Made the Provencal special Soupe de Poisson (fish soup) for Christmas Eve last week. All day affair. It was made easier because I was serving Shrimp with it, so I bought shrimp with the heads on--stripped them of their shells early in morning and reserved all body parts shells etc. Put those in a pot with 2 chopped onions, 1 sliced carrot, 1 sliced celery, some left over leek tips and smashed garlic cloves. One bouquet of herbs, salt, pepper, bay leaf. Bring to boil and let simmer for at least an hour--skimming scum off as it goes. I also put in some extra crab meat (fingers) for flavor and white wine. (I imagine that if you do not have shrimp with heads on available, use clam juice [perhaps chicken stock] and make sure to find good fish with heads on them and bones for extra flavor later.)
Meanwhile, ready vegetables for soup. 3 Chopped Onions, 2 sliced carrot, 2 sliced celery, 10-15 cloves garlic (most crushed), 2 leeks, 3 ripe tomatoes or 1 can crushed tomatoes and the fish (I used 3 filet red snapper and a few pieces of speckled trout. As long as you use meaty fish (not too delicate and white) and try to use whole fish to bring out fullest flavor, you'll be fine. Sauteed onions and leeks in pan with oil for 5 minutes, then added the rest of the ingredients. Mixed a little and added the fish stock from earlier. I had to add a little more water and globs of white wine. Salt, pepper, herbs, a pinch of fennel and dash of pastis. Skim scum as it goes and cook for at least hour and half.
Meanwhile make Rouille--the rust. I used some leftover bread (about 1.5 cups), crumbled, soaked in some of fish stock. Food processor till pureed. Added 4 cloves garlic. Puree. Added egg yolk, salt, pepper, and pureed. Then let oil stream in slowly (about 1/4 cup) until right consistency. Then a few threads of saffron and cayenne for a kick. If you like it more red add paprika. It tasted great after sitting in fridge for an hour. You may have to adjust consistency, and if not liquidy enough, add some drops of fish stock.
After soup is finished and tastes flavorful, turn off heat and get strainer ready. I strained the whole soup, reserving the large pieces of fish on the side and about 2/5 the vegetables. I then added 3/4 fish and 2/5 vegetables back to the pot with broth and hand blended it until smooth. This way you have a soup with some pureed fish in it, and the vegetables adds to the flavor. Here you add dash of saffron and might want to adjust flavor--more fennel seed salt pepper etc...
Serve in shallow bowls with day old sliced bread croutons, raw garlic cloves, rouille, and gruyere. Rub crouton with garlic, add rouille, sprinkle on cheese and place in the soup bowl. Enjoy.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Magret de Canard
Duck Breast with Mushroom Sauce and Potatoes
I used two of the best breasts from the ducks I cleaned last week. I defrosted them in the fridge and wrapped them in 4 sprigs of thyme, 4 smashed garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and a douse of Armagnac. After 24 hours and fully defrosted, they were ready.
I made a mushroom sauce to top the duck. Thickly sliced one pack of baby bellas (crimini), placed into hot pan of olive oil and butter, let brown, added half chopped shallot, let cook on medium with salt pepper and thyme sprigs. After a few minutes, added good beef stock, wine and cooked on low for 45 minutes slightly covered.
Meanwhile, sliced red potato quarter inch, doused in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, Placed on baking sheet and cooked in oven at 375 for 45 min - 1 hour.
I paper towel dried duck breasts, brushed off spices. Reserved garlic for skillet.
Heated skillet in tbls duck fat and garlic--Seared breast in hot duck fat--fat side down until crispy brown, then other side until brown. Reduced heat to medium low--added tsp armagnac and let cook covered until medium rare.
Served duck sliced with mushroom sauce and potatoes on the side. Nice meal.
I used two of the best breasts from the ducks I cleaned last week. I defrosted them in the fridge and wrapped them in 4 sprigs of thyme, 4 smashed garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and a douse of Armagnac. After 24 hours and fully defrosted, they were ready.
I made a mushroom sauce to top the duck. Thickly sliced one pack of baby bellas (crimini), placed into hot pan of olive oil and butter, let brown, added half chopped shallot, let cook on medium with salt pepper and thyme sprigs. After a few minutes, added good beef stock, wine and cooked on low for 45 minutes slightly covered.
Meanwhile, sliced red potato quarter inch, doused in olive oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, Placed on baking sheet and cooked in oven at 375 for 45 min - 1 hour.
I paper towel dried duck breasts, brushed off spices. Reserved garlic for skillet.
Heated skillet in tbls duck fat and garlic--Seared breast in hot duck fat--fat side down until crispy brown, then other side until brown. Reduced heat to medium low--added tsp armagnac and let cook covered until medium rare.
Served duck sliced with mushroom sauce and potatoes on the side. Nice meal.
Garlic and Red Lentil Soup
I found some red lentils yesterday and decided to try a quick soup. I also boiled some leeks and made poireaux au vinaigre. I reserved the vegetable liquid from leeks and added 2-3 cups of chicken stock. Then one chopped onion, about 6-8 cloves garlic smashed and 4-6 crushed garlic cloves. Add spices--herbes de provence or just thyme and rosemary, salt, papper. I also added a pinch of coriander and a little cayennne (half teaspoon). Bring to boil slowly--the lentils can stick to bottom of pot, so stir frequently. Simmer for about 45 min - 1 hour. Adjust flavors as you cook. I added about 5-8 drops lemon juice and served.
It is a great side dish for pork chops or lamb chops. If you add half the amount of liquid and reduce significantly, I believe it would make a great sauce/side vegetable to put chops over.
It is a great side dish for pork chops or lamb chops. If you add half the amount of liquid and reduce significantly, I believe it would make a great sauce/side vegetable to put chops over.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
A Few Words on Duck Confit
So, I made Duck Confit the other day. Easy as hell if you can find whole ducks in your area for decent price. I had already rendered out the fat from one duck when I made gumbo. So, I bought as big of ducks as I could find. Let em thaw and went to work. It is a delicate process, considering you want to save the breasts for a later meal and you want to preserve the thighs/legs in the best possible condition. So, if you work slowly, and make sure not to cut off too much fat from either the breasts or legs, you should be fine. The thighs/legs come off really easily if you cut inward and find the tendon.
I will probably cook the breasts thursday night--simply a la sud-ouest (armagnac, salt, pepper, seared).
Confit de Canard
This is such an easy way to make a great dish and save a heck of a lot of money--consider that one D'Artagnan duck leg confit costs on average $7.99 plus shipping, and for a whole duck--if you can get it for even $15, you get two legs and two breasts. Now, most of the ducks you buy won't have the size of D'Artagnan's average breasts--which sell for $21.49 each plus shipping--still, if you make a mediocre meal with even half the amount of food, you still save $45.
I rendered all the fat out of the duck as possible--over low heat in skillet for 2-3 hours until all the pieces were crispy. Then strain into a container without any particles--must be clear golden. Reserve.
While the fat was rendering, I seasoned the thighs/legs. I had four, placed into glass casserole, slightly smashed 5 cloves garlic, doused with camargue sea salt, ground pepper, and several sprigs of thyme. Make sure to put some thyme and garlic under meat and then put down meat and lay over. Cover. Fridge for 24 hours at least.
Next day
Remove meat and take out fat. Let melt--I had mine in glass jar--placed in tub of water and heated slowly until the fat turned back into a golden liquid. I brushed off the duck meat and placed the thighs/legs along the bottom of a cast iron dutch oven and poured on the fat--I did need the fat from the third duck. Heat it on the stove top until you see the first bubble, and then set it in an oven at 225 for 3-4 hours. It's done when meat comes off easily.
After it's done, remove meat and set into glass or ceramic dish. I strained fat over it and made sure it was completely covered--then let her sit in fridge. Let her sit for a few weeks.
I will probably cook the breasts thursday night--simply a la sud-ouest (armagnac, salt, pepper, seared).
Confit de Canard
This is such an easy way to make a great dish and save a heck of a lot of money--consider that one D'Artagnan duck leg confit costs on average $7.99 plus shipping, and for a whole duck--if you can get it for even $15, you get two legs and two breasts. Now, most of the ducks you buy won't have the size of D'Artagnan's average breasts--which sell for $21.49 each plus shipping--still, if you make a mediocre meal with even half the amount of food, you still save $45.
I rendered all the fat out of the duck as possible--over low heat in skillet for 2-3 hours until all the pieces were crispy. Then strain into a container without any particles--must be clear golden. Reserve.
While the fat was rendering, I seasoned the thighs/legs. I had four, placed into glass casserole, slightly smashed 5 cloves garlic, doused with camargue sea salt, ground pepper, and several sprigs of thyme. Make sure to put some thyme and garlic under meat and then put down meat and lay over. Cover. Fridge for 24 hours at least.
Next day
Remove meat and take out fat. Let melt--I had mine in glass jar--placed in tub of water and heated slowly until the fat turned back into a golden liquid. I brushed off the duck meat and placed the thighs/legs along the bottom of a cast iron dutch oven and poured on the fat--I did need the fat from the third duck. Heat it on the stove top until you see the first bubble, and then set it in an oven at 225 for 3-4 hours. It's done when meat comes off easily.
After it's done, remove meat and set into glass or ceramic dish. I strained fat over it and made sure it was completely covered--then let her sit in fridge. Let her sit for a few weeks.
Friday, December 12, 2008
Global Snowing
I never went in for that greenhouse gas emissions bullshit, and why are the environmentalists still trying to bully the EPA into passing along a law restricting/limiting how much carbon-dioxide we emit...does anyone else find trouble with that? We breath out Carbon Dioxide...they want to regulate how much we breath? Wouldnt be surprised with all the new regulations. Still, in this warming climate, we've had the coldest winter on record for a long time now and it snowed in Louisiana yesterday--yea, global snowing, and it's the earliest snowfall in New Orleans ever in the recorded history of weather. The truth is that we have entered a little ice-age. Please read important facts.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Soupe aux Pois
Pea Soup
Made a spiral ham several days ago--froze leftover meat and ham bone. Today was cold and they predict Snow for Southern Louisiana tonight--rare, indeed. So, time to make a northern special: pea soup. LAtely, I've used ham bones to make lentil soup, but this was perfect weather.
This is an easy soup and can be improved ten-fold with homemade chicken stock (or pork stock if you have it). I used three chopped onions, chopped shallot, 4 sticks sliced carrots, 5 ribs celery and whole head of garlic crushed. Placed about 1 chopped onion and chopped shallot in pot with butter and pork fat, let sizzle until soft and added the rest of the vegetables. I let these cook for several minutes. Then added ham bone and pieces (I like to have a lot of ham in my pea soup, so it all is up to how much you store after making a ham). I put the rest of ham bone in and let warm evenly. Added chicken stock until covered and then some. I wanted plenty of liquid for peas After all was simmering, skimmed and salted peppered and spiced (bouquet of thyme, oregano, some sage leaves rosemary and bay leaf) I added two packs of split peas. Stirred and let simmer covered with a little vent open for 2-3 hours. After 3 hours, the peas had thickened and it was done. I did not blend it or any of that crap--it was done, perfect, finis. And we had it with Mark Bittman and Jim Lahey's no knead bread from NYTIMES. If you've never made it, go try it. It was perfect and crunchy crusted and soft inside.
Enjoy.
Made a spiral ham several days ago--froze leftover meat and ham bone. Today was cold and they predict Snow for Southern Louisiana tonight--rare, indeed. So, time to make a northern special: pea soup. LAtely, I've used ham bones to make lentil soup, but this was perfect weather.
This is an easy soup and can be improved ten-fold with homemade chicken stock (or pork stock if you have it). I used three chopped onions, chopped shallot, 4 sticks sliced carrots, 5 ribs celery and whole head of garlic crushed. Placed about 1 chopped onion and chopped shallot in pot with butter and pork fat, let sizzle until soft and added the rest of the vegetables. I let these cook for several minutes. Then added ham bone and pieces (I like to have a lot of ham in my pea soup, so it all is up to how much you store after making a ham). I put the rest of ham bone in and let warm evenly. Added chicken stock until covered and then some. I wanted plenty of liquid for peas After all was simmering, skimmed and salted peppered and spiced (bouquet of thyme, oregano, some sage leaves rosemary and bay leaf) I added two packs of split peas. Stirred and let simmer covered with a little vent open for 2-3 hours. After 3 hours, the peas had thickened and it was done. I did not blend it or any of that crap--it was done, perfect, finis. And we had it with Mark Bittman and Jim Lahey's no knead bread from NYTIMES. If you've never made it, go try it. It was perfect and crunchy crusted and soft inside.
Enjoy.
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