Greenmarket Sausage Week 2011: From the Whole Hog to the Comfort of Cassoulet

Greenmarket Sausage Week 2011 at Jimmy’s began with a bang (or at least some bangers) and concluded with competitive casseroles (of the French variety), bringing together food lovers of all varieties looking for a break from the wicked winter weather.



Our friends from The Piggery loaded up half a hog and did an incredible carving demonstration on January 16. Brad showed us his cool cutlery skills while Heather hung around the bar, making everyone feel like they had just come ‘round to lunch with a beloved sister. The fun started with a great spread of spicy sausages, mixed greens, charcuterie, smoked ham with beans, grilled chicken, and other seasonal fare whipped up by the great 43 chefs. Then Brad did a nearly two-hour long slicing and dicing demo, carefully explaining how all parts of the pig are turned into edible cuts and extras (we learned where the lard comes from). If you missed the show, Working Class Foodies did a brilliant video of last spring’s butchering demo, which you can check out to see a similar demonstration.

Thanks to The Piggery, which is one of four CSAs currently using Jimmy’s No. 43 as a distribution point in Manhattan, we had plenty of great pork dishes on the menu all week long.

Saturday, January 22, was the culminating event for Greenmarket Sausage week: Jimmy’s No. 43’s 3rd Annual Cassoulet Cookoff! At the end of stuffing ourselves, the people’s choice awards went to:
• Emma Feigenbaum and Cody Williams of Martha Stewart Test Kitchen (1st prize)
• Andrew Gottlieb, Mr. Food (2nd prize)
• Simon Glenn, aka Tchoup Shop (New Orleans Caterer – 3rd prize)
There were a great variety of entries judged by Cathy Erway, Ed Yowell, Matt Timms and Rachel Wharton. Donna Gelb was our recipe tester. The judges’ choice awards went to:
• Andrew Gottlieb (1st prize)
• Simon Glenn (runner-up)
• Raiza Costa of Brazil (Honorable Mention)
• Emma Feigenbaum and Cody Williams (Honorable Mention)



Huge thanks go out to Heritage USA, Microplane, Anolon Gourmet Cookware,and Wusthoff, the great companies that donated this year’s prizes.

3rd Annual Cassoulet Cookoff

Via http://www.ediblemanhattan.com/20101222/jimmy-no-43s-3rd-annual-greenmarket-cassoulet-cookoff/

Start:
January 22, 2011 1:00 pm
End:
January 22, 2011 4:00 pm
Cost:
20.00
Venue:
Jimmy's No. 43
Phone:
212-982-3006
Address:
43 E. 7th Street, New York, NY, United States, 10003
Amateur and professional chefs join forces for the Greenmarket Cassoulet Cookoff! The event benefits Greenmarket, so all entries must feature ingredients from local farms such as Violet Hill Farm, Flying Pigs Farm, or 3 Corner Field Farm, to name a few. Tickets are $20 and available at the door only; all proceeds will be donated to Greenmarket. Think your cassoulet stands a winning chance? Send Jimmy an email at foodkarma@gmail.com to register.

Cassoulet Wrap-Up and a Recipe!

Food writer and friend, Cathy Erway posted a great recap of the Cassoulet Cook Off on Not Eating Out in New York. She was also kind enough to include her Moroccan inspired cassoulet recipe!

Just before the Cook Off, I received an email:

"i am french and from the south so i know cassoulet and i was wondering if you are doing this only this week end and if it's possible to enjoy it only during the special event ???? i mean is it possible to eat your cassoulet saturday night for example ???"

Well, my French is rusty, but...

Bien sur, mon ami! Il y a cassoulet à la carte pendant l'hiver a Jimmy's No. 43. Bon Appétit!

I hope that answers your question!

Cassoulet, Cassoulet, HOORAY!

This year's Cassoulet Cook Off was a blast. Greenmarket supporters and cassoulet lovers responded to the foodie buzz and came out on Saturday to taste and taste and taste again. Cathy Erway was there, as was Metromix's Kelly Neal. The big news of the day, however, is that Theo Peck of The Food Experiments (also known as "Mr. Cook Off) won the Judges' award. Nick Suarez, another cook off favorite and Peck's partner-in-crime at The Food Experiments, walked away with a more than respectable second place. The People's Choice award went to Emma Feigenbaum and Sandy Gluck. For a fun read and cassoulet wrap up, check out Theo Peck's blog Carnivore Hearts Herbavore. Congratulations Cassoulet Kings and Queens!

Cassoulet Cook Off- Saturday, January 16 from 1:00- 5:00 PM

In the dead of winter, there is little that is more comforting than cassoulet. Beans and sausages are the backbone of this hearty meal, but the rest is subject only to the chef's imagination! Duck, goose, pork, tomatoes, carrots...if you have some cassoulet, you know you are being well fed.

Last year, Ed Yowell (Slow Food and Greenmarket board member) suggested the Cassoulet Cook Off. One thing that most of the Greenmarket farmers (who raise meat) have in common is that they make (or have made) sausages from their animals. There are so many good sausages at the Greenmarket: 3 Corner Field Farm - lamb sausages, merguez, chorizo, Italian; Flying Pigs Farm - pork sausages, includign my favorite chorizo; Catskill Merino - lamb sausage, inlcuding an interesting spiced sausage; and pork sausages from Tamarack Hollow and Ted Blew. That's just at Union Square! There are many more!

The Cassoulet Cook Off is a benefit for the Greenmarket. $20 at the door buys you a sampling of 15 different cassoulets from pro and amateur chefs. Vote for your favorite! There will be drink specials at the bar on small production beers from B. United Importers. For example, a Reissdorf Kolsch and Schlenkerla Helles Lager will be only $5 a glass!

2nd Annual Cassoulet Cook Off

Dear Friends and Cassoulet Lovers,

In January of 2009, Jimmy’s No. 43 hosted its first Cassoulet Cook Off to benefit the Greenmarket in NYC. Cassoulet packed the house that Saturday afternoon, and we aim to do it again in January of 2010 as part of our Greenmarket Sausage Week. We will feature charcroute garni, bangers and mash, of course CASSOULET - all from Greenmarket farmers like Flying Pigs Farm, Violet Hill Farm, Tamarack Hollow, and 3 Corner Field Farm.

On Saturday, January 16, from 1- 5:00 PM, the back room will be filled with a variety of cassoulets created by inventive minds with impeccable palates. Some chefs, some amateurs, all food lovers: Could one of these cassoulets be yours? We are looking for participants for this year’s Cook Off. Here are the criteria:

-All Cassoulets should feature some Greenmarket ingredients and food sources should be acknowledged
-Cassoulets will serve 200 x 2 oz tastes.
-Participants should bring their own serving devices. We will have sterno.
- prizes include $100 and $50 cash prize for winners, gift certificates, cooking untensils.
- judges : chef Matt Weingarten and others to come
- contestants: Nick Suarez, Theodore Peck... you???

Anyone interested in participating should contact Jimmy Carbone at 212 982 3006 or by email at jimmypotsandpans@earthlink.net.

All proceeds from the door will be donated the day of to Greenmarkets of NYC.

Cheers
Jimmy Carbone

Came for Cassoulet, Stayed for Choucroute Garni

Our chef does make a classic cassoulet with flageolet beans and duck confit, but only from time to time. I would order the Choucroute Garni, that features two sausages, a slice of roast pork (all local, farm raised meat), with accoutrements. Then wash it down with a nice pint of Sixpoint Mason's Black Wheat

Love cassoulet? So does this fellow at The Kitchen Files.