AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Rich Man, Poor Man (Recipe: Lentils and Foie Gras) DATE: 3/17/2010 04:48:00 AM ----- BODY:

Chefs have long paired pauper ingredients with luxurious ingredients to create a new level of refinement and balance. Cabbage and Truffles; Potatoes and Caviar; and Hot Dog Rolls with Lobster Salad.

For the same effect, Jean Georges Vongerichtenpoaches foie gras in lentils for an alluring juxtaposition of luxury, richness and texture. I happened to have more foie gras in the freezer….

(As a side note, I wanted to let you know that despite what it may seem with the regularity of foie gras posts, I do have a more balanced diet. But since they come in 1 pound lobes, I invariably have a left over chunk to indulge with at a later time).

His recipe called for poaching a full lobe in the lentils. To me this seemed overly decadent and not the best way to lure out the foie gras’ refined flavor. I prefer foie gras when it’s seared to crusty brown. But in a nod to the Jean-Georges, I melted a small piece of foie gras in the lentils to infuse some of the distinct flavor.

Lentils, red wine sauce and salmon on its own is a wonderful flavor pairing. The foie gras adds a new dimension, though this meal would be fabulous without it.

Seared Salmon with Lentils and Red Wine Reduction

1 tbs. plain oil
4 - 6 oz. salmon filets
1 cup pinot noir or other red wine
1/2 lemon juiced
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup chicken broth or water
butter
salt, pepper and lemon juice to taste

Lentils
1 tbs. butter
1 shallot, small dice
1/2 carrot, small dice
1/4 celery rib, small dice
1/2 leek, small dice
1 sprig thyme
1 cup French green lentils
1 oz. foie gras
2 scallion, cut into rounds

Cook the lentils: Over medium heat sweat shallots, celery, carrots and leeks in 1 tbs. of butter. Add lentils, salt and pepper and 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are tender. Add the foie gras and simmer for 5 minutes more. When lentils are cooked, stir in scallions.

Cook the salmon: Season salmon with salt and pepper. Let salmon rest, skin side down on a paper towel to make sure skin is dry.

Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add oil. Carefully, place salmon, skin side down in the skillet. Do not poke or prod, when the skin is crispy, the salmon will easily come off bottom of pan. Flip over, and continue cooking until desired doneness. Remove salmon from pan, and keep in a warm place while preparing sauce. If you are serving foie gras, you can sear it in the hot, salmon pan at this point

Make the wine sauce: Pour off excess fat from the salmon/foie pan. Return pan to heat, add shallots, and cook for 1-2 minutes or until soft. Add wine, and let it reduce to about 1/4 cup. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil and reduce by half again. Turn the heat off, and whisk in butter, 2 tbs. at a time - for a total of 1 stick of butter (or more depending on your taste). Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and a small squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve lentils with salmon, wilted spinach and seared foie gras. Drizzle sauce around the plate.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:3/17/2010 05:30:00 AM Oh my. This is quite a temptation at 5:30 in the morning! I can't think of anything better than a combination of lentils and foie gras! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:3/17/2010 09:04:00 AM Completely decadent! I'm not a fan of foie, so I'll try this without. Salmon and lentils get me every time. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous tasteofbeirut DATE:3/17/2010 09:18:00 AM My cousin Isabelle served foie gras for Christmas luncheon; I love it so much I don't want anything else! Paired with lentils, who needs the salmon? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous noble pig DATE:3/17/2010 02:24:00 PM Now this is a meal...civilized and wonderful...an absolute winner. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous jo DATE:3/17/2010 08:32:00 PM Ah...hello..and OH MY. You know my love for foie! Although, not a huge lentil fan. Not a dislike, just never saw the big attraction, I'd rather a pot full of Giant White Limas or Butter Beans, but I would be willing to try again if foie were involved.

Closing date 4/6...we shall chat soon(ish) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger grace DATE:3/20/2010 05:29:00 AM one cannot live on foie gras alone. :)
truly, it's usually the pauper ingredients that appeal to me--i guess i don't have the palate of a refined diner. :) ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Lori Lynn DATE:4/03/2010 05:55:00 PM Ooh, love the pairing!
LL ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Summer Trilogy DATE: 8/11/2009 04:27:00 PM ----- BODY:

One of the best parts of summer (right behind the Crane's Beach and fried clams on the Essex River) is all the fresh produce available at farmers' markets and from my garden. I could subsist on tomatoes, corn and fresh herbs.

The garden tomatoes are still producing (and as I back-up, the farmers' at the weekly markets still have field tomatoes). My romas are a bit mealy -- is it the variety or all the rain we've had this summer? Whatever the reason, they are better for cooking anyway. And the cooking changes the texture so that mealiness disappears. I slow roast them in the style of Fred Flintstone tomato sauce.

Grilled corn is wonderful, but I also like it sauteed in butter with a touch of cream and a pinch of curry powder.

And to make the trilogy pop with color, I saute zucchini with fresh mint.

In the summertime, my cooking simplifies. While baked salmon doesn't have the crispy brown skin that's only achieved from sauteing, it's so much easier. I cover the fillets with fresh basil and tarragon, and layer lemon slices on top. The flavor is wonderful, the fish is moist and delicate and the presentation's okay too.

Roasted Salmon with Creamed Corn, Roasted Tomatoes and Zucchini

6 - 8 oz. filets of salmon, skin on
3 ears of corn, kernels cut off
1 tbs. butter
5 shallots, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1/2 cup cream
1/2 tsp. curry powder
4 roma tomatoes, cut in half
2 tbs. olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tsp. fresh thyme
1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, and then cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 tablespoon fresh mint
2 lemons: 1 juiced, 1 sliced thinly
1 fistful of fresh basil and tarragon
plain oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Toss tomatoes with 1 tbs. olive oil, thyme, 1 tbs. chopped shallots and 1 tsp. garlic. Roast in 450F oven, until tomatoes begin to brown. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss with fresh basil.

4. Melt butter in a skillet. Add corn, 1 tbs. chopped shallots and 1 tsp. garlic. Cook until garlic and corn begin to brown. Add curry powder and cook for 1 minute more. Add cream, and cook for 5 minutes, or until cream is reduced by 1/2. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.

5. In a skillet, heat remaining oil on high heat. Add zucchini and garlic slices. Cook until the zucchini turns bright green and the garlic browns. Season to taste with mint, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

6. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Cover the fillets with fresh herbs and layer lemon slices on top. Roast in 375 oven for 10 minutes, or until cooked to desired doneness. Garnish with corn, tomatoes and zucchini.


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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:8/11/2009 05:23:00 PM Individual vegetables are even better as a trilogy! What a great combination! I'm going to be so sad when winter arrives ... ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:8/11/2009 09:47:00 PM This is the kind of summer cooking I love -- simple, clean flavors, taking advantage of what's at hand. Lovely color combination, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Unknown DATE:8/11/2009 10:10:00 PM You are so lucky to even have tomatoes...I am having a very hard time finding farmer's markets that have not been hit by blight. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Reeni DATE:8/12/2009 08:31:00 PM This doesn't sound simple with its wonderful flavors!! How delicious! ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:8/13/2009 08:21:00 AM T.W. -- me too! I'm frantically preserving everything I can to carry me through.

Lydia -- Summer has such a vibrant palate, doesn't it?

Karen -- The conventional growers may still have tomatoes since they can use pesticides...

Reeni -- It only looks complicated. It really is straightforward. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Callie Durbrow DATE:8/13/2009 11:00:00 AM Summer cooking is so much more fresh and often healthier! Grilling all meats and cooking up fresh veggies and salads is the best. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Juliana DATE:8/13/2009 06:09:00 PM Yummie! Love salmon, the one that you feature looks really good with all the goodies in it. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger giz DATE:8/13/2009 10:58:00 PM I love the basil/tarragon combination in fistfuls. I'm always amazed at how versatile salmon really is. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:8/14/2009 09:42:00 AM Callie -- It really is! I tend to much more vegetables.

Juliana -- it's fun to play around with the different color combinations too.

giz -- if you ask me, salmon is the real chicken of the sea. :) ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Herbalicious DATE: 6/16/2009 08:31:00 AM ----- BODY:

I favor the soft herbs --- tarragon, basil, chervil, chives. On the other end of the spectrum – rosemary, sage, and oregano – the flavors tend to overpower. Too often, cooks have a heavy hand with the hard herbs, and ruin an otherwise good dish.

But back to the soft herbs… They can be mixed with lettuces for a salad or blended together for my cherished dreamy green goddess. Or, mixed with soft butter to make a compound butter.

Compound butter is versatile. I rub a few tablespoons under the skin of chicken breasts before roasting

Or finish a tomato sauce with the butter for salmon.

Or toss steamed asparagus in it.


Herb Butter
1 tbs. fresh tarragon
1 tbs. fresh chives or scallions
1 tbs. fresh parsley or chervil
1 tbs. fresh basil
1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Chop herbs and spices. Mix with butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


I'm submitting this recipe to the Weekend Herb Blogging #188, hosted this week by the ever-charming Graziana of Erbe in Cucina - Cooking with Herbs. This event was originally started by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, and is now organized by Haalo of Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once. For more information, see the rules, hosting schedule, and weekly recaps for WHB.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Lori Lynn DATE:6/16/2009 12:36:00 PM I especially like the fennel seed in the mix, adds another dimension to your herb butter, no?
LL ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types DATE:6/17/2009 05:07:00 PM There is something about the creaminess of butter and a combination of herbs that is so good. Even better when they are fresh from the garden. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Melissa DATE:6/17/2009 06:28:00 PM YES! I just discovered herb butter this spring. Delicious. And I prefer the same herbs you do, for sure. I just started using tarragon in earnest a few months ago and I think it might be my favorite. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Lydia (The Perfect Pantry) DATE:6/18/2009 10:50:00 AM I'm growing all of your "soft" herbs in my garden. Now, if the sun ever decides to shine, I'll be able to harvest for some of this lovely compound butter. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:6/18/2009 11:00:00 AM LL -- the fennel brightens the licorice flavors in the herbs.

T.W. -- Indeed! It's nice to have all the ingredients in my outdoor "pantry"

Melissa -- Yes, I recall the chicken and leek dish really shined with the tarragon.

Lydia -- I'm trying the power of positive thinking: "the sun will shine, the sun will shine" ----- -------- AUTHOR: Julia TITLE: Cook. Eat. Grow? (Recipe: Salmon Teriyaki) DATE: 3/11/2009 05:33:00 AM ----- BODY:

When I started this blog, I wanted to write all about the food cycle – from growing and raising our food in the fields, to cooking it in the kitchen, and finally enjoying the meal around the dining room table. When I referred to “grow”, I specifically thought of the beginning of the cycle – what happens in the fields; and not of the end of the cycle: what happens to our bellies. With several friends on diets, I’m reminded that I can still afford to lose a few pounds, too, and have pulled out a few healthy recipes of my own.

One of my favorites is Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad. The teriyaki sauce has minimal added fat and makes a great marinade for the fish and dressing for the noodles. Soba noodles, which are high in fiber and protein, offer a great alternative to steamed rice or even brown rice. And mixed with julienne of vegetables, you have a complete meal.

Salmon Teriyaki with Soba Noodle Salad

1 teaspoon butter
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon chopped ginger
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

4 – 6 oz. salmon or arctic char files
8 oz. soba noodles
Lots of Julienne vegetables: carrots, scallions, cucumbers, red peppers and avocadoes are my favorites

1 kaffir lime leave, finely chopped

1. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium flame. Add garlic and ginger and cook until they become aromatic, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the soy sauce, sugar, mirin and vinegar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking on high heat for about 1 minute or until sauce starts to thicken. Let cool.

3. Use half the teriyaki sauce to marinade the salmon.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add soba noodles. Cook according to package directions (this can vary from 4 minutes to 8 minutes, depending on the brand). When noodles are cooked, drain and rinse under cold running water.

5. Toss noodles with remaining teriyaki sauce, vegetables and kaffir lime leaves.

6. Put salmon in an over-proof dish and broil for 5 minutes, or until the teriyaki starts to brown and glaze the fish. Turn the oven to bake to finish cooking the fish – timing depends on the thickness of the filets, but can take another 5 minutes.

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/11/2009 07:27:00 AM I love both teriyaki salmon and soba, too. I would substitute reduced-sodium soy sauce, which is still plenty salty, and orange juice plus a packet of sugar substitute for the sugar. If loss of consistency is an issue, you can substitute agave nectar for the sugar, too. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/11/2009 09:48:00 AM Lydia -- Great suggestions for reducing the calorie count even farther. And good reminder that losing weight includes reducing fat and reducing sugar. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/11/2009 11:16:00 AM Looks yummy! Interesting that you mention Arctic Char. I've always been a fan of it but seldom see it get much press. It seems a great somewhat lighter-tasting substitute for salmon, at least in fillet form. Do you know if it has different nutritional properties? ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger Julia DATE:3/11/2009 11:58:00 AM David -- Arctic Char is definitely leaner. A little research reveals that it has half the calories and about 1/4 the fat as farmed salmon (which seems to be the most commonly available).

From www.nutritiondata.com
Salmon Filet (6 oz.) has 354 calories and 22 grams of fat.

Nutrition Data did not have information on Arctic Char so I had to seek out a different source

From http://www.seattlefishnm.com/downloads/SFC_Arctic%20Char.pdf
Arctic Char (6 oz.) has 178 calories and 3.6 grams of fat. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:3/12/2009 09:05:00 PM I see two new posts since I last visited. Nice you keep updating frequently. ----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Blogger test it comm DATE:3/15/2009 11:15:00 AM That salmon teriyaki dinner looks good! ----- --------