Did You Know "F" Forcemeat

For the longest time, and well before I developed my passion for the culinary arts, I'm embarassed to admit that I didn't know what forcemeat was, I really didn't have a clue, which brings me to the idea for my blog section "did you know"! 

I don't have culinary school experience behind me, but I do have the experience learning from some masters in the kitchen, my Mother, Mother-in Law, Grandmother and my Auntie Kath, 4 of the greatest cooks I know, I also have a fantastic library of great cook books, and I'm an avid reader; my blog gives me the opportunity to share some of the knowledge I've picked up over the years.

Did you know forcemeat is a mixture of raw or cooked ingredients, chopped or minced (ground), used to stuff eggs, fish, poultry, game, meat, vegetables or pasta, such as ravioli and cannelloni?

Forcemeats are also the basis for several pates, meat pies, terrines, galantines and ballotines, not to mention all the different kinds of sausages.

There are 3 major categories of forcemeat; those made with vegetables; those made with meat, game or poultry; and those made with fish.  In addition, there is a 4th, more minor category of forcemeat, based on egg yolk.

The composition of a forcemeat depends in principle on the food that it is intended to stuff or fill.  The basis for a forcemeat is usually minced meat or fish; the additional ingredients, for example, gherkins, herbs, onion, ham, foie gras, crustless bread soaked in milk or egg whites, give it character and consistency.  Seasoning is also extremely important. 

Most forcemeats made of meat, poultry or game are bound with eggs.  The stuffing for a food that is to be boiled needs to be more strongly seasoned than one for food to be roasted.  However, in the latter case, the stuffing must contain sufficient fat to prevent the food from drying out, especially in the case of poultry.

This information taken from 'Larousse Gastronomique Culinary Encyclopedia'

My simple recipe for forcemeat, is using a shrimp forcemeat and eggs.  This is an easy, delicious and quick, appetizer or savory snack.

Photograph by Steve Rienecke

Daisy's Deviled Eggs

1 cup raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled, halved, yolks removed and set aside

2 tbsp mayonnaise (homemade is best)

splash of hot sauce

1/2 tsp fine Sea Salt 

1/2 tsp white pepper

Cayenne pepper 

Cook the shrimp for 1 minute in boiling, salted water, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.

Mash the egg yolks with a fork then press them through a fine sieve into a mixing bowl, and stir in the mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

Pound the shrimp in a mortar to make a paste add the hot sauce, and the egg mix, stir well to combine and then press the mixture through a fine sieve.  Spoon mix into a piping bag.

Pipe the mix into the egg white halves and sprinkle with cayenne pepper.

Enjoy :o)