Cook-a-thon with Stinky: basketweave roast and a leekie Yorkie

[stinkyattic]

It's almost May in New England and there is sleet beating on my windows tonight. Utterly disgusting 'spring ' weather by local standards and calls for the comfort food of the Old Country.
I started this at about 10am in the sous vide. I think it's a strap roast. Or some sort of loin thing. Not sure, it was in the chest freezer.

It was in at 132'f for about 5 hours, then cooled to room temp.

 

[stinkyattic]

Yorkshire pudding batter is 4 big eggs, an equal volume of half n half, and enough flour to thicken it o the consistency of chowdah . Put it in the fridge.

 

[stinkyattic]

I have to go to bed now will continue in the morning when I go on break. I hate my job right now...

 

[stinkyattic]

I'm unfortunately still awake.
This step starts with a brown paper beer bag cut flat, and a pound of thick bacon laid out as shown to start the weave pattern.

 

[stinkyattic]

Just flip up every other strip to keep the pattern going, then lay the next one across what's left. Reverse and repeat. Keep the strips in the same orientation if you value tidiness , not necessary but i am mildly neurotic as you have no doubt guessed by now.

 

[stinkyattic]

Completed wrap, sprinkled with rosemary, sage, pepper, and dried shallot. Lightly!!!

 

[hollowpoint]

I think even a wayward chimp can hit that weave now...so cool...if you ever decided on a career/location change your Chef skills would be a big hit in this hospitality/tourism.areas...your diversity would be perfect for the broad selection of travelers encountered here. Antebellum homes and Casino's pack em in on the food lines.

 

[stinkyattic]

Take some grainy mustard and your roast, with the fatty bit removed. It should peel off pretty easily.

Slather it up nice

Put it on the bacon

Using the paper, fold the bacon up over the ends and press it on, tucking in the loose bits at the fold

Repeat with the sides, and sort of weave the ends together to hold it all in place.

 

[stinkyattic]

Find a flattish steamer insert
Put it upside down over the roast, slide your hand under, and flip it. You're going to roast this thing in the colander.

Forgot to tell y'all to start some potatoes roasting. Put the meat on top so the juices go into the potatoes and carrots, if using. Put the pile in the oven.

 

[stinkyattic]

here's the fatty piece from the roast, and a splash of olive oil to get it going. We're going to render this to cook some leeks for the pudding.

when it's starting to look like a piece of cooked bacon and leaving brown bits stuck to the pan, take it out and discard.

put in the minced green part of one leek, quickly saute in the drippings, and then deglaze with a small splash of brandy, scraping up the brown bits.
Put aside to cool.

 

[stinkyattic]

For the gravy, I am going to give instructions for what I should have done, because what I did wasn't all that great. Melt some butter or duck fat in the pan the leeks just came out of.

slowly cook a large minced shallot and a heaping tablespoon of green peppercorns

They're delicious and come in mini cans like tomato paste

When they take on some color, pour off most but not all of the fat.
Asbestos hands!

 

[stinkyattic]

Turn up the heat , sprinkle in a tiny bit of flour, cook until it syarts sticking, and deglaze with another splash of brandy. Then put in the drippings from the sous vide pouch and reduce significantly. I used too much flour and red wine and it came out pink. A simple reduction will be better.
Meanwhile take the potatoes out. They should be done by now. Arrange them on a serving tray and keep warm. Pour out any excess drippings into the gravy pot but don't clean the pan. whisk the cooled leeks into the batter and pour into the hot drippings. Put it in the oven.

It gets poofy!

 

[stinkyattic]

Nice n pink! Enjoy!