Beef Heart In Wine Sauce

Ingredients:

*4+ pounds beef heart
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* salt and pepper to taste
* 3 tablespoons butter
* 1 onion, chopped
* 2 carrots, chopped
* 2 potatoes, chopped
* 2 teaspoons dried thyme
* 1 cup beef broth
* 1/2 cup red wine


1. Wash the heart and remove any fat and arteries. Slice the heart in half, then slice it into 1/2 inch thick slices.

2. Dredge heart in flour and season with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the butter in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the heart slices and cook for 30 to 45 seconds per side.

4. Stir in the onion, carrots, potatoes, thyme, water and wine. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Notes: Beef Heart is a very lean muscle, like a steak.  It is NOT considered an organ meat, like liver.  When cooked properly, it is one of the most succulent meats on a beef.

Suggested Sides:  Warm, fresh dinner rolls with baked apples for dessert.

*Recipe adapted from Taste of Home.

Here's a superb & simple recipe: 

Chorizo Sausage and Tomatillo Puff Pastry ~ Cowboy Crisps
by Chef Mark Alan

These appetizers are so tasty and original your guests will think you went to culinary school in Old Mexico. 
Makes 16 -18 appetizers.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Chorizo sausage - ground 
4 oz. cheddar cheese - shredded
4 oz. Chef Mark Alan’s Tomatillo & Roasted Garlic Sauce
2 puff pastry sheets (1 pkg. thawed)
1/4 cup flour

Directions:
Break up and brown chorizo in skillet, drain off any oil, mix in the Tomatillo sauce. Using a rolling pin, slightly thin puff pastry by rolling on floured board. Dampen one edge of the pastry with water (it seals the roll together) and add one-fourth of the sausage to the opposite edge. Spread 2 oz. shredded cheese over the sausage. Tightly roll up and slice into 1 inch pieces. Repeat with remaining puff pastry sheet. 

Place rollups several inches apart on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You can make these days ahead, at this point tightly cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap, freeze and then uncover and thaw before baking.) Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and bake crisps for 12-16 minutes until puffed and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Thank you Chef Mark!

German Apple Sausage Hash
...an old fashioned favorite

1/4 c Butter
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Med. Apples (cored & sliced)
1/4 C Chopped Onion
3 Cups Shredded Potatoes or frozen hashbrown-style potatoes
1 16oz. can Saurkraut, drained
1 pkg. (1 lb.) Schenker's German Apple Sausage

In a cast iron skillet, melt butter and add brown sugar.  Stir in apples and onion then cook 3 minutes.  Add potatoes or frozen shredded potatoes, saurkraut, sausages and dash of salt and pepper.  Simmer, covered, 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat.  Stir frequently.  Serves 4-6.

Recommended Side Dishes: Hot Biscuits with Raw Clover Honey and a Side Salad.

This is an easy dish that can be made in just a few minutes.  

Enjoy!

~Cherie

I had a special request tonight for this recipe from one of our friends and customers.  She is having a huge Super Bowl party and wanted to serve something unique and tasty...

Rocky Mtn. Oysters (a.k.a. Prairie Oysters)

Serves 4-6

2 pounds Bull Fries 
1 1/4 cup all purpose Flour 
Salt, Pepper, Paprika & Garlic Powder (to taste) 
Louisiana Hot Sauce 
Lard or Vegetable Oil (Lard has more flavor)

Using a sharp knife, split the tough muscle that surrounds each "oyster." You can remove this more easily if the "oysters" are frozen and then peeled while thawing. Set into a pan with enough salt water to cover them for one hour, then drain.

Transfer to large pot. Add enough water to float the "oysters" and a generous tablespoon of vinegar. Parboil, drain and rinse. Let cool and slice each "oyster" into bite sized chunks. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of sliced "oyster" to taste.

Mix flour and some paprika and garlic powder to taste in a bowl. Roll each slice into this dry mixture. Dip into milk with a few dashes of Louisiana Hot Sauce in it. Dip into dry mixture. Place in hot melted lard. Cook until golden brown or tender, and remove with a strainer (the longer they cook, the tougher they get).  Serve warm and enjoy! 

Serving Options: Use Ranch or Blue Cheese Dressing as a dip or Sprinkle with more Hot Sauce.

Suggested Side Dishes: Fresh Grilled Corn on the Cob, Tomatoes and Biscuits with Honeybutter.

These are a delicious delicacy and only available in limited quantities.  Enjoy!

~Cherie 

We have been getting a lot of e-mails and telephone calls lately asking if there is still time to order Christmas gifts to be shipped to APOs and FPOs.  The answer is yes!  Shipping perishable items like steaks is always a little risky, especially to some of the remote outposts in Afghanistan, but the cooler weather makes a big difference.  

If you are looking for a less expensive gift, try one of our non-perishable gifts, like our one of our gift boxes filled with jerky and salsa.  We get a lot of compliments on our gift boxes featuring a Summer Sausage, snack sticks, jerky and old fashioned baked beans.  It's amazing how much a taste of home hits the spot!