Text 23532, 148 rader
Skriven 2015-01-31 15:42:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av NANCY BACKUS
Ärende: Duck.. oh no... 131
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 ML> Good luck with that. We're in for a bit of winter, it
 ML> looks like. I'll be okay (canceling a flight or three)
 ML> if the power doesn't go out.
 NB> And where did this East Coast storm strand you...?  We only got the
 NB> merest edge of it here, only a few inches, maybe 4, total...

Washington had about what you got, but I had been planning to
spend the time in New England; that didn't happen, of course.

 ML> Reminds me of when Dave Sac got a pack of Canyon Creek
 ML> duck tenders - they were the little muscle that has
 ML> the tendon in it, brined in a sweet-salt brine and then
 ML> jerkified. They were pretty good. They were also in the
 ML> pet food department.
 NB> Sometimes things get mis-classified...  (G)

Sometimes they don't. This product was meant as dog food. The
people yumminess was a side effect. And it was only moderately
yummy anyway. And even that was tempered by a nagging anxiety
about what the Chinese put in it!

 ML> I can offer no input at the moment; in Singapore and Manila
 ML> you can buy ducks in any form from quacking to whole (with
 ML> head and feet but drawn) to pieces to whole roasted or
 ML> soy-braised.
 NB> Now that's a nice selection...  ;)   Probably at much better prices
 NB> than we have to pay, too...  :)

Somewhat better. As I noted to Ruth, the Singapore economy,
always strong, has eclipsed ours, and not only does the average
Singaporean make more than the average American, the money goes
farther (if you don't count cars and gas, which most Asians
don't deal with anyway). But the prices are quite high - many
things are dollar for dollar, and in the sector I am most curious
about, fine but not splurge dining, I can't afford it much of
the time. The solution is to eat occasionally in fancy places and
more regularly at stalls, hawker centers, and (if one is with
Lilli) McDonald's. Or to go to Manila, where airfare, hotel, and
food cost no more than just hotel in Singapore.

Aujourd'hui's rack of lamb
categories: unnecessarily fussy, main
servings: 4

h - For the lamb reduction
6 lamb bones*
2 veal bones*
Trimmings from four lamb racks*
Trimmings from four veal racks*
2 onions
3 carrots
2 garlic cloves
4 sprigs thyme
10 whole white peppercorns
10 qt water
1 Tb oil
h - For the eggplant fondue
4 md eggplant
4 Tb olive oil
ground cumin to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1 lemon, juice of
h - For the cranberry bean ragout
1 carrot, peeled
1 lg onion
4 shallots
1 garlic clove
4 Tb duck fat (or unsalted butter)
2 Tb tomato paste
4 c chicken stock
1 lb fresh cranberry beans, shelled
6 sprigs thyme
1 sprig rosemary
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste
h - For the vegetable garnish
1/4 lb baby yellow squash
1/4 lb cherry tomatoes
1/4 lb haricot verts
h - For the Vermont rack of lamb
2 lamb racks (10 to 14 oz each)

Organic rack of lamb with fresh cranberry bean
ragout, eggplant fondue and lamb reduction

Lamb reduction
Heat 1 Tb oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. When the oil
is hot, add the bones a few at a time and brown until
they are a dark golden color all around. Do not stir.
Use tongs. Repeat the process with the trimmings and
set aside. Meanwhile, peel and wash the vegetables
and cut on the bias into big pieces. Caramelize the
vegetables in hot oil following the same process used
with the bones to create a mirepoix. Place the mirepoix
in the bottom of a large pot with the trimmings on top
and the bones on top of that. Pour water over all and
place over heat. Do not boil, but bring to a steady
simmer and skim the foam that rises to the top. Add
the thyme, garlic, and peppercorns and cook 5 hr. Turn
off heat and let the mixture sit for 30 min. Strain
through a fine cheesecloth. Chill and refrigerate.

Eggplant fondue
Split and score the eggplant, drizzle with oil,
season, and roast at 300F 1 hr or until tender.
Scrape the skins and pass insides through a food
mill. Pass through a fine strainer to remove the
seeds. Season with cumin, salt and pepper, and lemon
juice. Place on a flat baking dish in a 200F oven
until dry. When mixture is dry, puree in a food
processor until smooth.

Cranberry bean ragout
Chop carrots, onion, shallots and garlic. In a saute
pan, sweat a large spoonful of mirepoix in duck fat.
Add tomato paste and cook off raw flavor. Tie herbs
together with butcher's twine. Add beans and herbs
to saute pan. Cover with chicken stock and cook until
liquid is reduced by two-thirds. Season aggressively
with salt and pepper. Let the beans cool down in the
liquid. The beans will absorb the salt and the liquid
as they cool down - they're better the next day.

Vegetable garnish
Blanch vegetables, dice and keep warm for plating.

Lamb rack
In a medium skillet, sear lamb presentation-side down
and turn so the bones face up. Roast lamb to med rare,
about 8 min at 350F. Let rest 5 min. Then split into
three chops for plating.

Lamb jus
Bring 8 Tb lamb reduction to simmer and reduce to a
syrup consistency. Makes 3 Tb.


PRESENTATION
Spoon eggplant fondue onto a round plate. Spoon ragout
of beans over the fondue and garnish with diced squash,
tomato, and haricot verts. Place three lamb chops
around the plate. Drizzle the jus around each serving.

William Kovel, Aujourd'hui, Boston

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