Last weekend I was blessed to collaborate with two truly amazing women, Lucy of Metaphorically Speaking and YIntarini Farm, and Daniella of Danniella Hogarth – Wellness and Energy.
After a great deal of planning we gathered on Yintarini Farm, which sits on Gunaikurnai country, in Gippsland, Victoria, on what was a very brisk Saturday morning. When I left our home we were engulfed in a very thick fog, on arrival at the farm, the sky was clear and blue and the sun was shining down upon us – it was destined to be a beautiful day. Yintarini Farm is the home base for …Metaphorically Speaking…, a counselling and eco-therapy practice where nature is key to improving people’s health and wellbeing.
We had come together to share our collaborative knowledge, with those keen to learn the skills of ethically processing, preparing and cooking meat grown on the farm, the whole paddock to plate experience.
The day began with a welcome, and acknowledgement to country, from our host, Lucy (the farmer), who provided insights into the practices implemented on their farm, primarily permaculture/regenerative farming with an emphasis on “People Care, Earth Care and Fair Share“. Lucy has actually grown the regenerative native plantings for the farm from seed, nurturing and re-potting up the plants until they are ready to be planted into their designated forever space on the farm. She is amazing, inspirational, and she is such a generous host, along with her husband Wayne proudly providing her with encouragement and support.
As the morning got under way, Lucy handed over to Daniella (the huntress). Daniella is a beatuiful soul, a wellness consultant, author, healer, and creator of a range organic health products, and founder of her own Wellness Consulting business, but that’s not all! Daniella is also a student of traditional and practical skills surrounding the dispatch and processing of a variety of farm and wild animals, with minimal waste, and this was the hat that she was wearing on this day.
With everyone’s full attention, Daniella carefully explained, and conscientiously demonstrated, the process of home butchering a farm-raised bird. She took the time to make sure that everyone observing was aware of how confrontational the process could be, and ensured that everyone was aware and comfortable with what was coming next. The bird, a rooster that had been beautifully raised on Yintarini Farm, was introduced, and treated with love, compassion and respect as Daniella prepared it for what was to come. I choose not to go into all of the details of the process, but with many participating and learning, the end result was a beautifully dressed bird and a dish of rooster offal ready for Lucy to prepare in her kitchen after it had rested in her refrigerator for a day or two.
At this stage everyone was in need of a break, so it was time for me (the cook) to step in… Toward the end of the process, I had slipped into the kitchen and quickly prepared a gluten free scone dough. No, we weren’t going to have Devonshire tea! I wanted to introduce, or re-introduce people to a delicious treat that our family have enjoyed all our lives, and that is puftaloons! Don’t you love the name? Quite simply it is damper or a scone dough, fried in lamb dripping, in a cast iron pan over the camp fire, and in our family puftaloons are always served with a good drizzle of golden syrup, though we were also treated to some of Lucy’s delicious blackberry jam as well – what a treat. The billy was boiled, cups were filled, the conversation flowed and the sun was warming.
Refreshed and ready, it was time for everyone to cook! I spent a little time explaining the meal that everyone was about to prepare, incorporating game and cockerel into the menu. Providing examples of the various ways that I had used cockerel in my home kitchen.
Breaking up into pairs, with each taking ownership of a part of the menu, the group scattered and set up both indoors and out, with both the indoor stove and the outdoor campfire being put to good use.
Of course, as the day, and the cooking, progressed, breaks were taken to enjoy the food being prepared.
The Charcuterie Board
Made up of homecured meats prepared in my home kitchen, with
some finished off on the edge of the campfire. There was also a large bowl of dressed salad leaves to provide a little freshness from all of this richness!
mains
The main course was just four dishes. Coq au Vin starring cockerel, Lapin en Paquets, starring rabbit, Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Campfire Chat Potatoes with Lamb Dripping and Saltbush.
Of course we could not forget…
dessert
You may have noticed a distinctly French theme, seasoned with a little
Aussie flavour… The French continued into dessert, a little. I had thought of doing a campfire cobbler, but resorted to a standard oven cobbler. The French influence being that the fruit was prepared as for a Tarte Tatin – delicious!
Caramelised Apple Cobbler with Gippsland Jersey Sour Cream
Rillettes de lapin (Rabbit Rillettes)
So, well sated, not only with food, but with knowledge and inspiration for the entire paddock to plate experience, belongings, including a goody bag with a recipe booklet of all recipes prepared on the day, and a small container of Rillettes de Lapin (a course paste of rabbit) to be spread on crostini or toast, were gathered, and it was time for everyone to head home.
If you begin looking for traditional coq au vin recipes, you may just become a little frustrated! Every region in France tends to have their own version. My best tip is to not use a gutsy red such as cab sav, but a lighter, fruitier pinot noir, or at a push, a shiraz.
Note that you will need to start this dish the night before, or at a pinch first thing in the morning for an evening meal...
- Bouquet garni (1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme, 1 sprig rosemary, 1 piece of celery and 8 sprigs parsley all tied up in a layer of leek)
- 1 cockerel or rooster (approx 1.7 kg), cut into 10 serving pieces
- 1 bottle of pinot noir or red Burgundy, such as Chambertin
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 6 tbsp plain flour, or gluten free flour blend
- 1 slice streaky bacon, about 100 g
- 24 button (little) mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 60 g butter
- 24 shallots, peeled
- 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 4 pinches of freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Croutons/crostini or
- Vegetables of choice
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Lay the herbs for the bouquet garni inside the leek and tie, securely with kitchen twine.
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Place the cockerel pieces and bouquet garni into a large non-reactive bowl and add the wine, moving the pieces of cockerel around to make sure that everything is submerged. Marinate overnight
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The next day, remove the chicken from the marinade and pat the cockerel dry with paper towel. Set the marinade and bouquet garni aside.
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Season the cockerel with salt and pepper. Spread the flour on a plate and roll the cockerel pieces in the flour, shaking off any excess.
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Remove the rind from the bacon and discard. Cut the bacon into thin matchsticks
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Clean the mushrooms with paper towel, and leave whole.
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Heat the oil in a 4-6 litre pot, add the butter and then the onions, bacon and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove and set aside.
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In the same pot, brown the cockerel pieces on all sides for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cognac and CAREFULLY ignite, shaking the pot gently until flames subside.
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Pour in the wine and stir in the bouquet garni, garlic, salt, pepper, nutmeg and sugar. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring from time to time.
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Add the mushroom mixture and cook for 30 minutes longer.
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Remove the cooked cockerel pieces from the pot and arrange on a serving platter. Remove the bouquet garni and discard.
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Boil the sauce over high heat for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Pour over the cockerel and serve immediately, accompanied by croutons or vegetables of choice.
- A cockerel is a male chicken that is less than twelve months old, a rooster, or coq, is a male chicken that is more than twelve months old.
- I find that potatoes and Brussels sprouts or green beans go perfectly with this dish.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend link
Note that the photos shared in this post were not only taken by myself, but also by Lucy, Daniella, and other participants on the day.
Until next time,
Follow your dreams, pursue your passions, share your knowledge, and…
Bon appétit!
Links:
- Confit Duck
- Coq au Vin
- Danniella Hogarth – Wellness and Energy
- Gluten Free Scones (AKA puftaloons)
- LIght Rye-Style Gluten Free Sourdough
- Metaphorically Speaking
- YIntarini Farm
If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.
