New Idea for Latkes

We're looking forward to being entertained by some of our Jewish friends this holiday....if we don't get the invitation, we'll make latkes ourselves.   Stand by....

Regardless of who fries up these stroke-of-genius carb-deliverers, we're pushing for a new frying fat for 2010.   Our Natural Duck Fat is, like all duck fat, higher in the good cholesterol than other fats (a close second to olive oil, according to sources).

Here's a video of how to make latkes.

(Truffle) Butter Up Your Celebration Menus

                                 
I've always found that a Good Meal has 3 components:  people I like to be with, homemade food, and an open-ended schedule. 

A Really Good Meal adds an exceptional menu item, such as a labor-intensive crab soup or tomato sauce I canned myself. 

But an Amazing Meal goes further - a light-hearted spark of genius, a certain je ne sais quoi, a small finishing touch that  brings elegance, charm, and lusciousness to the table.

This is where truffle butter comes in - it's that subtle yet dominating flavor that teases the taste buds. 

Black Truffle butter's earthy flavor adds a finishing touch to wild mushrooms, turkey gravy, mashed potatoes, and gravy.   

White truffle butter's powerful, garlicky notes pick up a charcuterie assortment, toasted bruschetta, and any green vegetable.

Try some simple yet delicious recipes.

Spooning with Roast Beef

Dinner last night could best be described as a Reverse Bacon Wrap.   I had to shop fast (it was 2 minutes to closing) and ended up stabbing in the dark.   The only rosy roast I could find was called Sirloin Spoon Roast.  We all had a good laugh trying to find out where on the cow this cozy cut came from.  A quick trip through the web, some cookbooks, and our laminated beef cut charts left us puzzled.  And Francois (the meat genius of the Transatlantic Foods family) was no where to be found.


Fearing a dry, tough outcome, we doctored up this 3-lb. baby.  We punctured it with slices of garlic, massaged it with Java Gourmet Cajun Bayou Java Rub, then bundled it in strips of Aux Delices des Bois Southwestern Kick Bacon.  When it was done, we had a beautiful, tender roast that, for the cost ($4.29/lb), delivered on flavor and texture.


Thick juicy slices set up the plate, topped with a hefty slab of Aux Delices des Bois Black Truffle Butter.  Out-of-season asparagus and new potatoes were all that was needed.    Oooh, la vache!

Quickie Apple Dessert

Ever watch fresh fruit go slowly to waste before your eyes?   The whole family is blinded to it, it's been sitting there so long.   Apples, especially the ones we get out of enormous wood crates up in the Catskills, don't die so easily.
So here I was in the kitchen with my fabulous (first ever) microwave, distractedly leafing through Barbara Kafka's groundbreaking Microwave Cookbook.  I worked for Barbara as she was beginning the book, and barely anybody even had a microwave.  Imagine.  Funnily enough, a few days after I acquired the microwave, my local library had it in the dollar bin.  (score!).

The Crustless Apple Pie:  In minutes I cored and sliced 4 apples with one of those handy kitchen tools.  Typically I don't peel things when I cook, but do what you like.  I fanned them out on a plate, drizzled diced chestnuts preserved in liqueur (the label was not translated so the nature of the liqueur remains a puzzle), their juice, and some maple syrup.   Nuked it for 10 minutes, then served with homemade granola and yogurt.

Reading the recipe takes longer than preparing it.  Don't want to scare you off!

Forgot the Thanksgiving appetizers?

Ever get behind on cooking on TG?   Nah, I thought not.

We have, despite the fact that we've turned the kitchen into a federally approved disaster zone since Monday.  So, the family is busting in through the back door...no doorbell to give me a cushion.   As they walk in, I look like someone out of "Julie and Julia" (guess which one).  There's stuffing behind the backsplash,  cranberry juice smeared on 3 different potholders, and sweet potatoes cooling on top of the metal trash can. 

What was I thinking, take a shower?  Set the table??  Swab the decks???

The worst is not having munchies ready.  If you've ever taken so long to put out the meal that your friends were telling loud stories, sloshing wine around, and putting on their coats, you know what you need...appetizers!

A plug for our Pig'Nics, which are so easy all you have to do is rip open a bag.  Here's another idea that will make your friends and family feel the effort you put into the meal.  

Spread Aux Delices des Bois Black Truffle Butter or White Truffle Butter on toast.  Garnish with something green, a dot of prosciutto, a slice of radish.   Serve on a doiley-d plate.

When the bacon's gone, it's not really gone

Today's New York Times reports that our Artisanal Herbes de Provence Bacon has an "unusual and very felicitous flavoring".   Yep, that's right!   When the felicitous celebration of savoring each slice is over, most of us want more.   Here's a way to make it last....

Herb-Flecked Croutons

 For Turkey Stuffing, Caesar Salad, Tomato Soup

Save the fat from 1 lb. of cooked Herbes de Provence Bacon.  Heat to sizzling and drop in ½-inch cubes of dry whole wheat baguette.  Lightly brown the croutons on all size, and quickly remove from the pan. 

Tired of the Big Bird

Over the weekend, we handed out samples of our tasty foods at the Pride of New York's Harvest Fest.

What got the most attention?   Duck confit.  The confit process involves slow simmering of duck legs and wings in duck fat.  It's the French equivalent of pulled pork. The meaty legs are terrific as a main course, served southwestern-France style along with Sauteed Potato Tidbits with Garlic, fried in Natural Duck Fat.   Drumettes are duck wings cleverly packaged into drumsticks, then smoked.  They make a great party snack and appetizer salad.

Now, about Thanksgiving.  If you leave the breast meat for others and grab the legs, go for confit instead.  Its flavor and texture are similar to that of a drumstick.  Not ready to abandon the Big Guy?  Serve smoky drumettes as an appetizer or add-on for big groups.

Don't Tread on Me

This weekend, while the woods are still damp with the scent of decaying leaves and a nice cushion underfoot, head for the forest.  Autumn is on the wane, yet wild mushrooms abound.   Arm yourself with good walking shoes and a sharp eye.  This video, presented by the Connecticut Massachusetts Mycological Association (COMA), is produced by weekend foragers. You'll see what to look out for, how to tell if wildlife has gotten there first, and how to get wild mushrooms into the kitchen.

 

"The kind of COMA you want to be in." 

 

If you're in Albany this weekend, stop by the Pride of NY Harvest Festival to taste NY wines, beers and specialty foods.

Borrowed Chestnut Recipe

From yesterday's NY Times Dining Section:

"For the luscious stewed chestnuts with ricotta that Ms. Hamilton serves for Prune’s Thanksgiving, for instance, she does not set a prep cook to peeling chestnuts for hours and hours. Neither should you. Online sources for peeled chestnuts abound, and the small amount of time it takes to search them out outweighs the grim business of peeling them yourself. " Recipe. Chef's Tips for the Thanksgiving Meal, by Sam Sifton

Thanksgiving/Christmas is the biggest season of the year for chestnuts. You'll find them in many styles: shell-on (often American); frozen; canned and cooked. Think Organic, too!

Click here to buy Organic, French, Ready-to-eat chestnuts. Ours are cooked in their own juices in the sealed bag. How's that for max flavor?

Little known fact answer (from tweet):   Black Winter Truffles grow on the roots of chestnut trees.

Amy Farges

WHAT’S ALL THIS TALK ABOUT LAME DUCK FAT?

(or maybe Fat Lame Ducks?)

When the pail of duck fat fell out of the freezer and nearly broke my foot, I understood:

If you don’t use your duck fat stash, it will render you lame.

That's my attempt at humor for the day. Now for the good news: Duck Fat is higher in monounsaturated fats than most cooking fats. It certainly beats out butter, and comes close to olive oil. Its mono-unsaturated oleic acid fights cholesterol and support anti-cancer agents in the body. Check out the research, and if you like what you see, we’ve got some recipe suggestions below.

Golden burnish …hints of rich duck flavor…great for high-heat frying...flaky pastries

Potatoes Your Way Simply the best. Fries, diced & panfried w/ garlic, hash, pouch.

Golden Brioche Grilled Cheese and Apple Heat duck fat to very hot, drop in your sandwich. Flip and repeat.

Confit Duck confit, bien sur, but how about other foods? Shiitake, rabbit, gerbil?

Homemade Tortilla Chips No brainer. Cut fresh tortillas in wedges, toss w/room temp fat & sea salt. Bake.

Shredded Duck Confit and Fig Jam Handrolls Spread fig jam on wraps or wonton wrappers, add confit and mache. Roll.

Vegetables & Meat Begin any sauté or sear with duck fat without worrying about burning.

Two Eggs Over Easy Sunnyside up for 1 flavor hit, over easy for 2.

Do-ahead luxury soup with a little flatwork on the side

Sitting here in my overheated NYC apartment, watching the woman across the the way, 1 floor below. All I can see are her hands, an iron, and an embroidered pillowcase. Oh, correction, it's a tablecloth. Which reminds me of Thanksgiving, and our wrinkled linen tablecloth, passed down from Thierry's mom.

Maybe this woman could iron our linens, too?

Let's talk menus. The chestnuts we bring in from the the Dordogne - are the best. Here's why we sell them (they aren't our usual type of product):
1) they are vac-packed 2) organic 3) whole 4) selected, not just processed 5) not in brine 5) delicious out of hand 6) shelf stable 7) great with mushrooms

If that's not enough, try this do-ahead holiday recipe. It is creamy velouté with a surprise of diced garnishes. Maybe some tiny cubed potatoes, bacon...oh my god, now she's doing sheets. I want this woman in my house! Maybe I could accidentally drop an air conditioner in the shaft to get her attention?

AUX DELICES DES BOIS CEPE (PORCINI) AND CHESTNUT SOUP

At once heartily gutsy and richly elegant, this thick, nutty soup offers the home chef creativity with garnishes. Here we use diced chestnuts and cépes. Other garnish ideas are cooked Aux Délices des Bois Herbes de Provence Artisanal Bacon, foie gras, Brussels sprouts, and dried prunes. A splash of Armagnac is always welcome.

Serves 8

1 lb. vacuum packed, ready to eat chestnuts

1/2 lb. fresh cépes OR 2 oz dried and reconstituted cépes OR 2 frozen cepes

1/2 c. diced leek or onion

1 T. minced garlic

Aux Délices des Bois Natural Duck Fat* or butter

½ lb. other fresh mushrooms, such as chanterelle or shiitake, sliced

Sea salt and pepper

8 c. chicken stock and any soaking liquid

1/3 c. heavy or light cream

2 T. chopped fresh chives or other herbs

2 T. Aux Délices des Bois Black Truffle Butter** (optional)

1. Finely dice 6 chestnuts. Set aside for garnish. Dice cépe stems. Slice cépe caps.

2. In a small skillet, sauté cépe stems in 1 T. duck fat until lightly browned. Set this garnish aside.

3. In a heavy pot, sauté onion and garlic in 2 T. duck fat. Add sliced cépes along with other mushrooms. Season with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Sauté until mushrooms are lightly browned.

3. Add the whole chestnuts and stir to coat. Pour in chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Simmer until chestnuts are tender, skimming occasionally, about ½ hour.

4. Purée the soup in batches and return to the pot. Stir in the cream, warm slightly, and adjust seasoning. Divide the diced garnishes among 8 soup plates. Ladle the soup into the plates. Sprinkle with herbs. Float a knob of black truffle butter, if desired, on top.

*sofi Silver Finalist, NASFT 2010

** sofi Gold, best new product 2008

© Amy Farges, The Mushroom Lover’s Mushroom Cookbook and Primer, (Workman 2001)

Time to forumlate Thanksgiving Menus

COOKING & BAKING with CHESTNUTS

Not sure how to use this organic, nutritious and adaptable ingredient? Here are some ways to get started.

Soups - Creamy veloutes and bisques with celery, apples, bacon, and/or wild mushrooms.

Dips/sauces - Substitute for chickpeas in a hummus-style dip. Pair with spinach or kale.

Vegetables - Make a fricassee with brussel sprouts and pancetta. Stuff a mini-pumpkin with chestnut/cepe custard.

Poultry - Combine with cranberries, prunes, bacon for stuffings.

Pork - Braise with chestnuts, apples, greens.

For more about ready-to-eat whole chestnuts, click here.

WILD MUSHROOM TART WITH POPPYSEED CRUST

The Mushroom Lover's Mushroom Cookbook and Primer, Workman 2000

The allure of this tart begins with its thin, crisp, poppy-studded crust. Add to that an aromatic layer of mushroom duxelles, topped with nicely browned mushroom slices. Served warm, its woodsy aroma beckons an invitation to taste. We make it in a rectangular shape for a nice presentation and nicely shaped serving portions.

Makes 6 first course servings, or about 36 hors d’oeuvre portions

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons poppy seeds

1 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 slices and chilled

6 to 7 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

1 recipe Creamy Duxelles

1/2 cup Light Chicken Stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

8 ounces small, firm mushrooms with tender stems, such as button, crimini, or porcini, sliced 1/4 inch

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

1 egg, beaten with a few drops water until smooth

Creme Fraiche or sour cream, if desired

1. Make the crust: Stir the flour, poppy seeds and salt in a medium mixing bowl until blended. Toss the butter in the flour mixture and quickly rub the butter and flour between your fingertips until the butter is the size and shape of corn flakes. Sprinkle enough of the ice water over the flour mixture, tossing constantly with a fork, to form a dough that holds together when pressed lightly. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead it quickly and lightly just a few times to form an evenly-textured dough. Wrap the dough in a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate it at least 30 minutes or up to one day.

2. Make the duxelles.

3. Heat the chicken stock and butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook the mushrooms 3 minutes. Strain the mushrooms and reserve the juice. Return the strained mushroom liquid to the skillet and add the tarragon. Heat to boiling and boil until the liquid is reduced to about 3 tablespoons.

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 13- x 9-inch rectangle the dough will be between 1/8 and 1/4 inch thick. Trim the dough to a neat rectangle then cut a 1/2-inch strip from each of the four sides, starting with the shorter sides. Brush the dough rectangle with the beaten egg. Arrange the two long strips of dough along the edges of the longer sides of the rectangle, forming a pastry border. Arrange the two shorter strips of dough along the shorter edges of the dough. They will overlap the longer strips. Trim off any overhanging dough and brush the pastry strips with the beaten egg.

6. Smooth the duxelles into an even layer within the pastry border. Arrange the cooked mushroom slices side by side in rows to completely cover the duxelles. It is fine if the mushrooms slices do not completely cover the duxelles. Brush the mushroom slices with about half the reduced cooking liquid.

6. Bake the tart until the underside of the crust and the pastry border are evenly golden brown and the sliced mushrooms are browned, about 40 minutes. Remove and cool the tart on the baking sheet about 15 minutes. Transfer the tart to a cutting board and cut into 6 crosswise slices for a first course serving or 1 1/2-inch squares for hors d’oeuvres. Serve each portion with a dollop of creme fraiche, if desired.

Holiday Do-Ahead Cooking for Dinner Parties

Here's a "company dish" recipe you'll flip over because:

-who has lots of time to cook?
-you can prep the night before the party
-all it needs is 20 minutes in the oven, some rice, and a good wine
-ingredients are wholesome and you can vary them to your own taste
-small kitchen? no need to go into survival mode the night of
-make a double batch of veggies and use them over rice the next day
-the aromas and flavors mingle and seduce

Do-Ahead Pouch Cooking: Mediterranean Chicken with Black Trumpet (Serves 2)

Preheat oven to 400F. Soak and drain 3 oz. Dried Black Trumpet mushrooms as directed. In a heavy-bottomed sauté pan, brown 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves in olive oil. They will still be pink in the center. Season to taste. Add the black trumpets, using more oil if necessary. Saute over medium heat until softened, about 6 minutes.

In a small pot, boil 3/4 cup orange juice, zest of 1 orange, ¼ teaspoon saffron, ¼ cup Gewurztraminer or other white wine, and 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce to syrupy consistency, about 1/3 cup. Toss with the black trumpets and ½ cup sliced fresh basil. Season to taste.

Lay out 2 14 x 12-inch sheets of aluminum foil. Crease them in the center along the long side. Mound half the mushroom mixture on one side of each piece. Top with a chicken breast. Loosely fold foil to create a pouch, and close it by rolling up the edges. Place packets on baking sheet and bake 12-18 minutes, depending on how plump your chicken breasts are.

Place packets on dinner plate and have guests open them carefully to avoid steam burns. Inhale the aromas (if you are dieting, you can skip the next step). Dig in.

News from the other side (of midnight)

TRUFFLED BAKED POTATO

What to do when you're working late at night, hungry, and finished off all the cookies in the house hours ago?

I had some baking potatoes and black truffle butter in the fridge last night, so a steaming hot baked truffled potato did its magic. I'd recommend using the oven for this, but nuked potatoes will do in a pinch.

Serves 2

2 Idaho potatoes, washed
2 tablespoons heavy cream
4 tablespoons Aux Delices des Bois Black Truffle Butter
1/4 teaspoon each sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. Prick the potatoes with a fork in a few places. Bake until a fork slips in and out easily, about 35-45 minutes.

3. Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise. Scoop out the flesh, leaving about 1/8-inch of potato attached to the skin. Use a fork to mix the flesh well with the remaining ingredients. Stuff potato back into its skin.

4. Return the 4 potato halves to the oven. Bake until warm throughout, about 7 minutes. Serve hot with Pepper-Blasted Filet Mignons with Ramps and Morels (The Mushroom Lovers Mushroom Cookbook and Primer, Workman 2000).

How-To for Dried Wild Mushrooms

DRIED WILD MUSHROOM PRIMER

If you’ve ever wandered through the woods and caught a noseful of decaying leaves, damp forest dirt, and lingering perfume, there’s a good chance you found wild mushrooms. When harvested rather than trampled, they turn any dish into a feast. If you think you are using wild mushrooms as a side dish, an accent, or a garnish, think again: these dirty little flavor powerhouses intend to take over the plate.

There are so many ways to get these critters involved in your menus. When dried, wild mushrooms’ wildness intensifies. Small and brittle, they bring a toothsome texture to a dish. Soaked in plain ole water, or something more sophisticated (like bourbon or wine), they become the babas of the underworld. Added into a sauté, the soaking liquid reunites the mushroom with its lifeblood. A perfect ingredient, n’est-ce pas?

So many things taste good just because there are mushrooms lurking in them : duxelle-stuffed ravioli, wild mushroom velouté, prepared polenta, pâtés, mousses, hairspray…

About those dried mushrooms...

• Store in a zipper-sealed bag in a dark place.
• Always cook before eating.
• Soak in something warm (water, stock, wine) until they soften up.
• Strain the liquid through a coffee filter and add to recipe.
• Chop dried mushrooms fine for better distribution of flavor.
• Add button or crimini for juicy texture and bite.

Wild Mushroom Bruschetta with Arugula and Prosciutto

Swab 6 thick slices of peasant bread with olive oil or duck fat, sprinkle with sea salt, and grill until slightly browned.

Soak, drain, and chop 3 ounces dried wild mushrooms. Heat olive oil in a small saute pan and cook the mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with sea salt and freshly ground pepper.

Lay 2 leaves of arugula and 2 thin slices prosciutto on each bruschetta. Top with a mound of hot mushrooms and serve.
 
Bon App!
Amy Farges