Webster defines Metaphor as a figure of speech in which a word or phrase literally denoting one kind of object or idea is used in place of another to suggest a likeliness or analogy between them (as in drowning in money.) I borrowed my title from a 70's song that can still be heard on Friday nights around the world.
Where have all the flowers gone? Seriously, I ask this question in terms of the use of metaphor in music back in the day as opposed to the lack of it now. There were songs such as Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love To Ball" a song that most listeners thought was about dancing but if you listen closely to the background moans, you were sure jump to the correct assertion that the song was really about one woman's insatiable appetite for love making. Or what about Tom Browne's "Thighs High" again to the average listener it was nothing more than a sensual dance song. The Main chorus has the man saying "I want to grip your hips and move", clearly this is nothing more than a couple doing the "Rock"on the dance-floor but now listen to the sweet, raspy voiced vixen moaning "You make me want to put my thighs high in the sky with you!", and there is no denying that this is yet another one that was able to sneak past the censors back in the day. I'm sure you have plenty of others today add yourselves but you get the point for now. Today's music is a sharp contrast to the old formula of "less is more" as it leaves very little to the imagination and almost forces you to change the station or take a mental "shower" after being including in their lewd tales. While I can name more than a few I'll stick to one of the more popular songs over the last year. "Chris Brown & Rihanna's "Birthday Cake", sure the use of the word cake is not only cute but could have remained harmless if it were not followed up by Chris Brown saying "Girl I want to F#$% you right now!" Really, dude? I kinda was figuring that was were you were going with it but damn, where's the finesse? Timing is everything and I'm not so old or square that I can't understand unbridled passion or the heat of the moment but again, when I was coming up that's a line that we drunkenly stammered in her ear as we were on the dance floor, thinking that we were being discreet as the entire club listened in on our not so private moment...
Some say that Chitterlings are an acquired taste undoubtably due to what the actually are, the intestines of a pig. They do have a bit of a funky smell as they are being cleaned and even as they are being cooked but the reward is in the taste once they are done. Be they braised, deep fried, sautéed or boiled , they are truly worth the effort and while some may call them funky I'll simply say that they are easy as Cake and just as tasty...................
20$ In My Pocket
On the menu today: Chit'lins Three Ways! - Southern Maryland Style Braised Chit'lins with Kale and Potato Salad. Deep Fried Wrinkled Steaks With Okra. & Sautéed Chitterlings with Dino Kale and White Bean Cassoulet..
In order to make any of the above recipes we will need to follow the Braising recipe and branch out from there.
For the Southern Maryland Style Braised Chitterlings we will need:
- Chitterlings (20 lbs cleaned)
- Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
- Onion (2 each)
- Bay Leaf (3-7 ea)
- Thyme (1 bunch)
- Oregano (1/2 bunch)
- Garlic (14 cloves)
- Celery (3 stalks)
- Chicken Stock (32 oz)
- Water (enough to cover the Chitterlings)
*For the Potato Salad type "potato salad" in the search box on the top left corner of the blog. Do the same for the Dino Kale.....
It's more expensive but so much easier to buy chitterlings that have been pre-cleaned and require just to be rinsed before actual cooking. Dice the onions and the celery and place in a large pot to brown slightly after adding the olive oil. Next add the herbs and then the water and finally the cleaned chitterlings. Cook on mid-high for an hour and add more water every half hour to hour for a total of 4 hours. In the last hour add the chicken stock allowing the chitterlings to cook until they are tender.
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| Southern Maryland Braised Chitlins |
For the Deep Fried Chitlins we will need:
- Braised / Cooked Chitterlings (4-5 lbs)
- Flour (1/4 cup)
- Corn Starch (1 cup)
- Garlic Powder (1 Tbs)
- Paprika (1 Tbs)
- Season Salt (1 tsp)
- Salt & Pepper (T T)
- Deep Fryer
Start out by preheating your deep fryer to 375 degrees. Take the cook chitterlings and allow them to drain before patting dry with a paper towel. Mix the dry ingredients together and then cut the dried chitterlings into 2 inch strips before tossing in the flour mixture and deep frying until they are golden brown. Allow to cool slightly before serving.
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| Deep Fried Chitlins With Okra & Dijon Dipping Sauce |
For the Dipping Sauce we will need :
- Dijon Mustard (3 Tbs)
- Garlic (1 Tbs)
- Mayonnaise (1 cup)
- Paprika (1 Tbs)
Mince the garlic and then combine them with the other ingredients until fully incorporated.
For the Okra we will need :
- Okra (2 lbs)
- Olive Oil (1 Tbs)
- Chicken Stock (16 oz)
- White Vinegar (1 tsp)
- Salt and Pepper (T T)
- Onions
Start by slicing the onions and then cutting the Okra length-wise. Add the olive oil and then saute the onions and the okra for 3 minutes before adding the chicken stock and covering to cook on mid to low heat for 10-20 minutes or until the okra is tender. Finally add the vinegar and taste before adding the salt and pepper to your liking.
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| Okra |
For the Sauteed Chitterlings we will need the following:
- Braised / Cooked Chitterlings (enough for your amount of servings)
- Garlic (2 Tbs)
- Olive Oil (3 Tbs)
- Oregano (1 Tbs)
- Thyme (2 tsp)
- Shallots (3 each)
- White Wine (1/2 cup)
- Butter (1/4 stick)
Start by drying the chitterling throughly and then slicing the shallots, mincing the garlic and herbs. Add the shallots and garlic to a sauté pan with the oil and cook until slightly browned. Add the chitterlings then the herbs and finally adding the white wine and butter and cooking for 1 minute more.
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| Sauteed Chitterlings |
For the Cassoulet we will need the following:
- Cannellini Beans (16 oz)
- Chicken Stock (16 oz)
- Garlic (5 cloves)
- Oregano (3 stalks)
- Bay Leaf (2 each)
- Ham Hocks (3 each)
- Water (32 oz)
- Salt & Pepper (T T)
In a large sauce pot add the chicken stock to the ham hocks and other ingredients except for the beans and cook for 1 hour on medium heat. Meanwhile, add the beans to large soup pot and cover with water and the other ingredients cooking for an hour on medium high. After an hour add the pot of stock and hocks and cover the beans, allowing to cook until done 1.5 hour to 2.5 hours....
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| White Bean Cassoulet |
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| Deep Fried Wrinkled Steaks |
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| Sautéed Chitterling |
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| Southern Maryland Style Braised Chitlins |
