Canadian Meat Helmets
An Arctic take on an eastern European classic, these use caribou and moose instead of the traditional beef.
Ingredients
1 whole caribou
1 whole moose, antlers removed
5 lbs white onions, finely chopped
2 lbs celery, finely chopped
18.5 oz tomato paste
1 bay leaf
16 oz honey
3 day old baguettes
1 finely shaped, clean bald head (living and body attached, if possible)
Preparation
Run the caribou and moose through a food processor, wood chipper, or other suitable device until the meat, bones and other gristle are coarsely ground. Watch your hands!
Put meat in a witch’s kettle over a roaring fire. Add in other ingredients and stir furiously with a fir branch until mixture thickens and most liquid has evaporated.
Remove kettle from fire and allow to cool until a hand thrust into mixture does not blister or lose any flesh.
Using great care, mold meat mixture onto lightly greased head. (Eyebrows may need to be shaved to avoid contamination.) Thrust head into smoldering fire, turning regularly to promote even browning.
Helmets are done when fat no longer drips onto shoulders of model when he/she stands.
Remove and place helmets on whole cabbage heads and serve with cornichons and mustard.
Thom