(Blue Cheese Stuffed) Bratwurst Stuffed Cornish Game Hen

Abandoned Edibles
tomatoes, fingerling potatoes, french baguette
(additional ingredients: blue cheese stuffed bratwurst (a birthday present from Al and Al, mahalo!), prosciutto, cornish game hen, carrots, mozzarella cheese, butter, olive oil, peppercorns, onion flakes, flour, candied ginger, sugar, thyme, chicken broth, spices, etc.)

What I did: this meal was INSANE! Okay, so first I brined the hens for about two hours in a simple brine mixture of salt, peppercorns, candied ginger, and sugar. Then I cut up the baguette into smaller pieces, so I could stuff the hen with it. I crumbled and cooked the blue cheese stuffed bratwurst. When the hens were done soaking, I patted them dry, rubbed them down with a butter/olive oil/spice mixture, stuffed them with the bratwurst and baguette, and wrapped them with prosciutto--into the oven they went! For the potatoes, I roasted them with carrot curls, olive oil, thyme, and spices. I also made tomato and mozzarella stacks, broiled them in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese, and seasoned them with salt and pepper. And lastly, I made a gravy using chicken broth, butter, flour, and onion flakes.



The Verdict
I'm usually not one to toot my own horn, but god DAMN this was amazing! Somewhat labor intensive, sure--but it was worth it. The hen was absolutely delicious, so moist, and the flavors were complex, thanks to the bratwurst and prosciutto. I literally licked my plate clean. Also, as an aside, can I just say--I loved the carrot curls! Kind of like carrot 'noodles' I suppose, but I think they really added to the presentation. Overall, an excellent meal.

Taste: 10
Creativity: 9
Appearance: 10

Improvements for next time: honestly, I can't think of any! This may be the best meal I have EVER cooked, no joke. Hurrah for me!

Salmon Sausage Alfredo

Abandoned Edibles
onion, salmon sausage, parmesan cheese
(additional ingredients: fettuccine, garlic, cream, lemon juice, butter, milk, dill, lemon pepper, spices, etc.)

What I did: I had been sitting on this package of salmon sausage for a few weeks, but when I found a container of parmesan cheese in the cull bin, I knew that the time had come: it was time to make a weird, freaky dish. I had heard from some of my co-workers that this particular product had some serious structural flaws--bizarre texture, crumbling of the sausage formation, etc.--so I thought it would be best to cut up the 'sausage' into smaller pieces and use it in a pasta dish. I sauteed onions and garlic, added the salmon sausage, lemon pepper and lemon juice, and made a simple alfredo sauce using butter, cream, and the entire container of parmesan. I combined the two together, tossed it with fettuccine, and garnished with a bit of dill. Voila: salmon sausage alfredo!



The Verdict
Naaaaasty. Nasty! Salmon sausage? Nasty, nasty, NASTY! My co-workers were right: the texture of this product is BIZARRE, and totally ruined the dish. The taste was okay, but the salmon sausage was grainy, gritty, and yet somehow mushy at the same time. Sure, the finished product looked great (and the alfredo sauce was excellent, if I do say so myself) but I will never use this product again in any of my cooking. Bah humbug!

Taste: 4
Creativity: 7
Appearance: 9

Improvements for next time: leave the salmon sausage in the cull bin, cousin! That shit ain't cool.