The Poultry Keeper

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1430 Location: Leicestershire

On this episode of "New Tricks" and old man (Richard Briers) sucessfully killed his 2 wives by feeding them beef tea, made from the livers of ageing dogs, which had been found mutilated in the area. According to the episode, old dogs livers have an accumulation of vitamin A which is poisonous in large quantities, but undetectable. So of course I was naturally concerned by this as you don't know the age of a road kill, but my doctor friend says the amounts needed would be huge and not to worry about it. I will make it one day - but roadkills tend to have traumatised livers which are unusable (as huge blood clots form in the liver it tends to break the tissue down) I've got 2 so far. I need a gamekeeper really and go out with him when he's shooting.

I've got several people want to try it when I make it Laughing

Itsybitsy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2209 Location: North Cornwall

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7324 Location: isle of lewis

i've just found a reciepe for one Very Happy

is it this sort of thing ,from here in my scots cookbook ,it's called carrageen or sea moss jelly
gather the weed on the rocks
wash salt and sand well out of it ,spread it on rocks or window sill to dry and leave it there for several days to bleach and dry.
when dry put into bags hang these somewhere dry when required allow a heaped tablespoon to each quart of milk and put in a saucepan
let it simmer till milk begins to thicken ,pour into a bowl and allow it to cool and set
another method they give is to pour boiling milk over the carrageen and let it stand for 2 hours somewhere were it will keep hot without coming to the boil , an egg beaten to a froth is add ,do not let it come to the boil .carrageen thus made ,and served with cream makes a wholesome dessert
it also says that you can add the juice of 2 oranges to it and old manse reciepe gives a stick of cinnamon a bit of lemon peel and a lump of sugar
it also says that carrageen contians iodine and sulphur and is used for chest troubles
there are loads of seaweed reciepes in it Cool

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2209 Location: North Cornwall

Thanks suz thats it , carrageen Very Happy

Ive been trying to think of it for days. Listereen kept coming to mind Very Happy

I thought it was from the west coast of Scotland or perhaps Ireland.

Perhaps one day when you've got time, give it a try if you have the right sort of seaweed near you Wink

Im sure the kids will love it and want it puke_r

all the time

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1430 Location: Leicestershire

I couldn't have helped you if I'd read it in time - coming from the land locked county of Leicestershire, there's not much call for recipes using seaweed Laughing

I could do you something else for a starter if you don't fancy the fox liver, how about dates, wrapped in bacon and held together with a cocktail stick, bake in oven till the bacon is cooked & then spoon over creme fraiche or nat yoghurt with a generous amount of wholegrain mustard stirred in, put back in oven for about 10 more mins. . . . to die for. . blob1

Itsybitsy

Lisa · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject:

Silly question from a townie, but how does one (legally) acquire a canada goose, or enough squirrels for a dinner party...

Serious question, 'cause there's loads of both out and about round here Twisted Evil

though sadly not in our garden which I suspect makes things a tad more tricky Confused

...

CP · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:42 pm Post subject:

First, get your 12-bore........! Shocked

Lisa · Posted: Sun Oct 22, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

Damn, I suspected the answer might be something along those lines... Wink

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2209 Location: North Cornwall

Do you know any farmers. At this time of year Canada's fly in in big flocks and land on the fields. The farmer or someone with permission will shoot lots of them over the winter.

We don't see as many down here as we did in Cambridgeshire but I have two on my lake that are quite tame now. Sometimes a dozen or so will fly in and stay a while then fly off Very Happy

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1430 Location: Leicestershire

My squirrels have mostly been road kills although somebody did shoot me one once. I remember seeing one in the road so I reversed and opened my door and picked it up by the tail and then chucked it across into the passenger side well, a couple of minutes later I looked down at it and wondered "why is it clinging to the seat". . . it had just been knocked unconsious, so when I stopped I picked it up to see if it was injured, with a view to letting it go if it wasn't . . . .it didn't half bite my finger and I had a hell of a job to prize it off, so it kinda sealed it's own fate Confused

Itsybitsy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2209 Location: North Cornwall

Itsybitsy · Joined: 11 Feb 2006 Posts: 1430 Location: Leicestershire

Well he won't be the first to have said it about me. . . as you may have realised I like to have a go at most things (- especially if they don't cost much)

By the way you really inspired me with your photo of the oven ready bantam & I had 2 boys about ready, so I did the deed yesterday and I now have one beautiful plucked & dressed cockerel sitting in the fridge waiting to be cooked (and one in the freezer). The last few times I've just skinned and jointed, but they have been older birds, so thanks for that. Very Happy

Itsybitsy

Spana · Joined: 30 Apr 2005 Posts: 2209 Location: North Cornwall

mojo · Posted: Mon Oct 23, 2006 8:42 pm Post subject:

by far the easier way

Old Man of the 80's · Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 308 Location: Wittering, UK

Itsy, I've got a muntjack liver in the freezer if you might be interested. Got a pigs liver as well. Any good pate suggestions that might combine the both?

Squirrel (grey) are classed as vermin and, with the permission of the land-owner, can be shot with anything at any time of the year.

Canada geese, I believe, are now also on the vermin list but they are about the only vermin tat are constrained by season. I will have to check this one up befoe you head down to the park with a shotgun!