in crumbs. Fry in hot deep fat (370 degrees) until brown. Serves 4.

250 Ways to Prepare Meat,  edited by Ruth Berolsheimer, Culinary Arts Institute, 1940