Foie gras --The rich's offal

"Chef, what is that?", I asked the chef who was doing his plating for "Filetto di Manzo alla Rossini", when I was in Ritz Carlton, Dubai, my first employment overseas.
"That is foie gras", he replied while putting it on top of toasted apricot brioche.
Yes, that was the first time, I saw foie gras being cooked. Prior to it, I had only theoretical knowledge of what foie gras is. In simple terms it is "fattened liver"(of duck and goose) by feeding more and more. Romans are said to have force fed geese with dried figs, and prior to that Egyptians force fed birds. However, it was not until Roman period that foie gras itself became the reason for force feeding birds(the other reasons people cite is to make the meat taste sweet).
In the meantime, after the fall of Roman empire, the practice vanished, however, Jews retained the tradition who were looking for a cooking medium, since lard is prohibited. The only fat they could use except olive oil & sesame oil was poultry fat & they kept the tradition of force feeding birds in order to get the fat from them.However, this practice was abolished since 19th century. But the question is...since when it became a french delicacy??
Since foie gras is derived from only two types of birds--goose & duck, the prices are high, & both of them tastes different. Duck foie gras has a little gamey taste, musky flavour with a subtle bitter taste. However, goose foie gras has more pronounce taste, smoother, less gamey and more delicate flavour.

Well, foie gras is full of fat & it always tastes good..the number one reason I love to eat foie gras. I have some severe medical complications which has resulted in a number of dietary restrictions...cannot each too much red meat, offals are no-no for me. Well, I am not a fan of offals--I still remember when my mom used to put liver of mutton while cooking mutton curry, explaining it to be healthy & I would judiciously take it off from my plate. But when it comes to foie gras, I cannot say "No". It is always "yes...yes" for me.
Generally foie gras is served in two forms--hot & cold. In hot form, nothing is as delicious as simple pan fried foie gras. All you need is a simple seasoning(I like to season mine with a pinch of fleur de sel & some crushed pepper) or you go to some exotic seasonings like five spice etc. Put it on top of brioche(I put it on walnut brioche), pain d'epice(loosely, known as the gingerbread)or even some toasted baguette. Anymore accompaniments??Well..many, but choose them effectively. Generally accompaniments should be a little sweet-sour combinations. For example, glazed berries, orange zest confit, reduction of port wine with grape juice, fig chutney or can be simply caramelised (green)apples, pears, onion marmalade etc.
Foie gras in its cold form are many--it can be mousse, it can be terrine, it can be cured in a towel or "au torchon" as you will call in French.

                                                Now, that is Foie gras au torchon with raspberry coulis & fig jam

               And this is, well, Pan fried foie gras with walnut brioche, confit orange zest & red onion marmalade










People raise questions about the way duck and goose are force fed, inhumanely. I have no voice--against or for it. And you will know the rates are high since out of one goose/duck you will get only 1 foie gras & not two. And that it takes months for them to achieve that enormous size of liver[can weigh upto 2 pounds or even more]& the slaughter takes place generally during christmas(So whenever you have it, it reminds you of christmas isn't it??). The addition of foie gras to anything makes it a little luxurious. For example, Rossini style tenderloin steak or "Tournedos ala Rossini", where the beefsteak is topped with a piece of foie gras & some shaved truffle or even Daniel Boulud's burger in bistro moderne, where burger is topped with a piece of foie gras or putting a pan fried foie gras on top of scallops or lobster, for some "surf-n-turf" as Thomas Keller would do.
So to enjoy some little luxury at home, I bought 3 livers...one liver for pan fried foie gras & the rest two for making terrine & enjoy it with some homemade brioche.
But did you try foie gras creme brulee??or Foie gras ice-cream?Yes, I had creme brulee, but I am waiting for that day, when I will have foie gras ice-cream & that too of goose foie gras.
For the time being...Bon Appetit!! :)

Sunday off..and cooking at home

Perhaps my most popular topic, "Sunday offs" and then some home cooking is back again. Well, Sundays are very special to me since my childhood--firstly, it being the weekly holiday[despite Saturday has been a holiday as well, before I started working in hospitality] & secondly, the mutton curry--a must have on a sunday lunch, albeit with steamed rice.
The evenings were mostly reserved for going out, having dinner in some restaurants and then back home!!
So whenever, I get off on Sundays, I just feel I am going to enjoy the international weekend[and not the regional weekend, which comprises of Friday+Saturday]. Its been a while, that I didn't do a proper cooking at home--a set menu, a loving gesture that I mostly do to myself and then I cooked, I ate and I digested all.
So the menu was

Cream of Artichoke soup

Truffle oil, Pork Tartine

-

Panfried Salmon

White Asparagus, Polenta, Orange emulsion and gremolata foam

-

Chocolate poached pears

Mixed berry soup, pear sorbet

Well...that was the menu for previous sunday!!!However, I will share only one recipe out of all these, one that of main course...

Panfried Salmon

White Asparagus, Polenta, Orange emulsion and gremolata foam

Ingredients:

For the Salmon

Salmon-180 gm filet, preferably from the belly part, with the skin on

Seasoning-As required

Olive Oil-20 ml

Butter, chilled-25 gm

Fleur de sel-1 pinch

For the orange emulsion

Orange-1 no

Star anise-1 no

Honey- 1 tsp

Fish stock- 30 ml

Seasoning- as required

Olive Oil-20 ml

Butter, chilled-10 gm

For the Polenta

Quick cooking polenta-20 gm

Milk-100 ml

Water- if required

Butter- 10 gm

Parmesan, grated- 10 gm

Salt- As required

For the White Asparagus

White Asparagus tips-3 nos.

Butter- 10 gm

Seasoning- As required

For the gremolata foam

Parsley-1/2 bunch

Lime-1 no

Garlic-2 cloves

Soy Lecithin/"Lecite" by Texturas-1 pinch

Salt-1/2 tsp

Water-500 ml

Method:

For the Gremolata Foam

1.Chop up the parsley, zest the lemon & take the juice out of it, chop the garlic & add all in the water, with some salt. Bring it to boil & simmer for 20 minutes and then let it infuse for further 15 minutes. 

2.Strain the mixture, reserve the water, adjust the salt & blend in the lecithin. Keep warm

For the Polenta

1. Cook the polenta in milk, add salt till its no more grainy. Add water if milk is not enough. Finish off with butter, parmesan & let it cool down enough, to cut into a square.

For the Orange emulsion

1.Zest & juice the orange & simmer with star anise, honey, fish stock & salt. Once it is a little syrupy, strain & add in the Olive Oil & keep aside.

For the White Asparagus

1. Peel, blanch the asparagus in salt water. Drain & refresh in ice-cold water & drain again. Reserve until ready for cooking

Final Cooking:

Season the salmon. In a hot pan, add oil & once the oil is hot, put in the salmon, skin side down & cook for 3-4 minutes. In the meanwhile, cut the polenta in a square block[same size of that the salmon] & heat in the oven. Finish the orange emulsion--bring it to boil & add in the block of chilled butter & mix fast. Heat butter in a pan & when it is lightly browned add in the asparagus & season.

Once salmon is cooked on one side, turn on the other side, add the butter in the pan and baste the fish with the melted butter from the pan--cook for a further 2-3 minutes.

Plating:

First arrange the white asparagus on the plate & put the polenta on top. Rest the salmon on top of polenta & drizzle the sauce around. Use a handheld blender to make the foam & put some foam around the fish & on the sides of the fish. Sprinkle the fleur de sel on top of the salmon.

Bon Appetit!!

Year 2011: Re-visited

I still have clear memories of January 1st 2011....I was leaving for home around 2:30am in the morning after work & went home, amidst the traffic congestion in Sheikh Zayed Road with my colleagues--it took about an hour to reach home...then sleep & then ...work!!
When I got up in the morning, I was a little terrified since the previous evening was uncontrollably busy..around 129 covers--my boss & myself ran the show. I was afraid that January 1st wud be busy as well, but thank god---it was not!!
In days to come, I went home on vacation, i.e. to Kolkata but for 20 days, which seemed very long to me. At last, I could enjoy the winter in Kolkata & good, sound sleep...no more alarm, no one to disturb me neither, I need to get ready for work.
However, I was getting tired in the same place for almost 12-13 months in the same position and when I asked if the department has any plan for my career development[what I meant "am I going to get any promotion??", I guess it was overdue] & my question was just nulled by an answer, "Nothing before 2012". So, its time to move on I guess, and then started a period of search, job search. Ok, dont get me wrong--I love my job, but the company stopped loving me.So why shall I love the company who stopped to think about me[or it is just delinquent!!!]?
Anyways, days passed as I was looking for a change in company--I was not confident enough to secure a chef de partie position, since I need to learn a lot in the kitchen, than merely apply for a supervisor position, and however, in days to come I had two options, one of them offering a chef de partie but low salary in Seychelles and another one offering same position but with more remuneration and benefits, i.e. Hyatt. Well, I chose Hyatt---its like getting back to the old girlfriend, with who you broke up few years before. When I put down my papers in the company, many people were quite surprised that I was about to leave--it was a big decision for me, but I had no options left. In 2 hours, they were planning to promote me, however, I didn't work with them anymore--accepting the promotion means staying there & work with them--I was reluctant to do so. Days passed and came my last day...with a fond farewell & tears in my ears---yes I was moved!!Yes, I left Ritz Carlton, Dubai with a heavy heart...

I started my new life, new place, new people & altogether new kitchen, new way of working. This is what happens whenever you start in a place--no matter how experience you are, you need to act like a stupid for some days to learn and know how things work there. There are some people who you will always like at work & who you will never like just because they are idiots.And it just happens with me everywhere I go.

But yes, I enjoy my work in Hyatt, despite the long days & hours, but every moment is challenging when it is busy--I guess that was good. In my former place, I was getting lazy due to less pressure at work thus it was becoming easy life.
 I joined the main kitchen, I was being transferred to the french kitchen--cooking and serving fine French food--contemporary & classics & in my repertoire just knowledge absorption--skills, cooking, concepts & a lot of things.

When I look back at 2010 & then at 2011-I find 2011 was way ahead better than 2010---year 2010 was a year of frustrations,depressions and all sorts of negative. 2011 gave me a lot of opportunities to learn and see new things...new people, new friends.But its been a while that I am in Dubai--and it has become boring now. I remember how desperate I was to leave Dubai & this year, I hope I'll leave Dubai & try for some other countries[I am not thinking of getting back to India--to work!!].But I am looking forward to 2012---Is there any surprise in store for me??I leave that to God, let Him reveal everything in His own time!!