I’m nearing the end of phase 2 on a round of HCG. I had a vision of a french onion soup today and decided to figure out a recipe. We have tried before and ended up with a watery and weak soup. I’m looking at different recipes and am putting together a good plan of attack to try this as soon as I clear phase 2. This means no sugars and starches added into the soup.
Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 30 mins
Serves: 8
A french onion soup that I can make while on HCG phase 3
- 5 pounds sweet onions (like Vidalias)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups red wine
- 32 ounces canned beef broth
- Bouquet garni; thyme sprigs, bay leaf and parsley tied together with kitchen string
- Kosher salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1 cup Fontina or Gruyere cheese, grated
- Finely slice the onions
- Melt butter on electric skillet (Not griddle) at 250 degrees F
- Layer the onions and then lightly salt each layer as you go
- Sweat 20 minutes
- Stir occasionally until deeply caramelized (45 minutes to 1 hour total time)
- add red wine and reduce (10 minutes)
- Add beef broth cook 15 minutes
- season with salt/pepper as needed
- ladle into oven safe bowls
- top with cheese
- broil until golden brown
Building on a food network recipe from Alton Brown’s good eats. His technique is the part about the griddle. I’d like to try his version with the apple cider in there but the sugar that is added may cause problems finding it.
2.2.1
The original version of this recipe from Alton Brown’s Good Eats show “
Sausage A Beautiful Grind“. As with the rest in this batch, no extra fat and turkey replaces some of the pork.
| Healthier Italian Sausage |
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Recipe type: Sausage
Author: Scott Alexander
Based on a recipe from Alton Brown’s Good Eats Show
- 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seed
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves
- 1 pound pork butt
- 1 pound turkey
- See the Good Eats recipe for details on the process. The fennel seed is roasted first. cook to 165.
Serving size: 4 ounces Calories: 197
2.2.1
Update#1: I originally posted with a 75/25% ration of pork to turkey. When I made it, I switched to a 50/50 ration. The recipe is updated. The meat still tasted like it had more than enough fat in it
Andouille provides two major uses. The first is as an appetizer. The other great use is in Cajun food like gumbo and jambalaya. Originally adapted from
Home Sausage Making: How-To Techniques for Making and Enjoying 100 Sausages at Home page 66. Removing extra fat and using turkey breast in place of some of the pork.
Recipe type: Sausage
Author: Scott Alexander
Modified from a recipe in home sausage making. The spices stay the same but the fat is removed and turkey replaces significant amounts of the
- 3 pounds pork butt
- 3 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 cup chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup cracked black pepper
- 4 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons cayenne
- 1 tablespoon thyme
- Standard methods, cook to 165.
2.2.1
Update #0: I was planning on making this early this week however the sausage stuffer losing a part and the kitchen aid stuffer breaking meant that I couldn’t stuff so I’m saving this recipe for another day.
I’m looking to have a smokey warm sausage with this one. Originally adapted from
Home Sausage Making: How-To Techniques for Making and Enjoying 100 Sausages at Home
page 66. Removing extra fat and using turkey breast in place of some of the pork.
| Healthier Southwestern Pork Sausage |
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Recipe type: Sausage
Author: Scott Alexander
Modified off a source recipe from Home Sausage Making by Susan Mahnke peery & Charles G Reavis. This will be a bit drier so cook carefully.
- 3 pounds pork butt
- 1 pound lean turkey breast
- 5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspon ground cumin
- .5 teaspoons ancho chilli powder
- 4 cloves garlic
- Standard methods apply. Cook to 165.
2.2.1
Update #1: Excellent recipe. Due to sausage stuffer mishaps, I rolled the sausage in plastic wrap and then foil to give the correct shape and boiled to gently cook so they could be frozen and used later. The flavor is very good and the heat is a followup after the flavor. Very mild and slightly peppery. Will try a 50/50 mix turkey/pork next time.
This is based on the Italian Sausage Siena Style from Jack Ubaldi’s Meat Book which I have had for years. It’s a very detailed book about all different types of meat and is worth having around for reference. The original recipe calls for pork butt, pork belly, and veal.
| Healthier Siena Style Italian Sausage |
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Recipe type: Sausage
Author: Based on a Jack Ubaldi’s Meat Book
- 3.5 pounds pork butt
- 1 pound turkey breast
- 1 pound ground beef
- 2 ounces coarse salt
- 1.5 tbsp coarse pepper
- .5 tsp marjoram
- .5 tsp coriander
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Casings
- cube meat, grind, flavor, stuff
2.2.1
Update #1: Made this batch early this week. Good flavor and texture. The turkey and lower fat didn’t seem to have much effect on the end product. After this is all consumed, I will probably increase the turkey to two pounds and reduce the pork by 1 pound. I also adjusted the recipe as displayed above to correct the levels for the marjoram and coriander.
A friend gave me a sample of a vinegar based bbq sauce from Arkansas. He promised me more but it took longer than expected to arrive given that his source wasn’t the most reliable. In between the first sample and extra arriving, I searched out a recipe to make something similar.
I stumbled on this one at OregonLive.com and went to make it. Without realizing it, I mistakenly substituted apple cider vinegar for the apple cider that was in the original recipe. The sauce turned out great and here is the recipe. I tend to let this sit for a month or more after I make it with an occasional shake to keep it mixed up.
| Modified Carolina Vinergar Sauce |
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Recipe type: Sauce
Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Based on a simple Carolina style vinegar sauce found at oregonlive.com, this is my modified version. The pepper comes through and with just a bit of kick.
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Mix all ingredients in a glass bottle
- Age 1 day to several months for best flavor.
- shake the bottle weekly to ensure that all the flavors get mixed
2.1.7
