 |
 |
 |
There's a Chef in My Kitchen Culinary musings of an amateur chef and home to The Virtual Supper Club. |
|
|
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
The Virtual Supper Club: October 2003 Review The Virtual Supper Club: October 2003 Review If you have prepared any of these recipes, please share your review by clicking on the comments box to any of the posts, or the envelope at the bottom of the October Edition. By far, the October Edition is one of the most delightful menus this Supper Club has had. Each course lends itself beautifully to variations and substitutions; each course ranges from simple preparation to advanced technique. Do not let the length of the menu, or the additional steps to the recipes daunt you. This menu is worth preparing! I was in love with this menu from the word go, and, I guess, decided I was going to go for it – all of it. What I gained this month was far beyond a handful of new favorite recipes to add to my growing personal collection. In preparing this menu, I found a new sense of confidence that has eluded me here in central Pennsylvania as an amateur chef. I gained confidence in my markets and the people who operate them: some interested in what I was doing or the dishes that I wanted to prepare, and each investing themselves in my cause. From finding the duck legs for the confit, to a butcher who would chop my turkey wings for the stock I will use in the risotto, to finding a source for the gorgeous (already rendered -- what a bonus!) duck fat for the confit. And, the wine. Even the wine selection gave me the opportunity to navigate through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board’s Special Liquor Order department to find my wine selection. I dove into this menu when I was cooking for a dinner party earlier in the month. I decided to pair an Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin with this month’s salad and dessert, while I continued my search for the duck legs to make the confit and serve with the Risotto. Starting with the Bosc Pear Carpaccio salad: This is a hands-down winner. Each flavor is so distinct, it seems impossible to think that they would come together and compliment, rather than mask, the other flavors. Yet each one worked beautifully with the other. When I served this salad, rather than plating it as suggested, I tossed the pears into the spring mix (substituting local organic lettuce for the microgreens called for in the recipe), then drizzled the aged balsamic vinegar over the mix. I grated the Pecorino Romano cheese on top, and gave it a final toss. I ended up plating each salad, rather than serving it family-style, which was my original intention, and was able to create a presentation somewhat close to what Portale envisions in his recipe. No one was shy about commenting on the mellow combination of robust flavors, and how delicious something so simple could be. The Caramelized Oranges is, in my estimation, the perfect recipe. Easy enough that most anyone can prepare it and its flavor so fresh and sweet. When presented at a table, in low lights and with candles flickering, this dessert is gorgeous. The hardened caramel and caramelized orange zest glistens. Not surprising, the flavors are bold -- fresh and sweet. This is one dessert that could move effortlessly through each season. I would serve it in Spring to welcome the early bright flavors of the season; in Summer to combat the heat of the late day; in Fall to complement the autumn harvest, and in Winter to balance a hearty meal. For me, the best part of this recipe was that it had my dinner guests in the kitchen helping to create part of the meal. While I put the finishing touches on dinner and prepared the caramel for this recipe, my guests, who were kind enough to offer to help, prepared the oranges. Before we sat down for our salad, we were already anxious for our dessert. The rest of the month I literally dedicated to finishing the menu. Finding and ordering the ingredients, and waiting patiently for each to arrive. As soon as I had another piece, I went straight to work. The result is a refrigerator and freezer well stocked with duck confit, spiced butter, and double turkey stock, all waiting for the final preparation of the Butternut Squash Risotto. I will prepare that for dinner this week. Of course, I could have prepared the risotto and served with a roasted chicken instead, but the promise of a rich and succulent confit, and the challenge of finding out just how I could get my hands on what I needed, was too exciting not to meet. After several weeks of talking to butchers in search of duck fat, I found Peggy’s Silver Spoon at my farmer’s market, and a resource for just about any gourmet food, spice or ingredient I might ever need. She ordered the duck fat. Now, all I had to do was find duck legs. I had all but given up on finding just the legs, and finally settled on a lovely Muscovoy duck, deciding to confit the entire duck, not just the legs. Though the recipe calls for only legs – and, of course I would end up with two – I couldn’t imagine the breast meat would be unpalatable if treated the same way. Sure enough, I began the confit, and 24 hours into the marinade process, the call came. The duck legs were in! By the time I had finished the long, slow simmer of the duck in the rendered fat, I could almost taste how delectable this duck is going to be. My kitchen was warmed with the rich aroma of a long slow roast of poultry – not at all like the greasy spoon I feared because of the simmering fat. Before even finishing the process, I already know that duck confit will be a delightful addition to my culinary skills. I called the poultry vendor, and promptly reserved a small order of duck legs, which I have frozen and will use this winter. I am already hungry imagining a hearty winter salad topped with duck confit, or the building a winter’s menu around them for a cold, snowy evening. Te best part of this menu, including the confit, and each of the separate parts of the risotto, is that they each require simple, short steps. That’s all. The confit marinade required no more effort than slicing down some shallots and garlic. Within 15 minutes or so, I had my duck properly arranged in a low flat bowl and marinating. 1 ½ days later, I returned, put it into the rendered fat, where it gently simmered for about 3 ½ hours. The meat came out of the fat and was put back into a low flat bowl, and the cooking fat strained over the duck. It will take less than 15 minutes to finish off in a skillet and then in the oven, while I begin the risotto. Making the stock, too, was a breeze. My butcher cut the turkey wings into chunks for me -- as much as I enjoy wielding a cleaver, there are some kitchen knives I am smart enough to keep out of my kitchen! All I had to do was cook them down in chicken stock – substituting store bought for homemade, adding the chopped vegetables and herbs, and again, let it simmer for about 3 ½ hours. The stock is rich and dark, and I can see (and smell) why Portale recommends making this stock for use in the risotto. I always thought making stock was such a difficult, messy process. But, really, there’s nothing more to it other than a quick chop, and a long slow simmer. And who doesn’t have time to leave a pot simmer on a stove in the evening? To prepare the spiced butter, I followed the same approach. I knew I could prepare it, and then freeze it until I was ready to use it this week. Unable to find the chervil, I did a quick search on the Internet and learned that chervil is a French type of parsley. I substituted flat leaf parsley instead. The roasted garlic puree was easily made one evening: roasting the garlic while I made and ate my dinner, and then mashing it after it had cooled. The spices and herbs were quickly chopped and combined, and stored airtight for freezing. I can’t imagine the risotto could be anything less than sumptuous with such rich and flavorful ingredients already prepared. My wine just arrived last week (substituting the 2001 vintage of the Blackstone Merlot that is available in Pennsylvania for the suggested 2000 vintage). With that, everything is ready for a luscious autumn dinner -- and my friends all anxious to know, when am I making it! Posted November 6th, after completing the menu: I’m talking about the October Edition and the culmination of my month-long preparations… the Double Turkey Stock, which turned out rich with a deep roasted flavor; the Duck Confit, which when it came out of the oven, was exactly like what Portale describes in his cookbook: "a crackling, ultra crisp skin and soft, shredding meat underneath." Of course, I finally got the wine, too. The Duck Confit took no time to finish. The fat melted almost instantly on my stove, still warm from the quick caramelizaton of the butternut squash. In minutes, the skin crisped and off into the oven it went. Then I poured the wine, a little cautious and a lot skeptical since the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board could get only the 2001 vintage of the Blackstone Merlot, and Frogs Leap (the other Merlot the menu suggested) won’t sell to the PLCB. I remember the wonderful reviews for the 2000 Merlot, and knew, relatively speaking, 2001 wasn’t the best of years in California. The Blackstone 2001 Napa Valley Merlot rated between 85 and 89 in Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast, respectively. I am happy to say, though still young, this fruit forward blend of Merlot and Syrah was silky smooth. The color was deep and rich, with black cherry, cinnamon and nutmeg notes. The wine had enough fruit and structure to balance the assertive flavors of the smoked bacon, double turkey stock, spiced butter and the caramelized squash that went into the risotto. When dinner was ready to be served, I began with the Bosc Pear Carpaccio salad, which was as delicious this go 'round as it was earlier in the month. This time, though, I plated it as described. It was elegant and pretty. Its flavors bright and crisp. And, a breeze to prepared while the risotto was cooking. I've made risotto before, but this was a whole new experience. Starting with the smoked bacon and shallots, the whole base for this dish was earthy and mellow. With each addition of the double Turkey Stock, the risotto became more creamy and luscious. When I finished off the dish with the spiced butter, the parsley and then gently incorporated the caramelized squash, I was simply astounded. Each layer remained distinct, and yet no one flavor outplayed the other. It was perfect. To plate the risotto, I placed the Duck Confit in the middle of the dinner plate, and then topped it with the Butternut Squash Risotto. Each bite revealed new flavors and different textures; my mouth – my senses, were wildly happy, and just short of overload. Each bite offered something new, which made this meal a delight. For dessert, I thawed an apple dumpling from my freezer, which I purchased at the National Apple Harvest in early October. The sweet apple flavor was a nice ending to the meal, but I couldn't help remember how delicious and syrupy and sweet the Caramelized Oranges from this menu had been. I just knew it was the perfect dessert for this meal. Without question I will repeat this menu (with 8 duck legs in my freezer, its almost a requirement!). The recipes provide a whole new approach to flavor, and turning something simple into that wonderful... something more. From the simple toss of lettuce greens with oil and lemon juice, to caramelizing squash for rice, risotto, potatoes... really, probably, any starch, to making stock and a duck confit during the week, these recipes are so much more than delicious food. They are tools and styles and platforms that raise any cooking style to a new level. I am still overwhelmed by the success of the meal, and perhaps even at my commitment to create it. Not that it was difficult. No. The individual steps were a breeze; and, the final meal was pulled together in less than an hour. In my all-too-hectic life, though, it seems taking short cuts, or substituting store bought ingredients, is more of a necessity, rather than a cooking style. But, as with everything I’ve learned in the kitchen, once you do it, its never as hard or daunting an undertaking, again. |
