On Tuesday Mississippi voters headed to the polls after months of political ads, campaigning and discussions. I have a big confession to make: I love politics. I always have, and I guess I always will. What I like most of all about politics is the array of characters that naturally gravitate to our political process. This is not your average lot of people, and in politics, life is never boring. Political folks are interesting, and they have stories and strong opinions. There is never a dull moment, or even a dull second.
History will back me up on this, but politics collects an interesting bunch. No other group in the world would put together the varied interests and personalities in the same room to work out issues of the day. Rodeo clowns and bull riders; farmers and doctors. Folks that sell real estate to folks that sell sweet potatoes and crickets; men from North Mississippi and women from the coast. Each one of these are spirited and passionate individuals who have a voice in our process, and rarely is each person on the “exact same page.” Most understand the need to work together. It is never boring and challenges are around every corner.
My father served in the Mississippi House of Representatives for about 17 years. Voting and helping candidates has always been important to our family. I can still remember when I was in college, my mother mailing me my absentee ballots. I was responsible for checking my mail (which I rarely did), walking all the way across campus to the bursar’s office (which I never did) to find a notary. Getting the ballot notarized and finding a stamp (which I never had) in order to mail it back to the circuit clerk. At which time, my mother would go to the circuit clerk’s office to make sure I had voted before she would send me any money for that month.
“Seriously, all that for one vote,” I complained once. I was quickly reminded that every vote counts and men and women died to give me the right to vote. Lesson learned and one I have passed on to my children. Recently an election in the metro area was decided on just one vote.
When my children were young, we celebrated “election day” much like a special birthday or other exciting holiday. My kids were allowed to “help me’ vote and scan in my ballot and sometimes we would all stay up late to find out who won or how many states went blue or red. They understand and know that election day is special, and voting is required. We have always discussed candidates and my fear has never been that they would have an opinion different than mine (I knew they would), but that they would not have an opinion at all.
We need our children to understand and engage in this process. It is cliché, but they are the future leaders of our country. They need to develop well-considered opinions and understand the power of their vote.
In honor of this complicated and sometimes messy process, I encourage friends to consider making a little sausage. The old saying that politics is like making sausage may be accurate. However I like to make sausage and do not mind getting my hands in the mix.
Just like a “good recipe,” the ingredients need to come together for the final product to work, and just like making sausage there is a lot that goes into the mix. Representative democracy is the most beneficial form of government in the world and we need more people getting in the mix.
Robert’s Italian Sausage
Robert St. John is one of my favorite authors and foodies. His Italian sausage recipe is so good. Importantly, I have discovered that you can do pretty much anything with this Italian sausage, and it will make the dish taste good.
Crumble it with gnocchi and it is delicious. Use it in lasagna. Even better, fry a patty and put it on a piece of Italian sourdough with olive oil and chopped tomatoes, and it is a great lunch.
With all these sausage recipes I will make an entire recipe in one batch then separate it into one-pound bags and store in our freezer until needed.
2 tablespoons fennel seed
1 tablespoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons paprika, he uses Hungarian, but I have often times used smoked or regular
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes, less if you do not like it spicy
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
5 pounds, boneless pork butt, cut into 1-inch cubes and well chilled
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Place the meat grinder parts in ice water or in the freezer until needed. Chill a large bowl in the bowl of a stand mixer.
Combine the fennel and the coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat and toast, stirring frequently until just fragrant. It should only take three to four minutes. I have actually put them in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Transfer the seeds to a small bowl and cool.
Mix the salt, sugar, paprika, cayenne, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and the toasted fennel and coriander seeds. Place pork cubes in a large bowl and thoroughly coat with a seasoning blend. This can be done a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
Grind the meat to a small dice in your food grinder into the mixing bowl. Once all the meat is ground, add the water in the vinegar and mix thoroughly. Robert uses the paddle for his stand mixer and beats for two to three minutes.
Fill sausage casing for links or keep in bulk.
Lavelle‘s Quick Italian Sausage
Lavelle was the butcher at a local Jitney Jungle and later moved to the McDade’s in Fondren. We enjoyed a great friendship and he always was quick to share a good recipe or suggestion for dinner.
Before he retired, I begged him to share his recipe for Italian sausage that was often sold in the store. It is delicious and quick and easy. I grind my own pork for this, but please feel free to buy regular unseasoned ground pork if you can find it and just mix together.
5-pound Boston butt, cubed
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons salt or garlic salt
3 tablespoons fennel seeds
4 tablespoons dried parsley, I use about a half a cup of fresh
5 tablespoons grated Romano or parmesan cheese. I did not use fancy, but simply the kind in the jar at the grocery store.
I often added 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes to make mine spicy.
Mix all the season ingredients and toss with the cubed pork. Grind and store in the freezer or use as you would any Italian sausage.
Gnocchi with Italian Sausage
Gnocchi is an Italian potato dumpling and the first time I had real gnocchi was at a small restaurant in a hillside town in Tuscany. It is still ranks as one of the best meals I have ever had in my entire life. You can buy gnocchi from the grocery store and boil it according to the package directions but there really is a difference when you make homemade. It will make a mess and is a little time consuming so plan a little extra time.
I got a great tip from Chef Marty in our family. To make gnocchi softer, he suggests using baked potatoes instead of boiling them to cut down on the unnecessary moisture in the dumplings. Bake the potatoes until done and cut in half. Press the steaming potato flesh through a cooling rack into a large bowl then add remaining ingredients.
Discard the unused potato skins or save for another use like stuffed potato skins.*
3 to 4 large russet potatoes
5 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Wash potatoes thoroughly, and in place in a 400° oven to bake if using that method. If boiling, wash, potatoes, and place them in a large sauce pan, covered with cold water. Simmer over medium heat until potato skins begin to crack and potatoes or tender.
Drain and carefully remove the skin from the potatoes. Run the potatoes to a food mill or potato ricer into a large bowl. Fold in the egg yolks and about 2 1/2 cups of the flour and salt. Working quickly form dough into a ball. Do not allow the dough to cool.
Divide the dough into about six pieces and roll into logs about a half an inch in diameter. Use plenty of flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Cut each log in the 15 or 20 pieces about a half an inch part. Store on a well-floured cookie sheet until ready to cook. Use the same method with baked potatoes.
When ready to prepare: fill a large stockpot with salted water bring to a boil. Carefully drop the gnocchi into the simmering water a few spoonsful at a time. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon when they float. Transfer to a lightly oiled baking sheet and keep them warm until ready to use.
When ready to use, cook your Italian sausage and a large cast-iron skillet. When sausage is cooked, drizzle with good olive oil, about five fresh sage leaves, chopped. Toss in about half of the cooked gnocchi. Carefully shake the pan and allow a few of the gnocchi to brown slightly on the bottom.
Serve immediately topped the fresh Parmesan cheese and additional red pepper flakes.
* Top skins with shredded cheddar cheese and crispy bacon bits and bake in the oven at 400° for about 15 minutes. Top with sour cream and chives for bistro-style potato skins.
Crockpot Bolognese
Food writer Ruth Reichl described Bolognese as a “food that is greater than the sum of its parts.” She was exactly right. Something magical happens to all these basic ingredients when they are slow cooked and allowed to mingle together. It is simply delicious and it is so much more than a spaghetti meat sauce. Try this recipe and be sure to serve with wide noodles or a pasta that can hold onto the sauce.
1 pound bacon, sliced or cut into tiny pieces, cooked until crisp and drained
1-pound lean ground beef, thoroughly cooked and drained
1-pound Italian sausage cooked and drained
2 onions thoroughly chopped
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup good red wine
1 cup milk
1/2 cup finally chopped carrots
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cans diced tomatoes; I normally use fire roasted
1 small can tomato paste
1 can beef broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Placed cooked meat and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low heat for eight to 10 hours. Stir occasionally. Best made the day before and slowly reheated.
Fresh Pork and Chicken Breakfast Sausage
8 ounces boneless skinless chicken thighs cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces pork butt cut into 1-inch cubes, I have found that about 4-5 boneless pork chops, cut into cubes will work
2-3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh or dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
Combine all ingredients in a bowl of the food processor and pulse until meat is finely chopped and the ingredients are well combined. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You can also do this in a meat grinder but the food processor is probably easier.
Cover and refrigerate at least four hours or overnight. Form mixture into four equal patties about half inch thick. Cook in about one teaspoon of oil in a heavy-duty skillet on medium for about four minutes per side. Once patties are cooked through, turn up heat on skillet and quickly brown sausage on each side. Serve hot.
Sausage Balls
Over the years, I have learned one thing about breakfast: When in doubt, always make sausage balls. I have never been able to pass them up, and they are always one of the first things to go on the breakfast table. I keep pre-cooked sausage balls in my freezer pretty much all the time. They provide a hearty breakfast or a good snack. I can zap them in the microwave for 20 seconds and it was the perfect breakfast on the run.
Feel free to use store-bought sausage but consider using a homemade variety for a change.
3 cups baking mix such as Bisquick, or I have used a box of Red Lobster Cheddar Bisquik mix for an extra special treat.
1 lb. extra-sharp shredded cheese, grated or at room temperature
1 lb. pork sausage, spicy or mild
Thoroughly combine all ingredients and roll into golf-ball sized balls. Bake on a greased baking sheet for 15-20 minutes at 350°.
Traditional British Sausage Roll
We have been to London a few times and I have always enjoyed the meat pies and particularly the sausage rolls. This recipe has a mildly flavored sausage that is traditionally called Cumberland Sausage in the UK. A sausage roll is basically like a fancy pig in a blanket but definitely worthy of your time.
1 17-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator overnight
4 - 5 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tablespoon dried bread crumbs, plain or seasoned
1 tablespoon water
1 pound uncooked ground pork
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional, but add a good flavor
1 large egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
1-2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
In a separate bowl, remove the leaves from the thyme sprigs and reserve until you have about a tablespoon. Finely chop. Combine pork, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, Sage, onion powder, pepper, salt, water bread crumbs and red pepper. Mix until well combined and store in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes to firm up.
When ready to prepare your sausage log, preheat oven to 400°. All puff pastry to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Keep it covered said that it does not dry out.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Unfold the two pop pastry sheets on a lightly floured cutting board roll each sheet with a rolling pan into about a 10 x 9 inch rectangle. Cut each sheet in half lengthwise to make four 10 x 4 inch rectangles. Arrange the rectangle vertically so a short side is closer to you. Brush the pastry sheet with a little bit of Dijon mustard being careful not to get mustard on the edges as it might prevent the pastry from ceiling together.
Divide the sausage mixture into four portions. Roll each portion of sausage into a log about 10 inches long and 1 inch wide and one inch thick. Place the sausage roll in the middle of each pastry rectangle. Brush the edges of the pastry with egg wash. Working with one rectangle at a time, roll the left and right side of the pastry over the sausage to meet an overlap in the middle. Carefully press down to seal the seam. Arrange seam side down on the cookie sheet. Put in the refrigerator for at least a half an hour to firm up.
At this point you can bake a whole or you can cut each roll crosswise into six 1 1/2-inch pieces. Arrange the same side out on a baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart.
Generously brush all the tops with the egg wash and bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven Until evenly golden brown. Transfer to wire rack and allowed to call a few minutes before serving.
You can serve with any British chutney or even Coleman’s spicy mustard.
Sausage Gravy with Homemade Biscuits
Few uses of sausage could be as honorable as toping a freshly baked buttermilk biscuit. This is one of my family’s special treats.
Sausage Gravy
1-pound, fresh port, breakfast sausage, 3 tablespoons flour into cups, milk, salt, and pepper and red pepper to taste. Cook the sausage in a large nonstick skillet breaking up the pieces as you get. Remove the sausage, but leave any of the fat or grease in the bottom. Add additional 1 to 2 tablespoons oil if necessary. Add flour into the oil and cook, stirring constantly for about one minute to remove the raw flour flavor. Once the flour is lightly browned, carefully begin stirring in the milk and whisking as you go to prevent lumps. Add more milk to get the necessary consistency and allow make sure to cook for a few minutes and thicken. Add the sausage back in the mixture and simmer for just a few minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve ever warm biscuits.
Katty’s Biscuits
2 cups all purpose, flour plus more for dusting
4 teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
2 tablespoons shortening, chilled,
1 cup, low-fat buttermilk, chilled
Preheat oven to 450°.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your food processor, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Carefully pulse in butter and shortening or cut in with two forks. Pulse in or mix in buttermilk until dough just holds together. Turn dough out onto a floured service and dust the top of the dough with additional flour and gently pat down.
Cut the biscuits with a 2-inch biscuit, cutter, or jar, being careful not to twist when you cut them as that can seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from rising.
Place biscuits on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake about 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Louis Chorizo Sausage
Chorizo is a type of Spanish/Mexican pork sausage that is spicy and flavorful. It can be smoked in the casings or uncooked such as the recipe below. You can find fresh ground pork at several grocery stores or use a grinder attachment or chop in your food processor.
2 pounds fresh ground pork, not pork sausage (or 2 pounds pork butts, ground)
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
2 to 3 tablespoons paprika (I use half regular and half smoked)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt, to taste
1/2 to 1/4 cup ice cold water, if needed
If using whole pork, Grind pork butts or ask your butcher to do it. Place pork in a stand of a mixer. Add all remaining ingredients except water and mix well until all the spices are evenly distributed. Add water a little at a time to make a good mixing consistently.
To taste for seasonings: cook a small patty in your microwave for about 60 seconds to test for salt and pepper, and spice level. Adjust suit your taste.
Chorizo freezes well. Divide into several portions and wrap well to store in the freezer.
Breakfast Burritos
Feel free to use store-bought chorizo for this recipe, but also consider mixing up at batch of homemade chorizo. This is a great way to use chorizo sausage in a tasty and convenient package.
To make the breakfast burritos:
12 whole wheat or regular flour burritos
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican cheese
1 pound chorizo
12 eggs
1-2 cups tater tots or hash browns
1 small onion, chopped
1 small pepper, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes, drained (optional if you are using onion and pepper)
Salsa of your choice for serving
Cook and drain Chorizo and set aside in a large mixing bowl. Cook tater tots using the package directions until they are golden brown. Leftover hash browns or breakfast style potatoes also work well, if available. Add to the bowl. Sauté onion and pepper in a small amount of oil until slightly browned and add to the bowl. If using, stir in the drained Rotel tomatoes.
In a separate bowl crack the eggs and whisk until well combined. Scramble and add to mixing bowl with other ingredients. Toss to combine all ingredients. Set aside to assemble burritos.
Set out all burritos and top with egg-sausage mixture. Top each with a little cheese and fold up to contain the mixture, and put burritos in individual sandwich bags. Store in freezer until ready to eat. Heat or allow to defrost before eating. Serve with salsa, if desired.
Chickpea and Chorizo Soup
1-pound dried chickpeas, or 2 cans drained and rinsed
1 gallon of water
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 medium bell pepper, chopped
1 cup chorizo
1/8 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 - 8 ounce can tomato sauce
Hot sauce to taste
Soak chickpeas in water overnight. Drain and then simmer, chickpeas in fresh water over medium high heat until tender. Water will reduce by about half.
While chickpeas are cooking, sauté onions, garlic, peppers, chorizo, and half of the parsley until soft and translucent. When chickpeas are tender, add all the sautéed items and the tomato sauce to the soup.
Add hot sauce and salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with parsley.
We need to support our country, our candidates, and teach our children and grandchildren to get involved by educating themselves and supporting real candidates. Find out what candidates believe in and try to find out if they have a record to back it up. If you have time, call their campaign, and see if you can get someone to talk to you. If a candidate knocks on your door, ask questions. (And perhaps offer them a glass of iced tea.)
