Brian & Robert’s Sourdough Stuffing, Venison Sausage, and Winter Beets with Matsutake
As we have gone from a mild spring-like winter to a full-on cold, windy, and unpredictable spring, I have no choice but to leave you with this recipe.
I have been out foraging both high and low, and though the mycelium is there, it is struggling to produce fruit. So, for now, enjoy more dry mushrooms!
Seasonal winter, far northern hemisphere recipe:
Brian and Robert’s Sourdough Stuffing, Venison Sausage, and Winter Beets with Dried Local Matsutake
This recipe is adapted from a very special and talented Seattle artist’s grandmother in Connecticut.
Ingredients
1 or 2 very crusty, amazingly aromatic sourdough bread loaves, left out overnight or for two nights, preferably. Torn into bite-sized pieces, post-aging.
1 bunch of Italian parsley. De-stemmed and mildly chopped, set aside.
3 Quarts of very gelatinous chicken stock or bone broth. Brought to a gentle simmer with the dry matsutake mushrooms. If you can not find matsutake, use dry porcini.
2 Russet Potatoes. Diced into ¼ inch pieces, blanched in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drained, and set aside.
Always buy the highest quality ingredients you can afford.
1 lb. Ground Venison (or pork if you prefer)
3 small to medium Golden Beets. Boiled for 20 minutes, peeled, and diced similarly to the potatoes.
Optional- If you can access fresh chanterelles, trumpets, matsutake, or very small porcini mushrooms, add them with the onions and the sausage.
2 Tbsp Third Coast Fish Sauce for the sausage, and 2 Tbsp Third Coast Fish Sauce for the stuffing.
2 Tbsp Herbs de Provence
2 heaping cups of Reggiano Parmigiano, finely grated or rather shaved.
For the Sausage: 1 lb. ground venison or pork (local, cruelty-free, organically-raised, and processed.
Work together gently so as to not overwork but to fully integrate the following seasonings:
Third Coast Superior’s Pinch Spice Co. rack, ready for sachets.
2 Tbsp Third Coast Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp fair trade and organic, if possible, Fennel Seed (lightly toasted).
I use Pinch Spice Co. as my only source of spices and highly regard and recommend them.
1 Tbsp coarsely Ground Black Peppercorns.
1 Tbsp of crushed Chile of your choosing. Get personal.
¼ cup rinsed and dried Capers
4 whole cloves freshly-peeled, non-Chinese Garlic
¼ cup dry White Wine, the best you can afford
Jacobsen Salt Co.
1 Tbsp kosher salt or coarse sea salt.
I exclusively use salt from Jacobsen Salt Co., and when you do, you will see why.
Method
This is really a two-day process. You will want to mix the sausage the night before, or at least several hours, as well as age your bread.
Step One:
Bring your stock to simmer with the dried mushrooms.
Steep the mushrooms in the simmering broth for at least 1 hour. If you are in a rush, quickly cool them or refrigerate them overnight.
Strain any sediment and dried mushrooms. If your broth is not balanced yet, do not fret, you are going to now layer flavour and tastes.
Step Two:
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or cast iron, break apart your sausage into bite-sized pieces with a little olive oil for ease of separation directly into the pan.
Fry on medium heat, intermittently mixing, but try to be patient and attain some color on the meat.
After about 2 minutes, add your onions, garlic, and mushrooms (if you are using them) and continue to fry or saute, stirring more frequently.
Also, at this point, add your Herbs de Provence, black pepper, and a pinch of salt.
Step Three:
When your mixture has come together like a wild beast now ready for a night out in the city, wafting tastes, ethereal and inexplicable olfactory sensations.
Add a small handful of the chopped parsley, the capers, and the chili, and briefly raise the heat, stirring in the aromatics.
Fry them for around 30 seconds, then add 2 Tbsp fish sauce. Stir this in quickly, allowing it to caramelize but not fully evaporate.
Third Coast Fish Sauce
Then immediately add around ½ cup of white wine.
Stir vigorously, allowing all of the alcohol to cook off. This is essential—about 1 min. When the wine has fully deglazed and the alcohol has evaporated, quickly add your stock, all of it.
Now, bring to a boil, and turn down immediately to a low simmer for 1 hour.
The tastes and flavours need time to mingle before they evolve and reemerge as one.
Rapidly or patiently allow this to completely cool to room temperature.
Step Four:
Combine your dry ingredients in a mixing bowl as large as possible, including the grated cheese.
Now begin to add the liquid broth, evenly mixing each time with a large ladle. You want to include a bit of everything from the broth in every scoop.
Continue to add the liquid to the dry mix until you can visibly see that the bread is no longer taking on the liquid.
The bread mixture should still come above the liquid line, but when you lightly press down, it should submerge, leaving approximately ½ inch of liquid above the bread.
Now squish, mix, turn, fondle, love, kiss, and impart the yeast and DNA from your hands into the mix. Make sure to squish a little bit.
Step Five:
Transfer to glass baking pans, whatever size you prefer. I prefer one large 15x11.5.
The mix should be 3 inches deep. If it looks dry, it is.
Drizzle more liquid over the top; the bread will absorb more than you think. The consistency should be too wet to handle, and the liquid should come halfway up the pan.
Cover with parchment, then foil and roast at 350 F for 20 minutes.
Turn the heat down to 325 F for a further 45 minutes.
Be curious, look at its progress during the halfway point, and use your gut; it knows better than your left brain.
Allow to rest a full 45 additional minutes at room temperature.
Welcome back to winter on the Third Coast, Enjoy!
Big Love and Light!
-SP