What did everyone cook today?
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JoeB I actually ground all my fennel in a coffee grinder. One thing I’ve never liked about Italian sausage was getting a frappin’ fennel seed stuck in my teeth.
I toasted it, too. Honestly, I don’t know if I’m glad about that. One expects toasting to bring out the flavor, but I’m not sure that happened. I almost want that fresher fennel flavor.
TexLaw I always toast fennel and other seeds before using. IMO there is a notable difference in aromatics and added nuttiness. That or it’s just me that is nutty. One thing I can say for sure is that when customers enter our shop they always compliment how good the place smells.
You might not like my Hot Italian…whole seed all the way. Lol.
150 ml chilled white wine
150 ml ice cold water
85-90 grams kosher salt
60 grams whole toasted fennel
15-20 grams crushed red chili flakesMix all ingredients and dissolve salt as much as possible…mix with 5000 grams (11 lbs) ground pork until you see the first signs of protein extraction. Stuff it in casings, make patties or just bulk. It’s all good.
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Some walleye tacos with roasted salsa verde, don’t pay attention to the plating just a quick dinner!
@s-a-m I think there are times that paper plates look GREAT when washing a bunch of dishes.
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Jonathon Austin Pizza two ways, one with homemade canned pizza sauce from last summer, and the other with a homemade white sauce. Mild Italian sausage, mozzarella, parm, red onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms.
Isaiah 5:22 Woe to those who are heroes at drinking wine and champions at mixing drinks
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Tex_77 Those look like some fine pies/
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@s-a-m Frankly, I need to remember that more often…
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JoeB TexLaw Joe Hell I just switched to toasted fennel 50% to get that smokey/nutty and 50% fresh plus some anise seed and a decent amount of Italian Pepper Flakes, grind it all up and add it to the Hot Italian from Walton’s. Feel that it incorporates itself into the recipe more. That last batch was liked very well by the Italians in the group because of the fennel forward taste. Have to try the Sambuca.
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Tex_77 That is beautiful! I am suddenly hungry again, even though I ate in the last hour!
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JoeB TexLaw Joe Hell I just switched to toasted fennel 50% to get that smokey/nutty and 50% fresh plus some anise seed and a decent amount of Italian Pepper Flakes, grind it all up and add it to the Hot Italian from Walton’s. Feel that it incorporates itself into the recipe more. That last batch was liked very well by the Italians in the group because of the fennel forward taste. Have to try the Sambuca.
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zbigjeff I’m intrigued by the Sambuca in both flavor and ‘quality control’ purposes. Experimentation is inspiration!
Joe Hell Yep, one shot for the mix, one for the chef, one shot for the mix and repeat. Hehehehe
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
Mcjagger I use a Cuisinart. They cost a few buck at places like Bed, Bath, and Beyond.
I was fortunate enough to get two from a second hand place, Goodwill. Paid $8.00 for one, and $5.00 for the other. Also seen them on ebay.
The first one is every bit of 10 years old. Use it every morning for corree. the good part about a burr grinder is that you can set the final partical size .
I clean it between different spices with just a little salt passing through it.
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Chef what brand of burr grinder do you use and would you buy it again or purchase a different brand?
Mcjagger One more small thing, if your recipe calls for whole seed or anything other than ground, just measure it befor grinding and use whatever ground product you get, Could also weight it.
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Joe Hell Thanks for that recipe! Yes, you use a good deal more fennel than I did. I’ll fix that in the next batch, and I’ll continue to toast it (and grind it lol). All the recipes that I looked at must’ve been based more on breakfast sausage than Italian sausage, because that’s pretty much what this tastes like even the next day. It’s mighty good breakfast sausage, mind you.
Chef I love that idea about Sambuca. I don’t know if I want all the sugar that comes along with it, but I suppose a little can’t hurt. lol
TexLaw I know everyone has their own recipes, in fact, Italian sausage even varies by regions in Italy and Italian communities in the United States. This is the recipe I have been using for many (yes too many) years:
60 lbs ground pork, Butt
2 cups Sambuca
1 cup anise seed
1 cup fennel seed
1 cup granulated garlic
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
1/8 tsp Sodium Nitrite
1/2 cup ground black pepper
6 cups ice water
1/4 cup oregano
1 Tbs allspice
1 Cup ground coriander
For sweet (mild) saisage: I do grind the seeds and add everything to water prior to mixing with the meat.For Hot Italian sausage, I add about 1/4 cup of crushed red pepper flakes and about 1/4 cup of Smoked Pimenton Picante Hot Paprika by El Angel. It seems to be a consistant heat level.
Not sure if the Nitrite is really necessary, but in much earlier days, small Italian markets went to the safe side.
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TexLaw I know everyone has their own recipes, in fact, Italian sausage even varies by regions in Italy and Italian communities in the United States. This is the recipe I have been using for many (yes too many) years:
60 lbs ground pork, Butt
2 cups Sambuca
1 cup anise seed
1 cup fennel seed
1 cup granulated garlic
1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
1/8 tsp Sodium Nitrite
1/2 cup ground black pepper
6 cups ice water
1/4 cup oregano
1 Tbs allspice
1 Cup ground coriander
For sweet (mild) saisage: I do grind the seeds and add everything to water prior to mixing with the meat.For Hot Italian sausage, I add about 1/4 cup of crushed red pepper flakes and about 1/4 cup of Smoked Pimenton Picante Hot Paprika by El Angel. It seems to be a consistant heat level.
Not sure if the Nitrite is really necessary, but in much earlier days, small Italian markets went to the safe side.
Chef Thanks. My Dad used to make the absolute best home made Italian sausage where it seemed like the Fennel just jumped, burst, shot out, from the sausage with flavor & it was amazing. However, I never got the recipe & I don’t think I ever saw him read one, he just “Did it”, it seemed. You my friend, have the recipe & that is good. I am saving it & I may steal it from you!
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Chef Thanks. My Dad used to make the absolute best home made Italian sausage where it seemed like the Fennel just jumped, burst, shot out, from the sausage with flavor & it was amazing. However, I never got the recipe & I don’t think I ever saw him read one, he just “Did it”, it seemed. You my friend, have the recipe & that is good. I am saving it & I may steal it from you!
calldoctoday calldoctoday I just watched as a kid, and, okay, I was a nerd, even in kindergarden. I have several hundred recipes from my past that was not ever written down. I now have them for future generations. Many are just old traditional recipes from New Orleans. It was such a mixing pot. Mexican, Creole, Spanish, Italian, Irish, German, Cuban… this list goes on.
If you make it, it won’t be stealing, I just would be honored.
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TexLaw you might cut back on the fennel in my recipe if ground…I’d expect that may intensify the flavor.
Joe Hell I was thinking that, too. I might keep some whole just because it seems right. In any event, I really like fennel and even chew a pinch of whole seeds now and again. Having too much fennel can only be a small mistake!
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calldoctoday calldoctoday I just watched as a kid, and, okay, I was a nerd, even in kindergarden. I have several hundred recipes from my past that was not ever written down. I now have them for future generations. Many are just old traditional recipes from New Orleans. It was such a mixing pot. Mexican, Creole, Spanish, Italian, Irish, German, Cuban… this list goes on.
If you make it, it won’t be stealing, I just would be honored.
Chef
Chef, was just reading about your memories of New Orleans recipes and food.
We lived in South Louisiana for a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed the culinary diversity. New Orleans is like the Disneyland of food and dining experiences.Paul
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