TO SERVE, put a portion of the risotto to one side of each of 4 warmed shallow bowls. Put one veal shank in each bowl to the side of the risotto, spoon the sauce over the shanks, and sprinkle with the gremolata.
Using Parchment Paper as a Lid
WE USE PARCHMENT PAPER INSTEAD OF A LID SO THAT THE INGREDIENTS IN THE POT CAN LOSE SOME OF THEIR MOISTURE WHILE COOKING. IF YOU COVER THE POT WITH A LID, THE STEAM THAT IS RELEASED FROM THE FOOD RECIRCULATES INTO THE SAUCE OR BRAISING LIQUID, AND DILUTES IT. THE PARCHMENT PAPER ALSO HELPS TO HOLD TOGETHER THE INGREDIENTS SO THERE IS LESS DAMAGE TO A FRAGILE PIECE OF MEAT OR VEGETABLE.
Bottom: Connie Green of Wine Country Forest, our mushroom forager
Merlot-Braised Duck Legs with Wild Mushroom and Bacon Vol-au-Vent
Merlot-Braised Duck Legs with Wild Mushroom and Bacon Vol-au-Vent
Serves 4
A few years ago, we were asked to do a special dinner for Duckhorn Vineyards, just north of St. Helena. We took our cue from the name of the winery and its renowned Duckhorn Merlot, and came up with these succulent Merlot-braised duck legs. We like the earthy flavor that the root vegetable, salsify, brings to this dish. If it’s not in season, or you can’t find it, you can substitute baby turnip, rutabaga, or parsnip.
Braised Duck Legs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4 large duck legs, trimmed of extra fat and the skin scored
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup chopped onion
⅓ cup chopped carrot
¼ cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, smashed
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 cups Merlot
2 cups game stock or brown chicken stock
⅓ cup chopped tomato
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 cup milk
3 cups water
4 salsify, about ¾ inch thick and 8 inches long, or 4 baby turnips, 2 inches in diameter
Wild Mushroom and Smoked Bacon Vol-au-Vent
TO BRAISE THE DUCK LEGS, preheat the oven to 325°. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven over high heat. Season the duck legs with salt and pepper, then place in the pan, skin side down, and cook until golden brown on each side. Transfer the duck legs to a plate and keep warm. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pan. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and thyme, and sauté until browned. Add the flour and stir for 1 minute, then add the Merlot, stock, tomato, peppercorns, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil. Lightly season with salt and pepper; add the duck legs and decrease the heat to a simmer. Cut a circle of parchment paper that just fits inside the pan and a 1-inch hole in the center. Place the paper on the duck legs and braise in the oven for about 1 hour, or until tender. Carefully transfer the legs to a plate and keep warm. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse the pan and return the sauce to the pan. Cook over high heat until reduced to 2 cups. Return the duck legs to the pan and keep warm.
Combine the milk and water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, peel the salsify and cut it into 3-inch-long pieces. Put the salsify into the boiling milk and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. (If using turnips instead, cut each into 6 wedges and cook in boiling water, omitting the milk, until tender, about 3 minutes.) Drain and add to the hot mushroom cream sauce for the vol-au-vent.
TO SERVE, place a warm vol-au-vent on the upper side of each of 4 warmed plates and spoon the mushroom and salsify cream sauce into each vol-au-vent. Place a duck leg in front of each vol-au-vent and spoon the Merlot sauce over the duck legs.
Roasted Rack of Lamb with Ratatouille, Hummus, Tabbouleh, and Raita
Serves 4
This dish presents several of our favorite Middle Eastern flavors in a contemporary style that lets each element shine on its own alongside succulent roasted lamb chops. The ratatouille, hummus, tabbouleh, and raita are all better when made a day in advance. Ask your butcher to “french” the racks of lamb; this refers to trimming the meat and fat away from the top of the bones and trimming excess fat from the rack. This makes it easier to cut the rack into individual chops and makes for a neater, more refined presentation.
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 racks of lamb (about 1½ pounds each before frenching, 1 pound each after)
Ratatouille
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
½ cup ½-inch-diced onion
⅓ cup ½-inch-diced red bell pepper
⅓ cup ½-inch-diced zucchini
½ cup ½-inch-diced eggplant
½ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
1 cup tomato concassée
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Hummus
1 cup cooked garbanzo beans (if canned, rinse well)
⅓ cup tahini paste (mix the oil and paste together before using)
4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
⅛ teaspoon minced garlic
⅓ cup hot water, plus 3 tablespoons more if needed
Salt to taste
Tabbouleh
2 tablespoons fine bulgur (cracked wheat)
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons tomato concassée
2 teaspoons chopped green onion
1 large fresh mint leaf, chopped
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Raita
¼ hothouse cucumber, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced ⅛ inch thick
⅔ cup plain yogurt
2 fresh mint leaves, chopped
⅛ teaspoon grated garlic
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Curry Oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ teaspoon curry powder
⅛ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 popadams (lentil crackers), halved and deep-fried in 2 inches oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden, for garnish (optional)
8 fresh cilantro sprigs, for garnish
TO MARINATE THE LAMB, combine the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary in a medium bowl. Rub evenly all over the lamb. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
TO MAKE THE RATATOUILLE, preheat the oven to 350°. In an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and garlic together over high heat and sauté the garlic just until it starts to brown. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the bell pepper, zucchini, eggplant, and basil, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the tomato concassée and bring to a boil, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper. Cut a circle of parchment paper that fits just inside the pan and a 1-inch hole in the center. Place the paper on the ratatouille to cover, and cook in the oven for 20 minutes, or until all the vegetables are soft. Set aside.
TO MAKE THE HUMMUS, combine the beans, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and ⅓ cup water in a food processor and process until smooth, adding more hot water if the hummus is too thick (it should be spoonable). Season with salt. Cover and refrigerate.
TO MAKE THE TABBOULEH, soak the bulgur in warm water for about 20 minutes, or until softened. Drain in a sieve and squeeze out the excess water by hand. Mix together the bulgur and all the remaining tabbouleh ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
TO MAKE THE RAITA, mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.
TO MAKE THE CURRY OIL, combine all the ingredients in a very small sauté pan over low heat. Heat the mixture until warm, then let cool. Skim off the clear oil, discarding the spices left behind. Reserve the oil in a small bowl.
TO COOK THE RACK OF LAMB, preheat the oven to 450°. Heat t
he olive oil in a large ovenproof sauté pan or skillet over high heat until hot. Season the lamb with salt and pepper, then place in the pan, meat side down, and cook until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the racks over, put the pan in the oven, and roast for 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare, basting every 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, reheat the ratatouille.
TO SERVE, divide the hot ratatouille among 4 plates. Place a scoop of hummus above the ratatouille in the 12 o’clock position, then spoon the tabbouleh in the 4 o’clock position, and the raita in the 8 o’clock position. Cut both of the lamb racks into 6 chops. Place 3 chops on each plate between the condiments with the bone in the center of the plate. Drizzle the curry oil around the lamb. Place a popadam straight down in the hummus, with the edges being supported by the lamb chops. Place 2 cilantro sprigs in the middle of each plate.
Letting Meat Rest
“RESTING” MEAT MEANS ALLOWING IT TO SIT FOR A FEW MINUTES IN A WARM (NOT HOT) PLACE AFTER IT HAS BEEN COOKED. WHEN MEAT COOKS, ITS JUICES FLOW TOWARD THE CENTER. IF YOU CUT A ROAST, FOR EXAMPLE, AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT OF THE OVEN, THE INTERIOR WILL BE MOIST, THE EXTERIOR WILL BE DRY, AND THE JUICES WILL RUN OUT EXCESSIVELY. RESTING THE COOKED MEAT ALLOWS IT TO REABSORB ITS JUICES EVENLY. REST STEAKS AND CHOPS FOR 5–10 MINUTES; REST ROASTS FOR 10–15 MINUTES, DEPENDING ON THEIR SIZE. WE’VE BUILT THIS TECHNIQUE INTO OUR RECIPES BY THE WAY WE ORGANIZED THE ORDER OF THE STEPS.
Pork Belly “Kakuni” on Steamed Tatsoi with Wasabi
Serves 4 as main course, 8 as an appetizer
“Kakuni” means “square stew,” a reference to the cube-shaped pieces of meat. If pork belly sounds a little intimidating, just remember, that’s what bacon is. Like bacon, pork belly has a lot of fat, not all of which cooks away. But that’s what gives this dish its incredible flavor—and why the portions are small. Pork belly can be hard to find; if your butcher doesn’t carry it, try a Chinese market. Serve this dish with steamed rice.
1 (2½ pounds) piece of pork belly, about 5 by 6 inches and 1¼ inches thick
1 tablespoon peanut oil
Braising Liquid
4 cups water
⅓ cup sugar
⅔ cup soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tablespoon sliced fresh ginger
1 star anise pod
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1½ ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
½ cup julienned leek (white part only)
4 large tatsoi or small bok choy, about 5 inches long, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons grated fresh wasabi, wasabi powder mixed with water, or prepared wasabi in a tube
1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted
CUT THE PIECE OF PORK BELLY lengthwise into 2 pieces, each 5 inches by 3 inches and 1¼ inches thick. Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan or skillet over high heat until hot. Add the pork belly, skin side down, and cook, 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in an ovenproof saucepan or Dutch oven just large enough to hold both pieces of pork belly in a single layer, combine all the braising liquid ingredients and bring to a boil. Add the browned pork belly, making sure both pieces are covered with the braising liquid, and return to a boil. Skim off any foam that develops, decrease the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours, or until tender. Gently transfer the pork belly to a baking dish. Strain the liquid, discarding the solids, and pour it over the pork belly. Let cool completely, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
WHEN READY TO SERVE, cut the pork belly into ½-inch squares, then combine them with 2 cups of the braising liquid, the shiitake mushrooms, and leek in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, decrease the heat to a simmer, and cook until the pork belly is heated through, about 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, blanch the tatsoi.
TO SERVE, place 2 halves of the tatsoi in the center of each of 4 warmed shallow bowls. Divide the pork belly squares among the bowls, arranging them on top of the tatsoi. Spoon the sauce over the tatsoi and pork belly, then top each serving with a ½-teaspoon ball of wasabi. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Grilled Quail on Eggplant and Goat Cheese “Lasagna” with Herbed Game Jus
Grilled Quail on Eggplant and Goat Cheese “Lasagna” with Herbed Game Jus
Serves 4
Partially boned quail are easier to use and much easier to eat (in markets they are called “boneless” quail). We use the word “lasagna” to describe the layering of the ingredients in this dish, even though this version is made with eggplant, not pasta. You can also make it in a casserole to serve at a large party or buffet. It makes a nice main course for lunch and an ideal side dish with lamb or roast chicken.
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
8 partially boned quail
(leg and wing bones left in)
Eggplant and Goat Cheese “Lasagna”
3 tablespoons salt
1 gallon water
2 large globe eggplants, peeled, stemmed, and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick disks
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 cup (8 ounces) fresh goat cheese without a rind
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon dry bread crumbs
1 cup tomato sauce
1 tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade
4 tablespoons freshly ground Parmesan cheese
Herbed Game Jus
1 cup game stock or brown chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons tomato concassée
⅛ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
½ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
½ cup haricots verts, blanched for 1 minute
½ cup yellow wax beans, blanched for 1½ minutes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish
TO MARINATE THE QUAIL, combine the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary in a large mixing bowl. Add the quail and turn to coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
TO MAKE THE “LASAGNA,” preheat the oven to 350°. In a large bowl, stir the salt into the 1 gallon of water. Soak the eggplant in the salted water for 15 to 20 minutes to remove the bitterness. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Brush with the extra virgin olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place the eggplant on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until soft and slightly browned. Set aside.
Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill.
Divide the goat cheese into 8 equal portions, roll each into a ball, and flatten into a disc about 3½ inches in diameter. Using four 4-inch-diameter by 2-inch-high soufflé (10-ounce) dishes, choose 4 of the largest eggplant discs and place one in the bottom of each dish. If the discs are not big enough to cover the bottom of the dish, cut a piece of eggplant to fit the space. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons bread crumbs and top with a goat cheese disc, 2 tablespoons tomato sauce, a pinch of basil, and 1½ teaspoons Parmesan cheese. Top with a disc of eggplant and repeat the layering process again, ending with eggplant on top. You should have 3 layers of eggplant and 2 layers of filling. Gently press evenly on the top of the eggplant to settle the layers and help them stick together.
Place the soufflé dishes on a baking sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until hot. To test, insert a small knife into the center of one soufflé dish for 10 seconds, remove it, and carefully put it close to but not touching your lip; you should feel heat radiating from the knife. Set aside and keep warm.
MEANWHILE, TO GRILL THE QUAIL, sea
son them with salt and pepper. Grill, breast side down, for 2 minutes, then turn at a 90-degree angle on the same side to make cross marks and cook 1 minute longer or until golden brown. Turn the quail over and grill for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate to rest and keep warm.
TO MAKE THE JUS, combine the stock, parsley, concassée, thyme, and basil in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to ⅔ cup. Decrease the heat to low, add the butter, and incorporate it into the sauce by gently shaking the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
TO COOK THE BEANS, heat the butter and shallots in a small sauté pan over medium heat, and cook until the shallot is tender, about 1 minute. Add the beans and cook for about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
TO SERVE, carefully unmold the lasagnas by turning them upside down in the center of each of 4 warmed plates. Place 2 quail on top of each lasagna with the legs up. Top with the beans. Spoon the jus evenly over all and garnish with a thyme sprig.
Terra : Cooking from the Heart of Napa Valley (9780307815323) Page 17
