Gaston Alive Magazine

Potato Pancakes

As I dug through what was left the other morning to determine how I might “re-over” a meal and make something more exciting and different for breakfast, I found my inspiration in my leftover mashed potatoes. Long ago, a friend of mine’s mom used to make the best potato pancakes (at least in my memory). I’ve always tried to replicate them, and this recipe is as close as I have gotten. Additionally, I had a flash of inspiration on how to put a Southern twist on the Eastern European staple with Sweet Potato Pancakes.

Summer is gone, but our love for barbecuing never ends. So here is one of my favorite barbecue sauce recipes and a use for this sauce. I will combine it with a bit of Creole seasoning and shrimp!

The Sauce

3 Cups Ketchup,¾ Cup Molasses

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce,1 Tbsp Tabasco (or other hot sauce)

¼ Tsp Ground Ginger,½ Tsp Granulated Garlic

¼ Tsp Onion Powder,3 Tbsp Brown Sugar

1Tbsp Chili Powder,2 Tbsp Sesame Oil

3 Tbsp Vinegar,2 Cups Tomato Puree

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pot and simmer for 45mins; serve hot

Creole Seasoning,2 ½ Tbsp Paprika

2 Tbsp Salt,2 Tbsp Garlic Powder

1 Tbsp Black Pepper,1 Tbsp Onion Powder

1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper,2 Tbsp Dried Oregano

2 Tbsp Dried Thyme,1 Tbsp Dried Basil

In a bowl, add and mix all ingredients. Store in a airtight container

Barbecue Shrimp

Thread Shrimp (as many as you would like to eat, peeled and de-veined) onto skewers (if you are using wooden skewers, soak for 30 minutes). Sprinkle Creole seasoning lightly over shrimp after brushing with melted butter. Barbecue the shrimp until done (about 2-3 minutes per side).

Move the shrimp to plates and dip into the barbecue sauce (there will be enough sauce to use for other dishes).  Serve with rice.

Ciao Glenn and Glenn

Brown Sauce

Deer stands, early morning camouflage, the peal of a distant rifle crack splitting the morning air. Well, maybe it’s a bit early, but I wanted to get out a brown sauce just designed for venison or for that matter any beef, lamb or goose dish.

Basically brown sauce is beef bullion (brown stock) into which a thickening agent is cooked (flour). The trick in making a great brown sauce is to start from scratch. However since most of us don’t have days to make a sauce lets start with a standard bullion base and layer it with flavor so it is much more than just off the shelf.

Start with 2 cups of canned beef bullion, add in 3 Tb each of finely minced onions and carrots, 1 Tb of finely minced celery, 1/2 cup of red wine or dry vermouth, 2 sprigs of parsley, 1 small bay leaf, a pinch of thyme or if you have it fresh 1 nice sprig. Simmer for 20 minutes and then strain into a container to save or use immediately.

Sauce Ragout (Flour-based Brown Sauce with Giblets)

2 cups of giblets, bones and meat trimmings 1/2 cup of chopped carrots 1/2 cup of chopped onions 6 Tb of clarified butter or bacon fat or olive oil (or combination) 4 Tb flour 5 cups of boiling stock (above) Optional 1 cup of red wine, 3Tb tomato paste, herb bouquet parsley, bay leaf and thyme

In a heavy saucepan (4qt) brown the first three ingredients in the butter/fat/oil. After browing remove ingredients set aside. Slowly brown the flour in the fat remaining in the saucepan. Once browned remove from heat and add the boiling liquid beating till smooth. Add back in browned giblets/bones/trimmings and optional ingredients. Simmer this sauce for two hours skimming as necessary. Strain, degrease as necessary correct seasoning, serve.

To make this sauce specifically for venison add 1 tsp of pepper prior to simmering, after straining beat in 1/2 cup of red currant jelly and 1/2 cup of whipping cream just prior to serving. Correct seasoning with salt and white pepper to increase spice to taste.

Ciao, Glenn and Glenn