Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: It's In the Kete!

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  • Lilith __, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    seal and whale blubber contains vitamins that are normally only found (at least in sufficient quantities) in fruit and veges, and that therefore marine mammals are an essential part of the Inuit diet

    IIRC, isn’t it raw liver? (cooking de-natures Vitamin-C)

    I’m a life-long vegetarian (raised that way, back when it was super-unfashionable, and have chosen to continue), but I have a certain respect for people who eat offal; if you’re going to kill an animal, I think it’s a good thing to eat all the bits that are edible. And as I understand it, most offal is super-nutritious.

    One of the trickiest things about being vegetarian, for me, is trying to avoid gelatine*, which turns up in the strangest places. It’s not only in many sweets, but also some biscuits and other things like sour cream and yoghurt.

    *a lot of people believe it’s made of horses’ hoofs, I don’t know why. In fact its main ingredient is skin.

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • Geoff Lealand, in reply to JacksonP,

    I know I would need to adapt to Japanese cuisine but so will my daughter Catherine Rose, who is setting off for 10 months in a Japanese school in a week or so, Her host family lives about 30min away from the site of dolphin slaughter, which features in The Cove, and her host father George is a fisheries official. So, I guess there are certain topics of conversation she will have to avoid.

    Screen & Media Studies, U… • Since Oct 2007 • 2562 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Geoff Lealand,

    Also cannot abide the smell and appearance of shell-fish.

    Moi aussi, although that actually extends to any seafood. Don't know if it's psychological (e.g. growing up catholic) or allergy but I do get physically sick if I ingest any. Which is a bit of a bugger in an island nation surrounded by fish...

    Also, I can't eat mushrooms, which I appear to have inherited from my mum.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Lilith __, in reply to nzlemming,

    I can’t eat mushrooms, which I appear to have inherited from my mum.

    Maybe throw them out and get some fresh ones?
    ;-)
    (sorry, couldn't resist!)

    Dunedin • Since Jul 2010 • 3895 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Lilith __,

    ROFL

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    I seem to have inadvertently started a bad food thread.
    Mushrooms have little or no nutritional value but my mushroom and bacon Fettuccine is rather special even if I say so myself.
    So, shall I start with the recipes?
    Why not...
    First obtain about 1/2 kilo of mushrooms, white buttons are fine.
    4 strips of streaky bacon,
    Large teaspoon of crushed garlic.
    Butter, about a tablespoon.
    Sage, a good pinch if dried, half a handful if fresh.
    500ml of cream.
    Fettuccine, packet stuff is ok but fresh is not only better but easier to cook, the packet stuff can stick together being flat and you must keep stirring it up.

    Methode des endeploydemont, as they say in the best cafés.

    First put on to boil a pile of water in a large pan, add salt and olive oil (tsp salt, tbl spoon oil) a lid helps the boiling bit.
    In a large frypan be putting the bacon while you slice the mushrooms.
    add the butter to the frypan and drop in the sliced mushrooms give it all a good stir to get the butter and bacon fat over the mushrooms.
    Add the garlic.
    By this point your water should have boiled so add the Fettuccine and make sure it don't all stick together, continue with a rolling boil. Should take about 20 mins to get it the way I like it but some people think it should be "El Dente", firm to the bight, 12-15mins.
    Cook until the moisture is driven from the mushies and they start to turn brown
    Add sage and stir to blend.
    Add the cream and simmer stirring occasionally.
    Reduce until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but not gloopy.
    Strain the Fettuccine and return to the pot adding a little olive oil and black pepper.
    Then take the mushroom and cream and bacon, jeeze, my mouth is watering now and dump the whole lot into the Fettuccine pan and fold together.
    Serve with Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper to the plate and a bit of parsley to cover the garlic breath.
    Enjoy.
    ;-)

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    OK, on further research I have eaten sweetbreads after all. Just not the particular sweetbreads that happened to be called sweetbreads the time I saw them on a menu and inquired. Those were lambs testicles. But certainly I've eaten various offal, and profess to liking kidneys and livers.

    I also notice on nature shows when you see carnivores kill animals, that they seem to begin with the offal, eating the animal from the belly. Maybe it's just easier that way, or maybe they like it most.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to BenWilson,

    begin with the offal, eating the animal from the belly. Maybe it’s just easier that way, or maybe they like it most.

    Stronger flavours and more nutrition? Seems to make sense.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    goes off faster?

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Sacha,

    Don't most wild animals prefer their meat as fresh as possible, to the point of having got to know their prey quite intimately just before dinner? (hmmm.... reminds me of many a restaurant in Changsha).

    I guess 'goes off faster' would be a huge bonus for vultures and others of their ilk that prefer their meat rotten.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Lilith __,

    <q>IIRC, isn’t it raw liver? (cooking de-natures Vitamin-C)



    Seal & whale blubber contains Vit E, other antioxidants, and selenium – liver in Arctic waters may contain vit C – but can also contain dangerous levels of Vit A.

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

  • Steve Barnes,

    Ok, my mouth has stopped watering now, in fact I feel rather ill.

    Peria • Since Dec 2006 • 5521 posts Report

  • Islander, in reply to Steve Barnes,

    I ever get hold of some home-killed (by someone I know & trust) and cured (ditto) bacon - I'll make this - reads deliciously-

    Big O, Mahitahi, Te Wahi … • Since Feb 2007 • 5643 posts Report

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