Democracy Project: Democracy Project
The Left created a new verb, swiftboating, to represent false political charges that are, again a term endlessly repeated in the media, unsubstantiated in reference to the case presented by the Swift Boat Veterans For Truth against John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign.
The Swift Boat veterans presented much corroborated evidence and witness reports, and other researchers confirmed many elements. Largely due to the unwillingness of John Kerry to come clean about his record, however, there are elements that have not been firmly tied down. The major media, then till now, have mostly failed to investigate the charges or press Kerry for his claims or records, and some major venues collaborated with Kerry to squelch the charges.
So, that works to leave those still defending John Kerrys record with leeway and ink to quibble or to besmirch the Swift Boat veterans. But, Kerry dares not to reveal his full records or go into court. Instead, he relies upon allies in the media to evade, obfuscate and to smear.
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Cajun Duck and Mushroom Stew1 (4 to 5-pound) duck, rinsed well and patted dry, excess fat removed
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 pounds wild mushrooms (chanterelle, wood ear, shiitake, oyster), cleaned, stemmed and diced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped green, red and/or yellow bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 (12-ounce) bottle Abita Turbo Dog, or other stout beer
6 cups chicken stock
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
4 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Steamed long or medium-grain white rice, accompaniment
1 cup chopped green onions, green tops only, for garnish
1/2 cup chopped parsley, for garnish
Using a sharp boning or butcher's knife, cut along either side of the backbone, remove and discard. Cut the duck in half through the breastbone. Cut the legs from each half. Remove the first 2 digits of the wings. Set the legs aside and cut the breasts in half horizontally.
Season the duck with 1 teaspoon of salt and the black pepper.
Place a large Dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Place the seasoned duck, skin-side down, in the pan and sear until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes per side. Remove from the pan.
To the fat remaining in the pan, add the vegetable oil. Stir in the flour. Using a heavy wooden spoon, stir the roux constantly over medium heat until it reaches the color of dark chocolate, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the mushrooms, onions, celery, peppers and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the beer and stir to incorporate. Add the stock, thyme, bay leaves, Essence, cayenne pepper and the remaining 3 teaspoons of salt. Stir well to blend. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and return the seared duck pieces to the pot. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. With tongs, carefully transfer the duck pieces to a platter to cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and discard. Remove the meat from the bones and return to the gumbo. Discard the bay leaves. To serve, ladle into large soup bowls and top each portion with about 1/4 cup of hot rice. Garnish with the green onions and chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
