From Savory Jam
Wild Foraged Concord Grape Sauce
Make this for the Meatballs! … Wild Foraged Concord Grape Sauce
Traditionally grape jelly has been used in a handful of unconventional regional recipes, “Grape Jelly Spaghetti Sauce” & “Grape Jelly Meat Balls” to name a few. My recipe goes a bit further using Josephine’s Feast Spiced Wild Foraged Grape Jam, our “Forte” Dijon Mustard and our naturally sweet, Single Row Small Batch Sungold Tomato Catsup
The Red Hot Pepper Jam Buffalo Chicken Wings
I was in the kitchen last week with my assistant Sara who is ga-ga over Football and hosts an annual Super Bowl Party every season. Our conversation quickly turned to what she would be serving for her event. And once the conversation turned to Chicken Wings – everyone in the kitchen had an opinion. We all have our favorite bar, restaurant or recipe for chicken wings – but I prefer to stay close to the source and have updated traditional Buffalo Chicken Wings.
Generally speaking, Buffalo Wings are deep-fried, unbreaded, and coated in vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter. They are served hot, along with celery sticks and/or carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing for dipping. So I think they hit 4 food groups – and yes I am pulling your leg.
There are a number of claims as to the origins of Buffalo Wings. One of the more prevalent is that Buffalo Wings were first prepared at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa & Frank Bellissimo. Several versions of the story have been circulated by the family. the one I like best was told by their son Dominic to Calvin Trillin for an article in The New Yorker. ”It was Friday night in the bar and since people were buying a lot of drinks he (Frank) wanted to do something nice for them at midnight when the mostly Catholic patrons would be able to eat meat again.” He stated that it was his mother, Teressa, who came up with the idea of chicken wings. Maybe so.
My go to recipe is adopted from my food hero Alton Brown, who just seems to do everything right. His method of steaming and roasting the wings adds much to the texture of the meat and dare I say cuts a bit of the fat. I use Josephine’s Feast Red Hot Pepper Jam in place of hot sauce and have tweaked the spices to add more depth of flavor.
His original recipe is at FoodNetwork.com.
The Ultimate Buffalo Chicken Wing for the Super Bowl
Ingredients:
2 dozen Whole chicken wings
4 ounces Unsalted butter – clarified
1 small Clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup Josephines Feast Red Hot Pepper Jam
2 T Sweet Paprika or Josephine’s Feast South Fork BBQ Rub
1/2 t Sea salt
1 – Place a large saucepan with a steamer basket an inch or 2 of water of water. Over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.
2 – Using kitchen shears, or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Remove the tips of the wings and save for making stock. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes.
3 – Remove the wings from the basket and pat dry with a paper towel. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or over night.
4 – Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
5 – Remove the paper towels and replace with parchment paper or foil. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook another 20 minutes or until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown.
6 – While the wings are roasting, clarify the butter in a small pot. Add the garlic, jam, salt and spice mix. Cook for 2 minutes.
7 – It is easiest to pull the wings from the oven & combine them in sauce pot – toss to coat. Serve warm.
Alternatively the wings can be refrigerated for two days and retuned to a 400 degree oven to reheat.
Traditionally served with celery and carrot sticks along with this delicious blue cheese dipping sauce.
Ingredients for the Blue Cheese Dip:
1/2 cup Sour cream – regular or low fat
1/2 cup Crumbled blue cheese
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 Small clove garlic – minced
1 T Buttermilk or milk or cream
1/2 lemon juiced – the zest can be added for extra flavor
to taste Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 – Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl and blend with a wand mixer or fork.
2 – Taste and add salt and pepper.
If you are looking for an equal delicious but lower fat version of a Blue Cheese Dressing. Please view my earlier post. This recipe would have to be reduced by half or even by three quarters depending on how many wings you are making.
Red Hot Pepper Jam Cheese Spread
Holiday afterglow: back to the basics: good friends and quiet get togethers
I am glad to have some down time – but I know that that once the tree is dismantled we’ll be enjoying the company of friends, working on those New Year resolutions and maybe even planning a Super Bowl something or other.
These quieter times are wonderful to experiment with food and try new dinner recipes. I have one recipe that I have been holding onto for a while. It was suggested simultaneously by two members of our extended family – both young woman who have moved from Louisiana to to NYC last year. You may know both Carra Jane & Eliza as they help out at the Union Square Green Market on Saturdays. They are both big fans of LSU, Cajun food and JF Red Hot Pepper Jam. They dually suggested making their mothers Hot Pepper Cheese Spread with our jam.
This recipe was shared by Carra Williams (Carra Jane’s mother) who certainly knows a thing or two about good food and entertaining. The cheese spread is perfect for a casual gatherings – easy to make and holds for a day or two in the refrigerator. The pecans I used are are from the Double Farm Pecan farm in Monroe La. They are a welcome holiday gift from Eliza’s mother Forrest and can be ordered by phone at (318) 343-6690. They are just about the most perfect pecans – extra large and fragrant. I changed the recipe slightly by adding a 1/2 cup of jam to the cream cheese base. We love it with a Dixie beer – better still if you can get your hands on a Parish Grand Reserve or a Parish Envie
Red Hot Pepper Jam Cheese Spread
Ingredients:
2 – 8oz. packages Cream cheese or Neufchâtel
1 cup Thinly sliced green onions or scallions
1 1/2 cup Toasted finely chopped pecans
1 cup Grated cheddar cheese
1 – 8 oz. jar Hot pepper jelly – we used JF Red Hot pepper Jam
1 -Toast the pecans in a dry skillet until fragrant. Cool. Chop by hand or in a food processor
2 – Grate the cheddar cheese by hand or in the food processor
3 – Cream both cream cheese and 1/2 cup of hot pepper jam in a with a hand mixer. You can also do this with an egg beater or fork.
4 – Add 1 cup of the grated cheddar cheese to the cream cheese & blend. Add 1 cup of the toasted pecans, and finally the green onions,. Mix to just incorporate the nuts & onion.
5 – Form into a log, a ball or whatever shape you desire. The spread can also be served in a crock. For this Super Bowl a football shape is adorable.
6 – Put in the fridge until ready to serve.
7 – When ready to serve roll the log on the toasted pecan or sprinkle the additional nuts on top of the crock.
8 – spoon 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the hot pepper jelly on top.Or add it to the side.
Carra serves the Cheese Spread with Wheat Tins or Vinta Crackers – and honestly it works beautifully spread in celery with a dollop of jam. It reminds me of an appetizer my grandmother would make for our family holidays.
Josephine’s Feast Brown Turkey Fig Preserve
Heritage Brown Turkey figs are a marvel in the garden. The trees are compact and the leaves fragrant throughout the summer. Buds of fruit appear almost over night and the Heritage Brown Turkey is a strong producer. When the timing is just right, you can pull a sun ripened juicy fig from the tree just before the bees beat you to them.
Some consider figs the Holy Grail of fruit – classical references are many. Figs are said to be discovered by Dionysius and the thunderbolts of Jupiter. They are referenced as the tree of knowledge in the bible along with the loss of innocence and the pleasures of Paradise. Thomas Jefferson brought fig trees to Monticello upon his return from France. None-the-less figs are an exotic treasure and a culinary trophy.
We were lucky indeed to purchase several flats of Heritage Brown Turkey Figs this fall. We preserve them with a hint of Lemon Thyme. These preserves are perfect on a cheese plate. I love them with a soft brie. My cousin Michael makes an outstanding glaze for chicken and ribs thinning the preserves with white wine and some fresh cut herbs from his garden.
Josephine’s Feast! Heritage Brown Turkey Fig Preserve is available now while supplies last