Rillettes De Paris ...Holiday Spreads

Yummy Rillettes. When I was a stupid teenager I would look at this type as food as gross. I wish people would get over this misconception and actually taste something first. Granted this is not an everyday food, or very healthy for that matter, but why not for the holidays. Rillettes are any sort of meat or fish cooked down in fat. There are delicious salmon versions, duck, rabbit, and of course Pork. The French call it brown jam as its so spreadable . Serve Rillettes with crusty bread, cornichons,perhaps a tad of mustard and enjoy. A few weeks ago I promised my buddy Terry that I would make some after we had some at a party. Compared to other other pate spreads this is pretty cheap and simple to make . The only thing required is time. After comparing various recipes on the Internet, I decided to go for what seemed the easiest, but just as effective. A slow cooker version. Once the hard work of skinning and cutting the pork belly up in one inch pieces was achieved. I just seasoned and put the slow to cooker to work while I slept. A few turns over 10 hours and draining of the fat to reserve to seal later and by morning I had buttery soft brown pieces of slow cooked pork seasoned by Bay Leaf, salt, peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, and mace. I could and should have added a little garlic as some recipe call for it and some don't , but why not? Don't let copious amounts of fat deter you. That helps preserve the Rillettes for a few week in the fridge if well sealed. And it just adds to the richness.

I plan on bringing to these to friends and family over the weekend. Once I potted the meat in the cute containers from World Market, I put them in a Bain Marie to insure more fat rose to the top after pouring some on top to seal. You want a good cover. Some say at least 1/4 of an inch if you want to preserve up to one month in the fridge. I'm sure ours will be finished by New Years.

Use your own taste for seasoning. You will find Rilletttes vary by region. Some just call for salt and pepper with Bay and some call for more. Think of what you like with Pork. Serve with loaves of Crusty bread and enjoy. For the recipe for Rilletes De Paris, I used click here. The author Jane Grigson advocates using a mortar and Pestle. I used my handy immersion blender for the task. Just be careful to the final texture. You want it smooth but not mushy. Most important serve at room temperature, not straight out of fridge.On New Years you can start your diet.

Duck Fat and Garlic "Toasted" Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese...Holiday Cooking With Ile De France

I love small plates and little nibbles. I also love all things rich ( my men, my life, my food). One of the most most beautiful and richest cuisines out there is French. I look back at long ago my school years in Paris and wish I took advantage of the resources out there then. But I was young and Paris was my Movable Feast.

This past week was the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau. My old friend Terry treated me to the Annual Fete at the French American Chamber Of Commerce. This is an opportunity for many restaurants to display their food in the small plate format. One place was making grilled Camembert sandwiches on a hot plate. I took a bite and noticed the Camembert didn't melt through the grilled bread. Terry and I were talking about earlier and I had a revelation. I was going to make this dish with the duck fat I rendered that was in the freezer.

Forget butter, but use the duck fat for that extra dimension. I also decided to add mushed blanched garlic to create a Gascony style Butter. Before the health police start, did you know Duck Fat is better for you than butter? Duck Fat has less saturated fats than butter 32% versus 62%. Duck fat has higher Mono Saturated Fat than butter and is more comparable to Olive Oil (read about it here).

So when I received my Ile de France sample, I was ready. With the Holidays you want a quick easy recipe to assemble and that will keep warm with minimal fuss. Toasting in the oven , rather than frying works very well and insures the cheese is melted through.

Duck Fat and Garlic "Toasted" Camembert Mini Grilled Cheese
makes 12 and can be increased easily increased
24 slices of Baguette
1/2-3/4 cup Duck Fat (can be purchased )
5 cloves of Garlic ( or to taste)
Ile De France Camembert Cheese
Dried Thyme
Water to blanch garlic

In a small saucepan , blanch garlic cloves until tender( about 1 minute).
In a small mixing bowl mash the garlic into the duck fat. You can use a immersion blender or food processor to make smooth.
Take a pastry brush and brush each slice of Baguette.
Assemble small wedges of Camembert into two slices of bread.
Arrange on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with dried Thyme.
Bake at 350 F until golden, approx 15 minutes. Turn/flip sandwiches midway and press down with spatula to aid the cheese in melting. Turn up to 400 F the last few minutes to insure crispness and browning.
Serve on passed platters or on small plates with dressed greens.
*Can be kept in warming oven until ready to serve.

The Sharper Your Knife The Less You Cry... A Review and A Give Away!

A few weeks back I received a request to review a book that was about to be published in the paperback version from Penguin Books. The Sharper Your Knife The Less You Cry ...Love , Laughter and Tears in Paris at the Worlds Most Famous Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn is in one word Outstanding!. I couldn't put this book down over the weekend because it hit home on so many levels. A short synopsis is of a American woman in her late thirties seemingly has it all. A high level job in London, and a wonderful love.Like most of us have or are about to go through, the realities of corporate life hit and she is layed off. Fine , she wasn't happy anyway. All her life she dreamed of studying at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, in part influenced by a relatives dream. But life gets in the way and dreams are put on hold. Do I know that story! I too got to study briefly in France but family duty and responsibility called me back home.Kathleen's love encourages her to use this time and follow her dream. He even decides to join her and what follows is a comical, loving, challenging time filled with all the highs and lows that go with studying in pressure cooker like Le Cordon Bleu, competitiveness, struggles with the French culture and language, being an American abroad in these perilous times, etc. The title comes from a line uttered in a lecture by a chef. As he explains how to chop a onion he advises on the use of sharp knives and cuts so the fumes aren't released that make you cry.But there is so much more to that sentence! The various chef instructors all have strong personalities and taskmasters that bring out the best and sometimes worst in the students. Kathleen closes each chapter with recipes from her studies, her family, her fellow students, Le Cordon Bleu, and her final exam. She even has a section at the end advising on menu ideas for a book club to discuss the book.
Kathleen Flinn reminds us that of the Ernest Hemingway quote that says "If your lucky enough to live in Paris when you're young, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast." I loved this book because it brought back so many memories of my years in art school in Paris. I could totally relate to the tears, the neighborhoods, the characters, the house guests galore( which happens when you live in a great city),the whole American abroad experience. The author is motivated by Julia Child, who 'started late' and a obituary of a woman. What do you want your obituary to say? Are you happy, and is really to late to do what you love? What holds you back, will you die with regrets?And most important, are you surrounded by people who truly love and support you in your dreams, because that is essential to succeed. This author is writer by profession who also loves cuisine. Young old, mid career or just starting out, this book is for everyone.
The people at PENGUIN were kind enough to give me an extra copy.Just comment on what your dream is or what you would do if life threw you a curve ball and had the chance to do what you loved? I will leave the comments open until Friday August 29. and pick a winner randomly. Good Luck!