Mom's Birthday Dinner - Foie Gras, Magret, and Delectable Desserts

OK, so the delectable desserts were not my doing - the birthday cake of tradition is my dad's gateau success, and we were also bestowed with a buche and a plethora of chocolate marvels from our good friend C - but I did manage to pull off the remainder of the meal thanks to acquisition of some crucial ingredients. Thanks to the consultation of a friendly local wine merchant the evening began with a sparkling Spanish wine - cava - which was a big hit with some none-homemade cheese biscuits, brioche toasts with a melting blend of gruyere and emmenthaler cheeses and slices of cornichons, and baguette toasts of onion jam and French Saucissons slices. When the bottle and snacks were reduced to droplets and crumbs, we sat down to the main meal, a substantial part of which I had been able to prepare in advance, with only a few last-minute details to manage.

We began with a baby spinach salad with a warm dressing of caramelized onions and apples, toasted walnuts, homemade croutons, and topped with gently seared slices of fresh foie gras. The main course featured magret - duck breast - that had been seared and quickly broiled in a hot oven, and was accompanied by dishes of roasted brussels sprouts and carrots with slivered almonds and dried cranberries, as well as duck fat-roasted potatoes. Other than saying that the company and flavors created an ideal evening, I won't write more of the experience and instead provide the details of the ingredients and procedures upon which I relied.

Baby spinach salad with a warm caramelized onion and apple dressing, toasted walnuts, and homemade croutons.

Dressing:

1 apple - any firm variety would be a good choice (I used Braeburn) - peeled, cored, cut into 12 wedges

1 onion, thickly sliced

3 tblsp vegetable oil

1/2 cup apple cider

1/4 cup cider vinegar,

salt and pepper

1) Begin by heating 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a small saucepan over minimal heat. Add the apple wedges, and onion slices. Cover the saucepan and cook the apple and onion gently until both are soft and slightly caramelized.

2) At this point add the vinegar and apple cider, increase the heat, and boil all uncovered until you are left with about 2 - 3 tablespoons of liquid. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil should the flavor of the dressing be a little too pungent. Season to taste.

Croutons

2 cups of bread cubes - a crusty bread is ideal

1 tsp dried parsley

2 tblsp duck fat

salt and pepper

1) Melt the duck fat in the microwave and toss in a large bowl with the bread cubes, dried parsley and seasoning. Turn the evenly coated bread cubes out onto a sheet pan and bake for 30 minutes at 250 degrees.

Salad

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 tsp duck fat

1 quantity of baby spinach - as little or as much as you deem appropriate for your crowd

1/4 -1/3 lobe fresh foie gras, in 1/3" thick slices

Croutons

Dressing

Salt and pepper

1) Heat a small non-stick pan over medium high heat and add the duck fat. Toss in the walnuts and seasoning and toast them for about 5 minutes until they turn golden and fragrant - remember to shake the pan on occasion so that they will toast evenly.

2) Wash and dry the spinach and put it into large bowl with the croutons, and walnuts. Add the warm dressing, and toss everything together. Divide the salad among the necessary number of plates.

3) Heat a small pan over high heat, and when it is searing add your pieces of foie gras. Cook for less than a minute per side and sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt. Top each salad with an even portion of foie gras and serve immediately.

Dressing

Baby Spinach Salad

Seared magret with a blood orange and balsamic jus

Sauce:

1 cup veal stock - or other homemade stock

2 blood oranges, juiced

1 tblsp balsamic vinaigrette

1 tsp maple syrup

Salt and Pepper

1) Begin by boiling down your stock until you have about 1/4 of well concentrated liquid. Add the blood orange juice and balsamic vinaigrette and reduce again. Finally add the maple syrup and seasoning to your liking and put aside until ready to serve.

Duck:

6 duck breasts with fat

Salt and pepper

1) Preheat a broiler to high. Place a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Meanwhile put the breasts, skin side up on a cutting board. Score the fat diagonally in both directions to achieve a diamond pattern. Turn the breasts over so that they are skin side down and season the flesh with salt and pepper and any other herbs/spices that you wish.

2) When the pan is searing hot, add three breasts, again skin side down to the pan. Cook the breasts for about 5 minutes on the first side. Turn each breast over and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove the breasts to a sheet pan and repeat this procedure with the remaining three breasts.

3) Place all 6 breasts on the sheetpan in the preheated oven and allow them to finish cooking until you reach your desired temperature - note that duck is best served rare or medium rare.

4) To serve remove the breasts to a cutting board and slice thinly and arrange on a presentation platter. Rewarm the sauce to just below a simmer and pour over the duck slices.

Roasted brussels sprouts and carrots with slivered almonds and dried cranberries

1-2 lbs brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4"-thick coins

2 tblsp duck fat

1 tsp dried parsley

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup slivered raw almonds

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1) Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2) Melt the duck fat in a microwave and pour it into a large bowl with the prepared vegetables and seasonings

3) Turn the vegetables out onto a sheetpan and roast for 20 minutes until tender. Add the almonds and cranberries and roast for a brief 3-5 minutes to warm everything through.

 

Duck fat roasted fingerling potatoes

3 lbs fingerling potatoes

1/2 cups duck fat

2 tsp dried parsley

Salt and Pepper

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) Cut the potatoes lengthwise into quarters. Put into a large pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling cook the potatoes for 5 minutes.

3) Drain the potatoes in a large colander and shake so that the pieces begin to become jagged.

4) Melt the duck fat in the microwave and pour into a large roasting pan. Add the potatoes and the seasoning and toss to coat everything evenly.

5) Roast the potatoes in the preheated oven for 30 - 40 minutes, tossing occasionally so that they crisp up evenly. Serve hot with duck and roasted veggies.

There is perhaps no better occasion to revive my inspiration to blog than Thanksgiving - a holiday devoted to the preparation and sharing of food and thanks. This year I was eager to tackle the turkey and its dressings of stuffing and gravy. Although one of my favorite sources of culinary information, Cook's Illustrated, presented a preparation method involving glazing and butterflying that was very intriguing, I opted for the same method I used last year. I also discovered this method from the aforementioned publication, and found it so successful that I couldn't resist trying it out on our Hogwash Farm turkey this year.
Firstly I must promote the process of making one's own stock, as it is so simple and yields superior tasting dressing products. Because my current professional position privileged me to obtain an extra set of turkey giblets, I simply used the two necks along with some aromatics (bay leaf, peppercorns, celery heart, and leek trimmings) to make my stock. I simmered everything together in a pot of about 4 cups of water for 2 to 3 hours. I then strained off and discarded the aromatics, reserved the turkey necks to pick at during further preparations, and used a cup and a half of stock for my stuffing, and the rest for the gravy - for which a recipe also follows.
Initially the preparation involves dry-brining the bird by rubbing about 2 tablespoons between the skin and the flesh, which is easily done after separating the two using the handle of a wooden spoon. Next I proceeded by wrapping the turkey tightly in plastic wrap and letting it refrigerate/brine for nearly 48 hours. On the morning of Thanksgiving Thursday, I removed our bird from the plastic wrap, dried it all over using paper towels, poked some holes into the fat deposits, and rubbed its outer layer with a 50-50 mixture of salt and baking powder to help it brown during roasting. I then let the turkey rest at  room temperature for an hour or so, which was not part of the original instructions, but would allow for more even roasting. After preparing the stuffing to a respective point- my recipe for which can be found at the end of this posting - I used half of my prepared stuffing to fill the cavity of the bird, and then tied the legs together. I next turned the bird so that its breast side was facing downwards in a roasting rack and pan, and finally laid salt pork over its back before placing it in the 350-degree preheated oven. I let the bird roast for a good three hours in order for it to reach the recommended temperature of 130 degrees. At this stage I took the bird out of the oven, turned the over up to 450 degrees, removed the turkey on its rack to a sheet pan, took off the crispified salt pork (also to be reserved for picking), turned over the bird, cut the twine binding the legs, removed the stuffing to add it to its other half, poured the pan drippings into a fat-separating gravy boat, and returned the turkey to the pan and the newly preheated oven. Although this may seem like quite a process to have to go through in the middle of preparing a full Thanksgiving menu, I can attest that the results are well-worth any inconveniences! The bird remained in the hot oven for another good hour - keep in mind that this year the Bothe family acquired a 15 pound and some odd ounce bird, and that it is necessary to adjust cooking times according to other sized birds. The final temperature of the thick part of the breast should read a recommended 160 degrees while the thick part of the thigh should read 175 degrees. I allowed the bird to rest for 30 minutes or so as I picked away at the neck and salt pork and finished cooking the stuffing.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna

This weekend I was honored with a visit from some very dear Boston friends, "R" and "M", who have quickly become some of my favorite people to cook for simply because they are so willing to try whatever I happen to prepare for them. This weekend, as "R" seemed keen to try some homemade pasta, I decided to go with lasagna. However I didn't much feel like going with the traditional meet, cheese, and tomato version - obviously a wonderful classic, but one that leaves out the tasty array of autumnal produce - and so I opted to try out some flavor combinations, making use of some seasonal produce as well as some leftovers in the fridge. What I forgot to think about is that "M", being from the Midwest, prefers the carnivore side of being an omnivore. Nevertheless he did manage to taste and hold down some butternut squash, which I found highly admirable. In exchange I accepted his request for a chocolate souffle for dessert, which turned out to be a group effort. Without further ado, my recipe for chicken and butternut squash lasagna:

Fresh Pasta
100g type '00' flour
1 egg
pinch of salt

1) Combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until the dough just begins to come together. Turn out the dough onto a work surface and kneed together with hands. Kneed until the dough is smooth and elastic, wrap in plastic wrap and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
2) Pass the dough through a pasta roller, cutting as necessary into manageable pieces. I like lasagna sheets to be fairly thin, and so went until the sixth setting. However if you would like your sheets to be a little thicker, you may need to prepare more dough - the ratio is easy, one egg per 100g of flour.
3) Lay the pasta sheets on a clean kitchen towel - they will dry out over time - until you're ready to use them.

Chicken and Butternut Squash Lasagna
4 whole chicken legs or breasts, cooked and cooled, and meat torn into bite-sized pieces - I was using leftovers, and so had roasted meat, but you may choose to cook them however you choose
1 butternut squash, peeled
3 red onions, peeled, halved, and sliced thinly
1 tblsp honey
2 cups shredded cheese - I chose Fontina because it melts so wonderfully, but a nice cheddar would work really well also
10 leaves of fresh sage, roughly chopped
2 tblsp butter
2 tblsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tblsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup cream

1) Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise and then again crosswise. Remove the seeds from the bottom rounded halves. With the narrower half turn each piece onto their cut sides and slice each so that you have 1/4" half moon shapes. Place these on a sheet pan, season, and coat with 1 tblsp of olive oil. Roast in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Remove the tray from the oven, and turn each piece over. Return to the oven and roast for another 20 minutes until squash is tender.
2) Cut the remaining squash into cubes. Heat a pan over medium heat and add the remaining tblsp of olive oil, the cubed squash, and the sage. Saute for 5 minutes or so until the squash just begins to soften then add enough water to just cover the top of the cubes. Allow to simmer stirring occasionally until the water has evaporated. If some pieces of squash are still too firm add more water and allow to evaporate 1/4 cup at a time until you achieve your desired texture - I was going for almost a puree. Season your mixture and remove to a bowl to cool slightly.
3) In another pan melt 1 tblsp of butter over medium-low heat and when it begins to foam add the red onion slices. Allow to sweat then add the honey and continue to cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally so that the onions will caramelize evenly. Set these aside as well and have all your ingredients ready to layer.
4) Combine the chicken pieces, the stock, and the cream in a saucepan and bring to just below a simmer. Combine the remaining tblsp of butter with the flour until a thick paste forms, and add a spoonful of this to the hot chicken and liquid, stirring after each addition and stopping after you have achieved your desired sauce consistency.
5) Boil a large pot of salted water, and cook the lasagna sheets for 3-5 minutes - it is better if they are more than just slightly al dente, as they will finish cooking and absorbing juices in the oven. Drain the pasta and run cool water over them and dry on a clean kitchen towel.

6) To assemble you lasagna, butter the bottom and sides of any oven-safe pan you wish to use. First place the sliced, roasted butternut squash pieces in the bottom of the pan and cover with a layer of the lasagna sheets. Next add a layer of all the thickened chicken mixture as well as a layer of shredded cheese and cover with another layer of pasta. Put the butternut squash almost-puree on top with a layer of the cheese and a final layer of pasta. Lastly spread the caramelized onions evenly over the surface of the lasagna and top with the last bit of cheese. The lasagna is now ready for the oven and should be nicely heated through when baked for 30 - 45 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve with a green salad dressed with a maple-balsamic vinaigrette.

Inventive Cooking

During the past month or so I have had opportunity to engage in some adaptive cooking. The first cause of this challenge - as I like to look at it from the perspective of a "reality cooking program" - was the result of the fact that since my return from France, and up until last Thursday, I had no use of a real oven. Apparently a crucial component of our oven had decided to breakdown during my parents' preparation of a roast one weekend during my absence, and said component had to be sent first to Canada and then to Illinois in order to undergo 400 dollars-worth of repair. Incidentally, the lack of an oven this past month has commanded that I rely primarily on a good old-fashioned stove-top method for most of my culinary escapes. However this has not been the only reason I have chosen to partner with the stove in cooking this fall. Since the weather has changed from summery and humid to autumnal and crisp, I have been longing for dishes that invite comfort and warmth, and cook-top braises have provided for precisely that.
It was thus with this mindset that I headed off to Boston for a weekend of reuniting with some of my favorite people from my Alma Mater. Because we had been sequestered to dorm life for four years together we were never presented with the opportunity to cook together, so on this occasion I was determined to be able to prepare a meal for us that didn't come from a dining hall/dorm room microwave. The principal ingredient I decided would be chicken and what better way to feed a group than to have everything come from one pot - well I suppose I should say multiple pots as some size-constraints did limit how much I could fit into one vessel?
Thus I set to work in "R's" and "M's" kitchen to prepare my meal of braised chicken - a la Charlotte - with garlic bread, crudites and chips with chickpea and spinach and artichoke dips to start, and apple crumble to finish. The following are general guidelines and quantities I used, but I cannot guarantee precise accuracy as I did everything by taste for this occasion.


Chickpea Dip
1 can chickpeas, drained and juices reserved
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 tblsp lemon juice
1 tblsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin powder - I actually forgot this, but it really does add a nice flavor
salt and pepper to taste

1) Combine the chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, and seasonings into the food processor and add 1-2 tblsps of the reserved chickpea juices. Process until smooth, season, and transfer to a serving bowl to be eaten with crudites and chips.


Spinach and Artichoke Dip
1/4 package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained- or fresh spinach sauteed until wilted in a little bit of oil
1 8 oz package Philadelphia cream cheese - you can even use the spinach and artichoke flavour if you want
1 8 oz jar artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped - I really only added these because they were there and I like a little oniony flavor

1) Combine the spinach, cream cheese, artichoke hearts, Parmesan and green onions into the food processor. Process until smooth, season if necessary, and transfer to a serving bowl to be eaten with crudites and chips.


Braised Chicken with Mirepoix and Tomatoes
12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs - natural, organic preferred
6 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp butter
dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper
1/4 cup red wine
2 onions, peeled and chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 whole carrots peeled and chopped
2 ribs of celery, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes

1) Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add 2 tblsp of olive oil and 1 tblsp of butter. Season all the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and dried thyme leaves. When the butter has melted place six thighs into the pan and allow to sear for roughly 5 minutes. Turn the pieces of chicken over and cook the same on the other side. Remove these thighs to a large heavy-bottomed pot, and repeat the procedure with the remaining six pieces of chicken, 2 more tblsps of olive oil and 1 more tblsp of butter.
2) once all the chicken has been transferred, add the 1/4 cup of red wine to the hot pan to deglaze. Add these juices to the pot with the chicken and top it off with cold water - enough to cover all the chicken. Put the pot over high heat to bring it to a simmer, then reduce the heat so that the contents is at a bare simmer. Allow to cook uncovered while you prepare the rest of the meal - I think I had it going for about an hour or so - at which point the liquid should have reduced significantly.
3) Return the pan you used to sear the chicken to the heat and add the final 2 tblsp of olive oil. Allow the onions to sweat for five minutes first, then add the garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook these also slowly over low heat until all the veggies are tender. Remove from the heat.
4) Once the chicken has achieved your desired tenderness - I like it so that one doesn't even need a knife to cut it, and rather it just falls apart by itself - add the diced tomatoes with their juices. Heat through and finally add the vegetables. Stir until everything is evenly distributed. Bring to the table/floor with garlic bread after your friends have enjoyed their appetizer/hors d'oeuvres course.


Garlic Bread
1 loaf of your favorite crusty bread
1 stick unsalted butter
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
2 tblsp fresh parsley, chopped - or 1 tblsp dried parsley
1 tsp salt - or to taste

1) Combine the stick of butter, parsley, and salt together in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 1 minute, stirring when done.
2) Cut your loaf of bread into even slices, being sure not to slice all the way through the bottom so that the butter cannot escape. Put the loaf into a nest of aluminum foil and onto a baking sheet.
3) Brush the butter onto both sides of every slice - any remaining butter can be brushed over the top of the loaf afterwards. Bake the bread in the oven for five to ten minutes until the crust is nice and crispy and the inside pieces are piping hot. Serve with your entree.


Apple Crumble
This recipe definitely needed some tweaking, so I will try to get back to you on it - thanks to "E" though for all her hard work pealing the apples!


THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO FIVE CAMELS: "S", "R", "J", "C" and "E"

Welcome October!

The combination of a truly inspirational trip to the Norwich farmer's market, the opportunity to sift through stacks of years and years worth of cooking magazines, and the emergence of seasonal temperatures had me devoted to the kitchen this weekend. I began with some preparation for the week's meals by making a fully flavorful batch of tomato soup - thanks to the beautifully ripened fruit that "W" offered me earlier in the week. I then moved onto a Normandy-style chicken braise, which combined seared then poached Misty Knoll chicken pieces in a sauce of white wine, apple, mushrooms, and cream; and which served as Saturday night's dinner. Next came the initial preparations for some wild Alaskan salmon gravlax, involving cling-wrapping a marvelously pink filet of salmon with a mixture of 50% sugar and 50% sea salt, and 30 grams of chopped dill. The salmon is currently resting in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped beneath the weight of two liters of tomato soup, and will remain there for the next 24-48 hours until it has been "cooked" through. In addition to these preparations, I also composed two different, yet dilectable salads using the last of the season's beets, tomatoes, lettuces, radishes, green beans, etc...
Thus, it was all in all a sumptuous weekend dedicted to primarily savory tastes. I did however find myself yearning to attempt a slightly more ambitious project, and this afternoon embarked upon the making of one of my favorite candies - soft, chewy, and mouthwatering nougat. I learned how to make this traditional French "Nougat Montelimar" during a chocalate and candy-making course I took while in England. Although the process of making it can seem quite daunting due to cooking various combinations of sweeteners to fairly exact temperatures having to do multiple tasks simultaneously, it proves fully satisfying to complete and then eat! Here is the recipe and technique in adapted quantities.

Dark Chocolate Nougat Montelimar
1 egg white
200 g honey
200 g caster sugar
200 g glucose
100 g dark chocolate couverture
72 g whole roasted hazelnuts
100 g roasted almonds (I used slivers rather than whole ones)
1 sheet of A4-sized rice paper, cut in half

1) Whisk the egg white to a stiff foam - this is best done in a stand mixer as it allows you to have both hands free to accomplish the other preparations, however a hand mixer works fine as I discovered myself.
2) Meanwhile cook the honey to 120 degrees celcius and pour it in a steady stream onto the whisking egg whites. Whisk untill all the honey is incorporated and keep the stand mixer running if you have that luxury.
3) The the sugar and glucose together to 138 degrees celcius and repeat the same process of pouring it steadly into the egg white and honey misture - again all while whisking.
4) Turn the mixer off and melt the chocolate either in a microwave or over a low temperature on a stove top. 5) Add the roasted nuts to the chocolate, mix and then quickly fold the combination into the whipped, significantly sweetened egg white mixture and turn out the lot into a small-sized baking tray lined with one piece of rice paper. Smooth out the top and place the second piece of rice paper over the sticky surface. Allow the whole tray to cool to room temperature and then cut into desired pieces and shapes.

Photos Culinaire de la France

The quotation above comes from the start of my three-week trip to France, and very accurately reflects the culinary experiences that highlighted my days in what I consider to be the forerunning country in all cuisine - from the traditional and basic to the haute and gastronomic. Following are pictures - mostly from markets - of the many delights that I tasted throughout my trip.

 

 

Hamburger Heaven

Just a quick post to share my own Cheeseburger Rossini featuring all local and fresh ingredients!

Bun: Brioche roll from Allechante, Norwich, VT

Pate de Campagne - sorry this is not a local product and hoping to find one similar in the Upper Valley

Beef: Ground grass-fed beef from Luna Bleu Farm, South Royalton, VT

Cheese: Ascutney Mountain from Cobb Hill Cheese, Hartland, VT

Onion: From Hurricane Flats, South Royalton, VT

Tomato: Heirloom variety from Cedar Circle Farm, Thetford, VT

Lettuce: Boston Head Lettuce from Killdeer Farm, Norwich, VT

The Fruits of My Very Own Wild Harvest - Chantarelle Omelette

On a recent Saturday morning run, I decided to take one of my less-usual routes via a forest trail in hopes of a little shade from the intensifying morning sun. After dodging the fangs of a Rhodesian Ridgeback, I made it to the entrance of the forest, and almost instantly spotted a familiar-looking orange-yellow fungus. I immediately halted my stride, and bent down to verify that I was indeed amidst a patch of the very delectable Chantarelle mushroom. Although I was devoted to the completion of my run - and came across several other patches of mushrooms as I proceeded through the forest - I returned home only to set back out to retrace my tracks with basket in hand ready to pick!

My labors were not in vain, as I acquired a good pint and half of the golden harvest. Unfortunately I wasn't able to cook the mushrooms right off, and wanted also to verify their safety; so I made sure to keep them refrigerated under a damp paper towel and to show them to friend and co-worker, "M".

This evening was my first opportunity to cook off the mushrooms and share them with mom and day, and I can truthfully state that they were well-worth the weight.

 I first cleaned the mushrooms by just trimming their soiled ends, and wiping them, again, with a damp paper towel.

Next I sauteed the mushrooms in some butter and olive oil with chopped shallot, garlic,

from our garden - oregano, thyme, and parsley - and allowed them to cook until they were just tenderly al dente.

I proceeded to beat my 7 eggs and waited until my same pan was hot again before pouring in the eggs and preparing my light and fluffy omelet. I still have a lot of practice to do before coming near to accomplishing the Julia Childs of omelets, but I rest assured by the fact that mine encompassed exactly the flavour, texture, and satisfaction that I desired. You can bet that I will be returning to the forest in mere days - post the downpour we just had today - to forage more pure gold!

A Day Devoted to the Locality of the Upper Valley

This Saturday presented me with an localiscious day of shopping for Upper Valley produce at the Norwich Farmer's Market, picking organic strawberries at Cedar Circle Farm with all-time best friend "A," feasting on the aforementioned goods at dinner time, and joining a selection of close friends for a locally brewed pint of lager, "Bock to the Trails", and food discussion at the Norwich Inn's Jasper Murdock's Alehouse/Pub. I simply could not think of a better way to spend the eve of the eve of the summer solstice, and I wanted to share some of the pictures that captured a portion of it. 

 

At the Norwich farmer's market I was first presented with Luna Bleu's stand, from which I selected a pre-packaged bag of tender-looking baby arugula.

From there I proceeded to Crossroad Farm and discovered first of the season's sugar snap peas, which looked, and proved to be, too sweet and crisp to pass up.

 

After meandering my way through several stands of crafts, meats, and baked goods - none of which had an allure for me that day - I found myself at Orford's Echo Hill Farm where I limited myself to a brilliantly green and rounded head of Boston Lettuce and a snow-white variety of turnip I knew to be a crunchfully delightful addition to any salad.

My final stop was at Your Farm, which had a selection of all of the above products, but I made a direct line towards their first-of-the-season's beets, which, despite their bright pink exteriors, presented a beautifully ringed cross-cut when I cut into them that same evening.

It just so happened that Saturday was also the day I started a house-sitting duty for some acquaintances also in Norwich, so I was on my own for dinner. Incidentally one of my go-to-options when I do find myself cooking for one is a salad, which is exactly what I had in mind for that evening. While the picture does not at all do justice to my dinner salad - also including shavings of raw asparagus from the garden of my homestay's garden, my homemade honey and cider vinegar dressing, and the strawberries of my day's "labor" - each bite presented a deliciously flavorful medley of crispness, tenderness, and freshness, which as friend "N" would say "nearly brought a tear to my eye."

My beer accommpanied by exceptional company was the absolute perfect end to a glorious day!

You Know You're in New England When...

I have just come back from perhaps the most pleasurable Upper Valley dining experience I have had outside the homes of my parents or friends since my return to the States last November.  What-is-more, every bite of food was sourced probably not more than 50 yards of my plate!

The Bunten Farm is a family owned and operated farm in Orford, New Hampshire; and has claims to being the only milking Devon dairy farm in the USA. Although Devon cattle were brought over from England by the very first Pilgrim settlers, their existence throughout the US has been minimal at best, and today there are only about 400 or so of these animals in the country. Most of the breed can be found in New England where particular dairy farmers, such as Chris and Bruce Balch, have protected the breed from extinction. Thus, this post must begin with a tremendous THANK YOU to The Bunten Farm for preserving this wonderful breed and providing New Englanders and visitors alike with an array of such amazingly rich dairy products: cream, milk, buttermilk, yogurt, cheeses, and butter. Their own-made products deserve recognition as well, as they do complete the selection of indulgent items to eat on the premise or to take away. It should also be noted that the family strives to remain as self-sufficient and independent of outside resources as possible, though sometimes will rely on local businesses to allow them to take part in the farm experience.

Now on to the brunch! I shared the visit with a friend of mine who has spent her fair share living and working on a farm in Southern Vermont, so I figured she would be a prime companion for the test run. The Farmhouse Kitchen is delightfully cozy and welcoming, and even though the kitchen is separated from dining room by a barrier, it felt almost like you were being invited into a family home to share an informal meal with them. From their service to their tasty home-style food, the Bunten team easily achieves their stated goal of being "the kind of place that makes you glad you came here and not somewhere else."

Upon being seated I immediately took note of the tri-portion dish on the center of our table that held the fresh butter, jam, and ketchup needed for the brunch we were soon to order. This tidbit alone was a welcome change from the packaged butter and jam portions and the family-sized bottles of ketchup typically seen on the tables of most breakfast/brunch eateries. I next took note of the the mismatching china bread plates, which only added to the charm of the experience for me.

Our first order of business was to have a look at our menu choices and pick our drinks, which contributes to making a meal at Bunten Farm Kitchen quite unique. The kitchen will provide the standard hot tea and coffee, juices, and milk that can be either raw or pasteurized; but should you want more than that they ask that you bring your own. The offered selection was enough for my friend and I, but I can imagine that on a dinner visit - they serve dinner Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 5:30 to 8:00 - such an option of bringing a familiar bottle of wine would be quite appealing.

Our drinks arrived with a selection of bite-sized freshly-made banana muffins and whipped sweetened Devon Cream, and while my friend could not be tempted, I quickly loaded a spoonful of cream onto one muffin and savored the bananas and cream combination. Next we were ready to really tackle the difficult decision we faced on what to order  for our main courses We both seemed stuck on the Eggs Benedict - "(Ham and eggs)" on Chris' grilled Orford English Muffin/Real Hollandaise Sauce and Fried Potatoes" - and the Veggie Galore Omelet - "Tomato, Kale, Onion, etc. w/ Devon Mozzarella Cheese, Home Fries and Toast". In the end I took on the Omelet while "C" tackled the Benedict, and we both agreed to sacrifice a bite to one another. Because the dining room is small and was probably only about half full while we were there, our wait for our food was very minimal and we were able to dive right in. My omelet came nicely folded with an intriguing medley of vegetables on the inside including the aforementioned ones, sweet carrots, pieces of heirloom tomatoes, and a cabbage-like vegetable that I believe was kohlrabi. Although the combination of the vegetables seemed a bit eclectic to me, the pieces themselves were in large enough chunks that they could be eaten bite by bite each with its own portion of omelet and melted cheese. The cheese was definitely a nice addition as it contributed to a slightly chewy texture to marry the soft omelet and al dente veggies, and it also gave each bite a slightly tangy note rounding out the flavor nicely especially with a little dab of ketchup. The toast was a grilled roll, which I thoroughly enjoyed slathering it with the jam and the fresh and perfectly soft salted butter - such a rare treat at most restaurants that don't want to fork over the extra money to serve anything but unsalted, and dare I say, unflavored butter. As for the home fries, they were clearly newly made and hadn't been sitting in a vat of their own fat for hours beforehand a trait that often makes me avoid this portion of breakfast in most other eateries. Over all my only complaint was that the omelet did not have the slightly runny interior that I tend to prefer because of my own upbringing, but I gather that many people are not of my same mind set, and so I hand it to Chris and Bruce for knowing their clientele. As for the single bite of Eggs Benedict I had, I couldn't make a single complaint. The mouthful perfectly combined a nicely toasted piece of the English Muffin with a bit of the slightly larded and salted ham, and arrived at my mouth dripping with a mix of bright yellow egg yolk - a sign of a truly fresh egg - and an airy yet supremely rich Hollandaise sauce. Clearly I cannot offer a bit of critique to the entirety of the dish as I just had one bite, but I can certainly attest that there was no lack of the sauce and that my one bite was instant pleasure.

My biggest woe from the whole experience was that I didn't get to sample more of menu choices, but I can say with safe assertion that I will be returning very soon and probably quite frequently to have the opportunity to taste the Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes, the yogurt, the Devon cheese sampler, the "Bruce - n - Chris - to" sandwich of shaved ham and Devon cheese served french dipped and golden brown with maple syrup, and whatever other specialties they might be making on any other Sunday!

Brunch at the Bunten Farm Kitchen is served from 10:00 to 1:00 on Sundays, and whether you go for there for brunch or dinner, they ask that you please make a reservation so that they know to accommodate you! The experience is certainly not to be missed if you are a dairy lover of any kind. Simply remember that you can bring your own, and save some time either before or after your meal to visit with the "Pumpkin Coop Girls", Harry the Bernese Mountain Dog, - freshly clipped I might add - and the herd of ruby-colored Devon cattle. Finally, be ready to want to purchase a specialty of Bunten Farmhouse Kitchen. I could not leave without a half pound of butter in hand!

Lessons Learned From a Weekly Fish Dinner

This next post presents a bit of a challenge for me, as it has to do with a recent cooking/eating experience - last night's to be more exact - that left me rather disappointed. Nevertheless I had every intention of writing about it 24 hours ago, so I'm going to do my best to try to unvail three culinary lessons in as interesting and informational manner as possible.

For the Bothe parents' and youngest daughter's weekly seafood and/or fish dinner, my mom chose a farm-raised fillet of Steelhead Trout, which to her credit had the appearance, smell, and texture of a fresh and flavorful fish. The fillet was nice and firm, presented no fishy odor, and had the intense pink color of its wild salmon neighbor in the display case. Thus, there was hope for our dinner...

When I knew I would get the opportunity to prepare our dinner for this particular Sunday evening, I decided I wanted to try out a few techniques that I had not used since working in a kitchen professionally - a term I should say that I use rather loosely, as I never considered myself a professional cook and/or chef! First I decided that I would cook the fillet "Meuniere" style, which essentially means seasoning a fillet of fish (Sole is the standard) and then dredging it in flour before frying it in a rather ample amount of butter and serving it with a sauce that you make of browned butter, lemon, and parsely. Because we seem to have an overlly sensitive smoke detector at the moment, I decided that I would opt to use clarified butter for the frying and accompanying sauce. To me the process of clarifying butter seems to always be made more intimidating and complex than necessary. In essense clarifying butter is the process of removing the milk solids from the butter piece so that all you are left with is a clear yellow fat. I guess there are many ways to go about this process, but for me it just seems easiest to melt the necessary quantity of butter in a saucepan over gentle heat just until it has all turned to liquid. At this stage there will be milk solids that have separated to the top and bottom of the pan, so the way I proceed is to just skim off the top white solids with a spoon, and pour out as much of the golden yellow fat as possible into a measuring cup before the remaining milky substance dribbles in as well.

So, after having prepared my butter, I was ready to put the pan on the stove and heat it to a medium high temperature (approximately 400 degrees). I then nimbly removed the skin from the fillet, seasoned both sides, and incidently completely forgot about the dredging stage, but given that this is more a stage for the finished texture of the dish than anything else, it did not have a tremendous impact on my end result. Once my fillet was prepped and ready to go, I proceeded to put a piece of parchment paper into the heated pan. This is a little trick I used a lot in my previous work experience in the pan-cooking of most of the fish with which I worked. Obviously if you have access to a non-stick pan the trick is a little redundant, but given that our non-stick was not large enough to hold the fillet I had to opt for another pan that the fish most certainly would have adhered to if I had not positioned the piece of parchment. Next I poured the clarified butter into the pan and let it heat up amply before adding the fish. Most fish will cook very quickly in this process, and actually for most fish it's almost better to undercook it as the hot sauce that is applied once it is on the serving platter will finish off the cooking. You do need to turn the fish in the pan though so that it does cook on both sides - this proved rather tricky for me as my fillet was rather large and required two spatulas to turn it without breaking the flesh. Once both sides had been seared I removed the fillet to a warmed platter and returned the pan to the heat so that my butter could turn a shade darker - to a nut brown color - before I added the lemon juice and parsly.

At this point I immediately called my parents to the table, grabbed the prepared side dishes, and presented the main platter (this sounds way more formal than it actually was, trust me). I devided out our portions using a spoon to ladle over the beautifully browned lemon parsly butter and was tremendously eager to take my first bite, which was when I discovered utter disappointment. Although the bite of flaky flesh had the expected succulent buttery component to it, the fish itself lacked any flavor to match. My mouth was invaded by lifelessness, and I was not happy! I contented myself with soaking up every bit of the butter fat that remained both in my plate and in the platter, but the meal still felt lost.

The bit of reasearch I have executed this evening suggests that farmed fish will most often always be inferior not only in flavor, but in nutritional value and environmental sustainability as well. These "harvested" fish are fed not what they would eat naturally, but pellets that contain the following: antibiotics that have agents that have been proven harmful to humans; colorings to make them the color of their wild counterparts when really the food they eat renders them an unappetizing grey color; and other chemically produced substances that are no where near the nutritional value for them or us of their natural diets.
Thus, was my harshly disappointing experience eating farmed fish. For ethical reasons I obviously can't promote always choosing wild over farm-raised, but from now on I am going to be even pickier... My parents will be so happy!

Low and Slow: Rediscovering the Flavor of Meat

Within the past few months I have really questioned whether I truly have a carnivore within me, or if I simply have a gastronome's palette that allows me to appreciate the likes of charcuterie, foie gras, and other animal delicacies rather than those of steaks and similar chunks of meat. The question came to me initially when I couldn't experience the sensation of my mouth watering at the thought, sight, or taste of my dad's birthday sirloin grilled on the the BBQ. Instead what had me excited about the dinner was my mom's Bearnaise that I would pretty much eat by the spoonful as I slathered my every bite of meat, as well as the pomme-de-terre saute also prepared masterfully by my mom and also dipped into the decadent Bearnaise. As time went on in 2010 I found that my tastes in meat did in fact lie strictly within the limits of charcuterie and, oddly enough, the more obscure parts of the animal typically categorized as offal when prepared as edible delights- namely tongue, liver, and bone marrow. Then in Las Vegas - where for my birthday dinner I ate at Alex (for Chef Alessandro Stratta) - I chose for my main course a "Tenderloin of Wagyu Beef 'Rossini with Potato Gnocchi, Root Spinach, and Aged Parmigiano," and quickly felt myself let down by my own palette. Incidentally, I could not have been less stimulated by the seemingly exquisite flavors and textures of perhaps the world's finest beef. Don't get me wrong, I had the utmost appreciation for the meat's origins, tenderness, and masterful manner in which it was prepared; but unless I had the foie gras to go with it on the fork, I simply found little interest in the meat itself. It was thus how half a piece of Wagyu tenderloin sat by itself on an otherwise spotless plate - wiped clean by a piece of bread as is my typical fashion - and how my dinner partner was offered his own chance to dine on a rare culinary delight.
OK, so where am I going with this? Well, a few weeks ago my mom and I made a Sunday trip to the Hanover Coop in search of our dinner for the evening. My mom made an enquiry at the butchery about getting a locally-sourced piece of pork, which was how we came away with a bone-in shoulder end roast (one that included the very tip of the loin and rib bones) and corresponding instructions to cook it at a low temperature over several hours. Needless to say I had been rather unenthusiastic about the thought of a pork roast for dinner, but given my keen desire to continue my cooking self-education - especially in the meat domain - I was rather eager to have a go at preparing our Sunday roast.
The preparation of the pork was really easy. I combined a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with some garlic, thyme, and essential seasoning then rubbed the mixture onto the exterior of the 2.5 pounds of meat that had already been trimmed of any excess fat. I then placed the roast into a preheated 350-degree oven and simply let it be for a near 2 hours until it reached a temperature of, more or less, 155 degrees. At this point I could remove it from the oven and let it rest on a cutting board for about 10 minutes while I deglazed the cooking pan and prepared an accompanying jus. Immediately before serving I brought out my very infrequently used carving set and proceeded to cut the roast into thick slices between the rib bones. Low and behold and much to my pleasure I began to salivate, and wholly welcomed the decadent sight of juicy and tenderly-cooked meat. Moreover when I sat down to completely indulge in the tasting experience of my roast, I hardly noticed the jus or anything else on my plate so much I was captivated by the pure flavors of the local, naturally-raised meat.
If that experience alone wasn't enough to convince me that meat does in fact hold a very desirable appeal to me, I have since roasted a whole chicken in a similar low and slow fashion following the ideas of a recipe I found in Italian Two Easy, Simple Recipes from the London River Cafe, by Rose Gray and Ruth Rogers. Although I chose to enhance the flavor of my local free-range 3.5 pound chicken with fresh sprigs of tarragon and garlic rather than the rosemary and sage the recipe called for, and only rubbed 1 tablespoon of butter onto the skin rather than the instructed 10, I pretty much obeyed the cooking instructions to the letter. After preheating the oven to 200 degrees, cleaning the chicken, and seasoning and stuffing the cavity with my enhancers; I placed the chicken up-side-down in a heavy-duty pan, added a little under a cup of water, and put the lot into the oven for the first hour. For hour two I turned the chicken onto its right side, and for hour three onto its left. For the final stage I removed the chicken from the oven, turned the oven up to 400 degrees, rubbed my tablespoon of butter into the chicken, seasoned it, and added half a cup of dry vermouth to the pan. The chicken then went back into the oven for a final half hour at the higher temperature to obtain a golden hue and crisp exterior. Exactly as with the pork, the flavor, tenderness, and juiciness, of the chicken was incomparable to a lot of the roast chickens I've had in my past.
Although I have no doubt that a meat's best flavors and textures may truly be obtained via other cooking methods, I think mine is a palette strictly for the low and slow method. Here's to a lot of advanced planning, simple preparation, and, I say this with truth, meaty goodness!!!

Smuttynose Beer Dinner - Murphy's on the Green, Hanover

Although there have been numerous instances when I have not even considered attending a dinner that offers beer and food pairings, the menu preview for Murphy's Smuttynose Beer Dinner on April 28, 2010 peaked my curiosity to the point that I could not say no. I thus proceeded to extend invitations and was happily surprised that "J" seemed keen to accept.
I, by no means, consider myself close to being a connoisseur of beers and ales, so please excuse the absence of much commentary on that side of the meal, and accept the opinions I do offer with a grain of salt!
The dinner opened with the Smuttynose seasonal offering, The Hanami Ale, which was described as having a tart, cherry flavor. Our opening course to harmonize the beer was a "Scallops Sashimi," served with sweet soy, radish, and house pickled ginger. The scallops were pleasantly fresh and had a nice bite and did not require the elaborate accompaniments suggested; which turned out to be a good thing, as the house pickled ginger seemed to be missing from the plate anyways and the radish hardly presented any added flavor. As for the ale, I felt it was a bit strong bodied for the soft sweetness of the scallops and was missing a nice dry and crisp white varietal.
Next on the menu came a "Colorado Lamb Tar Tar" paired with The Brown Dog Ale, which was a pleasant surprise. Firstly, I was quite partial to the darker ale which was certainly hoppy, but proved a nice step away from the tartness of its predecessor, and secondly the lamb tar tare was in no way overpowering in meat flavor or texture. In fact the morsels could have almost melted in the mouth without a lingering taste of lamb or even of the minced shallots and garlic. Accompanying the meat was the yolk of a quail egg, a horseradish aoli, and brioche toasts, which made the dish the overall winner of the night for me. The fatty nature of the egg yolk and aoli combined with the crispiness of the brioche toasts created a beautiful medley of taste and texture without too much of a powerful note from the horseradish.
Course number three was the one I had been looking forward to the most, and perhaps, for that reason, was the one that disappointed me the most. "Pan Seared Pacific Halibut Cheeks" were paired with The IPA. Because I have no affinity for IPAs from any brewer, I chose to hardly touch the beer except to sample the pairing with the dish. The Halibut cheeks themselves were certainly fresh and had a nice mellow flavor, but while they were nice and crispy in texture on the outside they were brutally overcooked and dry within. The additions to the dish were fresh mango, cracked coriander and young cilantro, which in the case of the first and the last were hardly distinguishable, and in the case of the seeds were unpleasantly sharp and inconsistent in both flavor and texture - too much coriander at one point and then lingering shards of seed in one's teeth! All in all not a course I would recommend that Murphy's put on its nightly menu.
The fourth and final savory course was "Fennel Crusted Sweetbreads" served with fresh morel mushrooms, house made duck prosciutto, and a parsnip puree. This was paired with The Big IPA, which given my impartiality to the standard IPA was also hardly touched on my part - fortunately my partner for the evening was willing to tackle it on my behalf! Nevertheless, the sweetbreads were as deliciously rich as could be, and further complemented by a creamy bed of parsnip puree and blanquette-like sauce. Unfortunately the "fresh" morel mushrooms were a disappointment as they appeared to actually be the dried variation improperly soaked so that they were unpleasantly crisp, but the duck prosciutto made for a nice compromise adding saltiness and bight to the dish that otherwise could have been slurped rather than chewed.
Our final course, though superbly creative and promising in taste and texture, was a bit of a let down. "Tempura Banana 'Sushi'" rather than being pieces of crisply coated soft and caramelized banana, was more like banana baby food. However it was wrapped in the traditional format of seaweed and sushi rice, and was a lot of fun to play with - something I always find appealing in my food. The caramel crispies mentioned in the description seemed to be missing, but given the soggy nature of the banana coating they were likely a necessary addition to the plate. However there was a type of pickled or marinated cabbage accompaniment that came as a surprising bonus! The Robust Porter was the chosen brew, but in my taste was too strong and hearty in flavor and body to pair well with the delicacy that is sushi.
Thus, you have my review of my first and perhaps not last beer dinner at Murphy's. I think the boys in the kitchen have a good thing going for them and they should pursue their creativity and attention to local, seasonal, and flavorful food!