Month: November 2009

Lobster Bisque

/ Ren

Maine lobster, cream, dry sherry, aromatic herbs and vegetables and shaved black truffles.  A classic..

Lobster Bisque

Lobster Bisque

Serves 2

2 shell-on Maine or Canadian lobster tails, as fresh as possible
1 1/2 cups court-bouillon or fish stock
4 oz fresh cream
1 oz brandy
2 oz dry sherry
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 fresh lemon, cut into wedges
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 sweet bulb onion, split and thinly-sliced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered
1 tablespoon half-sharp paprika
2 tablespoons tomato paste
8-10 smoked black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
butter

Sauté celery, onions, carrots, tomatoes, herbs and lobster shells in a tablespoon of butter over medium-low heat until vegetables are tender and the shells have turned bright red in color.

Add sherry and brandy and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, then add court-bouillon, lemon, pepper and paprika, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour.

Run a wooden skewer lengthwise through each lobster tail, then lower into the liquid and gently poach for 2 minutes.  Remove lobster from pan and allow to cool enough to handle.

Pour stock through a fine strainer into a clean saucepan, pressing on and discarding the solids.  Whisk in tomato paste and simmer until reduced by about 1/3 in volume.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and cook sweet onions until translucent.  Add chopped parsley, lobster medallions and any remaining pieces of lobster meat and gently poach until the lobster is just done.

Whisk the cream into the bisque, then finish with 2 tablespoons of the onion, butter and parsley mixture.

To serve, ladle bisque into a shallow bowl and arrange butter-drenched lobster medallions and pieces on top. Season lightly with freshly-ground black pepper and Maldon sea salt and garnish with fresh tarragon, thinly-shaved black truffles and bits of edible flowers.

Pan-Roasted Duck Breast with Blackberry and Cranberry Chutney

/ Ren

Succulent, aged Moulard duck breast with thyme, bay and a hint of freshly-grated nutmeg is pan-seared, then quickly roasted to a perfect medium-rare.  Served with Armagnac-flamed pan juices, asparagus with garlic and parsley root, and gingered wild blackberry and cranberry chutney..

Pan-Roasted Moulard

Pan-Roasted Moulard with Blackberry/Cranberry Chutney

For the Chutney

1/3 cup red onion, chopped
1 tablespoon rendered duck fat
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly-grated ginger
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons wildflower honey
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over
1/2 cup wild blackberries
salt and pepper

Sauté the onions in duck fat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in ginger, vinegar, honey and cranberries. Lower heat, cover and simmer until all the cranberries have popped, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool. Adjust sweetness/tartness with a little vinegar or honey if you think it needs it, then season to taste with sea salt and cracked pepper. The finished mixture should be thick.

For the Duck (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

1/2 fresh Moulard duck breast (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup Armagnac

Use a sharp, thin knife to score a cross-hatch pattern into the fat side of the duck breast, taking care not to cut into the muscle.  Season on all sides with salt, pepper, thyme and nutmeg, then lay bay leaves against the flesh, loosely wrap in butcher’s paper and refrigerate overnight.

Allow to duck breast to sit on the counter for 20 minutes while you pre-heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat.  Add the duck breast skin-side down to the hot pan, then reduce heat to medium low and cook, moving often, until the skin is golden brown and much of the fat has been rendered out.

Flip the breast over and sauté for 1 minute, then pour off the fat and place the pan in a 375 degree oven until almost medium-rare, about 8-10 minutes. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, de-glaze the pan with Armagnac, and add a small knob of butter.  Sauté diced parsley root until tender/crisp, then add garlic and thinly-sliced asparagus (a great way to use up leftover stalks) and sauté until the asparagus is tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Slice the duck breast on a 1/4-inch bias and arrange on a warmed plate.  Spoon asparagus and pan juices over the top and garnish with blackberry/cranberry chutney.

Wild Blueberry Biscuits with Maple Sugar and Rosemary

/ Ren

A little savory and not too sweet, these simple biscuits make a versatile side any time of day..

 

Wild Blueberry Bisquits

Wild Blueberry Biscuits with Maple Sugar and Rosemary

 

Makes about 10 3-inch biscuits (adapted from a recipe by Diana’s Kitchen)

2 1/4 cups organic, unbleached all-purpose flour, divided
1/4 cup rapadura or raw wildflower honey
1 tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup cultured butter, softened
1 pastured egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup fresh buttermilk
3/4 cup organic frozen blueberries

Topping

3 tablespoons cultured butter, melted
3 tablespoons maple sugar
3 tablespoons fresh rosemary needles, chopped

Mix 2 cups of the flour with the rapadura, baking powder, lemon peel, salt, and baking soda in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture forms pea-sized lumps.

Combine egg and buttermilk, then pour into the flour mixture. Stir just to combine- mixture will be slightly lumpy. Gently fold in still-frozen blueberries.

Sprinkle remaining flour onto the counter-top, then knead the dough by hand until it holds together, about 6 or 7 turns. Pat out the dough to a uniform 1/2 inch thickness, then cut out rounds with an empty can, glass or cutter.

Brush biscuits with melted butter, then sprinkle with maple sugar and rosemary.  Place 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degree until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Serve hot from the oven with cultured butter.

Wild Halibut en Persillade

/ Ren

Thick-cut wild Alaskan halibut with a light coating of homemade coarse mustard and a persillade of chopped parsley and bread crumbs..

Wild Halibut en Persillade

Wild Halibut en Persillade

Serves 2  (adapted from a recipe by Thomas Keller)

2 6-oz fillets fresh Wild Alaskan Halibut
1/3 cup dried bread crumbs
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon homemade coarse mustard
1 teaspoon filtered water
pastured butter
sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Trim crusts from bread and pulse in a food processor.  Bake bread crumbs in a 250 degree oven, tossing occasionally until completely dry, about 1 hour.  Toss with finely chopped parsley and set aside.

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry.  Season on both sides with  salt and pepper.  Brush one side of each fillet with a thin coating of thinned mustard, then dip the mustard side of the fish into the bread crumbs, pressing lightly to form an even coating.

Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then place the fillets crumb side down into the pan and cook until golden brown, about 1 minute.

Carefully turn fish over, then place pan into a 350 degree oven just until the fish begins to flake, about 6-8 minutes.

Arrange fish on a plate, then drizzle with a little of the browned butter from the skillet and give it a squeeze of fresh lemon.  Delicious with Nantes Carrot Stew on the side.

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This post is part of Real Food Wednesdays!

Tuesday Twister

/ Ren

Each week, fellow real food-blogger Wardeh encourages us to take look back and share a little about what’s been twisting in our kitchens over the last week.  Pastured beef and lamb prevailed for 4 days here, along with a savory vegetarian meal and couple of not-too-sweet treats..

1) Stash Cookies Cultured butter, papelón, piloncillo oscuro, raw cacao beans and wild cinnamon.  Oh, my.

2) Mesquite Grilled Beef Heart Burrito Grass-fed beef heart is marinated  and grilled over a mesquite fire before being simmered with tomatoes, garlic and smoky chipotles en adobo.  I missed an opportunity to do something interesting with all the blood, but a couple of real-food bloggers come to the rescue on that score.

3) Ancho-Grilled Sirloin with Avocado and Papaya Pesto Grass-fed sirloin is dry-rubbed with freshly-ground ancho chiles, roasted paprika, cumin, smoked pepper and sea salt and then pan-grilled and served with a raw avocado oil-based pesto containing cilantro, garlic, bits of dried papaya, macadamia nuts and chipotle powder.

4) Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb with Minted English Peas Local pastured leg of lamb is coated with fresh rosemary, garlic, coarse salt and cracked pepper then slow-roasted and served au jus with fresh peas, spearmint and fried shallots.  The leftovers went became Lamb Vindaloo two days later..

5) Cultured Ginger Peach Smoothie Home-cultured milk, fresh ginger, peaches, lemon and raw wildflower honey make a powerfully pro-biotic, anti-inflammatory and warming beverage.

6) Savory Bread and Cheese Pudding Sprouted wheat and wild yeast sourdough bread, pastured eggs, fresh milk, spinach, onions, garlic, sweet peppers and aged cheeses..

Stash Cookies with papelón, piloncillo oscuro, raw cacao beans and wild cinnamon

I’m off to gnowfglins.com to see what else has been twisting these last few days before Thanksgiving..