Wednesday 10 October 2007

Kentucky Burgoo

Please do not only read my top posts, I am posting several per day. I am winding down at my current job and I am stocking up for next week when I’ll be starting the new job. I think it will be a bit hectic for the first week or so.

One of the best books on food I’ve ever read is Food: what we eat and how we eat it by Clarissa Dickson Wright (real name - Clarissa Theresa Philomena Aileen Mary Josephine Agnes Elsie Trilby Louise Esmerelda Dickson Wright). Clarissa is the the living half of the Two Fat Ladies team. Jennifer Patterson died a number of years back. The whole book is full of excerpts form other cooks’ and chefs’ books and then her own commentary on the subject. One of the entries I enjoy most is the one on Kentucky Burgoo. The recipe below dates from 1939 and makes 1200 gallons: "Kentucky Burgoo" is the celebrated stew which is served in Kentucky on Derby Day, at Political Rallies, Horse Sales and other outdoor events. This recipe is from a hand written copy by Mr. J. T. Looney, of Lexington. Mr. Looney is Kentucky's most famous Burgoo-maker and it was for him that Mr. E. R. Bradley named his Kentucky Derby winner "Burgoo King". Mr. Looney uses a sauce of his own in the preparation of this truly-amazing concoction. Mr. Looney is invited to all parts of the country to prepare Burgoo for large gatherings. This is not a dish to be attemped by an amateur though it can be prepared in smaller quantities. It is a very picturesque sight to see Mr. Looney, aided by his many assistants, preparing this dish over open fires and huge kettles which are kept simmering all night. 600 pounds lean soup meat (no fat, no bones) 200 pounds fat hens 2000 pounds potatoes, peeled and diced 200 pounds of onions 5 bushels of cabbage, chopped 60 ten-pound cans of tomatoes 24 ten-pound cans puree of tomatoes 24 ten-pound cans of carrots 18 ten-pound cans of corn Red pepper and salt to taste Season with Worchestershire, Tabasco, or A#1 Sauce

Mix the ingredients, a little at a time, and cook outdoors in huge iron kettles over wood fires from 15 to 20 hours. Use squirrels in season... one dozen squirrels to each 100 gallons.

The "use squirrels in season" really got to me.

12 comments:

The Divine Miss M said...

Oh my dear god

*gets scared*

She is cool though, I've met her, a total loon!

Unknown said...

I AM GREEEEEEEN WITH ENVY!

Sweets said...

i love the two fat ladies...i didn't know the one's dead...they are/were terrific... that's what i want to be like when i'm really old...not that fat but eccentric galore!

pretty ghost said...

I've talked to a doctor about the add, and was "Surveyed" by teachers about my behaivouir to see if it was possibly add but nothing has happend since. My doctor probably forgot.

The Divine Miss M said...

Ye, I've met quite a few Celebrity Chefs now. I'm obsessed with them :)

I worked for Jamie Oliver's Production company for over a year and I now have a total thing for him!

Unknown said...

If Jamie ever wants a hardworking loyal, talented, trustworthy, responsible apprentice with tons of self respect and integrity (unlike those wusses he had) I am in the market!

Unknown said...

ps
divine miss m...

I have loads of respect for Jamie, but my obsession is Nigella Lawson. She is just soooo shexsheeee!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
The Divine Miss M said...

Spear - my old Production Manager works for her company now actually and another production manager I know used to work there. She's ... interesting ... apparently.

Jamie is cool. Are you a chef?

Unknown said...

Imagine having to peel and dice 2000 pounds worth of potatoes!?!?!

Unknown said...

divine miss m - not chef, but self trained cook cookery is one of my hobbies.

glugster - I've heard horror stories about junior chefs and kitchen aides having to dice mountains of potatoes and julienne sacks of carrots and stir 20 litres of bechamel sauce etc. Professional chefs apparantly do not approve of food processors.

AngelConradie said...

squirrels...??!?
really?
mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahaaaaa...