Speck

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I am doing a pantry challenge this week and going to use up my smoked speck in the freezer.

Here is the recipe I am going to use.


Speck and split pea soup

Ingredients (serves 6)

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 large brown onion, finely chopped
* 3 sticks celery, thinly sliced
* 650g piece smoked speck (see note)
* 400g can chopped tomatoes
* 4 cups Campbell's Real Stock Chicken
* 1 cup dried yellow split peas
* 1/4 cup thyme leaves
* crusty bread rolls, to serve

Method

1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes or until tender. Spoon into slow cooker.
2. Remove rind from speck and discard. Cut speck into 2cm pieces and add to vegetables. Add tomatoes, stock, peas and 2 tablespoons thyme to slow cooker. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on HIGH for 3 to 3 1/2 hours or until peas are very tender.
3. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into serving bowls. Sprinkle with remaining thyme and serve with crusty bread rolls.

Notes & tips

You could use a 650g ham bone and 125g diced bacon instead of speck.
You can cook this recipe in a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 150°C and cook, tightly covered, for 4 hours. Alternatively, cook for 3 to 4 hours over a medium-low heat in a saucepan. Check regularly to ensure casserole doesn't stick.
Source

Super Food Ideas - July 2005 , Page 68
Recipe by Dixie Elliott

From: www.taste.com.au/recipes/1069/speck+and+split+pea+soup

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That is an absolutely beautiful soup recipe. You have to be careful with the salt though.

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The above recipe can be modified.

Cook cubed speck (well) add celery (stir fry).

Remove to dish and cook onion in extra olive oil until transparent.

Add speck & celery and 1 1/2 cup peas (Cook well.) Add chopped tomatoes.

Cook till tomatoes disintegrated (high) and stir often.

Add cubes.

Add 4 1/2 cups boiling water then add thyme.

Simmer high for 40 minutes.




Here is another good recipe, especially for a family.

www.taste.com.au/recipes/10347/corn+potato+chowder

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Here is a recipe by the Two Fat Ladies. It seems speck may be the old fashioned salt pork?

www.taste.com.au/recipes/6940/hoppin+john

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"...salt bacon in one piece (also called sometimes green bacon because its not smoked"

From: frenchfood.about.com/od/regionalcuisine/r/choucroutehuber.htm

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"Speck is a pork product that is used in Austrian, Czech, Dutch, German, Italian and Slovak cooking. Speck is made from the hind leg of a pig (the ham) and is similar to prosciutto but is heavily smoked and is usually seasoned and cured for about one month before being eaten. Italian speck is generally served sliced fairly thin and is often used as a replacement for bacon or pancetta.

Speck is commonly found in Italian risotto and carries an extremely strong flavour that is usually combatted with light flavours such as parsley, lemon, mint, etc. The differences between speck and bacon include different time lengths of smoking, the technique of curing it, and the fact that speck cures for a longer period of time than bacon does."

From: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speck

Our speck comes un-sliced.

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"Speck

Speck shares its name with a German pork product, but while German Speck is basically lard (the equivalent to Lardo in Italy), Italian Speck has some similar characteristics to smoked bacon. However unlike American bacon that comes from belly portion of the hog (same as Pancetta), Speck is made from hog legs. Speck originates from the Alto Adige region where it is still a home made process protected by a PGI designation. The meat is seasoned with salt and spices that include pepper, laurel and juniper berries before being allowed to rest for about a month. Speck is then smoked using flavorful beechwood, ash or juniper for ten days. The meat is then aged for months to produce a smoky and slightly spicy product with a distinct pink/red interior with a small amount of fat. Speck is often served sliced thin or diced but can also be used to cook with, easily replacing bacon or as a smoky alternative to Pancetta."

From: www.lifeinitaly.com/food/salumi.asp

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I think the speck we have here is the German one, but will have to think about it.

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Tomato and Lentil Risotto

Really wholesome and comforting recipe, serve with toast. The different textures are really something special.

You need - for 3 as a main course:
6 large handfuls of Arborio or Carnaroli rice
400g of lentils try to boil them yourself because you can then use the water as stock (keep your stock hot if you can)
stock (if you are using canned lentils).
75g speck, panchetta, or smokey bacon chopped.
8 tomatoes chopped and skinned
1 large clove of garlic crushed
half a red onion finely chopped
1 stick of celery finely chopped
red wine vinegar
red wine
rosemary
25g butter
parmesan
salt and pepper
olive oil

Fry the speck, onion, and celery in just a little olive oil as the speck fat will be released into the pan. When done add the rice and stir (see the mushroom risotto recipe for the key to a good risotto).
When the rice has reached the semi translucent stage tip in 1/3of a glass red wine and a couple of tablespoons red wine vinegar. Allow the rice to absorb this, then add a ladle full of the stock. Let the rice take it in. Continue this process for 10 mins. By which time the risotto will be half cooked.

Add the tomatoes and lentils and let the rice soak up the liquid. Continue to add stock little at a time for another 10 mins. It should now be done. Test, if it isn't continue until it is. When done turn off the heat stir in the rosemary, and butter. Top with parmesan and serve. A hearty meal.


From: www.lunched.co.uk/Pasta/lentil_risotto.html

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Good quality speck carbonara:

www.abc.net.au/tv/cookandchef/txt/s1956621.htm


Very interesting minestrone, even with pumpkin.

www.abc.net.au/sydney/stories/s1776338.htm

Link broken. Was looking for it again.

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Polenta con ragu di funghettie mele alla moda dell'alto adige

Serves 4

Degree of difficulty: Low

You need:

100 grams white polenta
1/2 litre water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chopped garlic cloves
100 grams chopped speck or smoked pancetta
3 granny-smith apples
1 cup vegetable stock
1 glass dry white wine
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
400 grams of sliced field mushrooms & dried porcini or chestnut mushrooms if available, or ****ake
Salt to taste

Method:

POLENTA: Bring water to boil, add a tablespoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and vigorously whisk in polenta and continue to whisk for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and stir with a wooden spoon occasionally for approximately 1/2 an hour.

SAUCE: Fry garlic in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, mushrooms, add speck or smoked pancetta, chopped parsley, wine and vegetable stock, grate the apple into the sauce and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.

From: www.abc.net.au/melbourne/stories/s894760.htm

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Pizza with rocket and prosciutto

www.abc.net.au/goldcoast/stories/s991370.htm

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braidedrug said:

Polenta con ragu di funghettie mele alla moda dell'alto adige

Serves 4

Degree of difficulty: Low

You need:

100 grams white polenta
1/2 litre water
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 chopped garlic cloves
100 grams chopped speck or smoked pancetta
3 granny-smith apples
1 cup vegetable stock
1 glass dry white wine
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
400 grams of sliced field mushrooms & dried porcini or chestnut mushrooms if available, or ****ake
Salt to taste

Method:

POLENTA: Bring water to boil, add a tablespoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and vigorously whisk in polenta and continue to whisk for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and stir with a wooden spoon occasionally for approximately 1/2 an hour.

SAUCE: Fry garlic in a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, mushrooms, add speck or smoked pancetta, chopped parsley, wine and vegetable stock, grate the apple into the sauce and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.

From: www.abc.net.au/melbourne/stories/s894760.htm

When I typed this I didn't dream I would have some field mushrooms. There are three medium/large ones sitting on my kitchen table!

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This is one recipe we have used a few times.

Corn & potato chowder

Preparation Time

10 minutes
Cooking Time

30 minutes
Ingredients (serves 4)

* 2 tsp olive oil
* 200g bacon rashers or speck, trimmed, chopped
* 1 brown onion, sliced
* 2 garlic cloves, crushed
* 500g small washed potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3cm chunks
* 1L (4 cups) chicken or vegetable stock
* 1 440g can corn kernels, drained
* 125mls (1/2 cup) thin cream
* Ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the bacon or speck for 3 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Stir in the potatoes and stock and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn and cream and simmer gently, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Season with pepper and serve hot.

Notes & tips

* Microwave tip: Place oil, bacon or speck, onion and garlic in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover loosely with paper towel and cook for 4-5 minutes on High/850watts/100%, stirring twice during cooking. Stir in potatoes and stock and cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes on High/850 watts/100% or until potatoes are tender. Add the corn and cream and cook, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes on Medium/500 watts/50%.

Source

Australian Good Taste - July 1997
Recipe by Suzie Smith


www.taste.com.au/recipes/10347/corn+potato+chowder

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www.sbs.com.au/food/recipeindex/RecipeByIngredientMain/334/1/noperpage/15

aww.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=445557

www.taste.com.au/recipes/13070/jambalaya