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United States, North Carolina, Carrboro, English, Paul, Male, 56-60, All Music, All Food.

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Tuesday, December 24, 2002

Back Burner. The turkey stock has simmered down to a scant 3 cups, I'm shooting for a pint. The bones were simmered with carrots, celery, and onion for a very long time. This morning, I strained out the solids, decanted the fat, and filtered it through cheese cloth. I reconstituted some Porcini mushrooms this afternoon and threw the water from the fitst soak into the broth, alog with a half-empty glass of wine from last night. That took it up briefly to 5 cups. I'm skimming with an antique creaming spoon, they kind they used to give away at dairies to skim the cream from the top of the quart of milk (in a returnable glass bottle). The spoon says "Cream Top" on it. 5:48:39 PM    comment []

TruffleScan™ (2 times actual dimensions)   I cleaned it and grated it with the MicroPlane™. I used about ½ of it, the gratings were like angel hair. After the (also half of the Vidalia) onion caramelized oh-so-slightly, I whisked truffle and onion together briefly over medium heat and transferred to the mixing dish. One-half of this truffle is about .4 ounce. I tossed the mixture some more with ¼ teaspoon of the pate seasoning and added one chopped hard-boiled egg. I quickly sautéed about 3 ounces of the foie gras in more French butter (high butterfat). I threw that in with the onion/truffle mixture, mixed well, and sprinkled with Hennessy cognac. It’s covered and in the fridge right now.   Most commercial pate au foie gras is either 3% or 6% truffle, We’ll see where this one comes out in the final weigh-in, after it has been ground and pressed into a mold. 4:53:05 PM    comment []

Stalled out. I haven't been this spooked by a project since the last time I replaced a motherboard. You end up going over the details in your mind, reading everything you can, knowing you have to get it right the first time. I know my truffle can last a year, that's good, but the foie gras needs to be cooked. It's usually sliced and fried briefly over high heat just before serving. Black truffle can be cooked, but also releases its flavor in terrines over time. I'm using a Vidalia onion for its mildness, it's sauteeing slowing in some French butter right now. I'm also adding a boiled egg, which shouldn't challenge the flavors I've paid for dearly. The cognac is Hennessy. When everything is combined, I'll chill it, then coarse grind it. I'm still nervous and may change the plan. I'm definitely not going to commit all of either the truffle or foie gras. 4:01:54 PM    comment []

What am I, chopped liver? Couldn't find a recipe for truffled pate de foie gras, but this is just another pate with exquisite ingredients, right? First, the seasoning. This is a variation on John Kinsella's Pate and Terrine Spices, found on page 193 of Professional Charcuterie: Sausage Making, Curing, Terrines, Pates (page 179 has Lenten Fish Sausage). 1 t fine black pepper 1 t ground coriander 1 t ground thyme 1 t ground bay leaf 1/2 t garam masala 1/2 t ground marjoram 1/2 t yellow mustard seeds I put all of the above, mostly whole, into a spice grinder. It came out powdered and made 5 1/2 teaspoons (or al least it should have, unless some was converted to energy). Only one teaspoon of this will be used in the pate. 12:59:45 PM    comment []

Today, I was outside A Southern Season before they opened, np problem at all with parking. I asked about the 1.5 ounce size demi-glace concentrate, which was supposed to make it to the store from the warehouse. Two people tried, with no success, to track some down, while I went to the "meat counter", picking up a 4 ounce block Grafton Village Cheddar on they way (hey, Mark - this stuff oughta make a great cheese ball!). They had foie gras! $76 a pound, but they would cut off pieces. Got about 6 ounces, picked up the "big thing" of demi-glace (a whole pound) for about $30, and walked to the checkout with about $75 worth of food in one hand. 9:53:44 AM    comment []

6 hours is apparently too long to cook a ham. I know that. I didn't plan to bake it 6 hours. I put it in the oven around 9pm, but it wasn't quite done by 11 - the thermometer sat it was 116 degrees. While waiting around for it to "be done", I basted the chef with liberal amounts of Woodbridge Sauvignon Blanc, which the sommelier recommends for a good cheap drunk, with a hint of class. At 11pm, I set the alarm at 145F on the thermometer, figuring it would wake me up if I fell asleep on the sofa. It did, many times. I remember one rationalization for not getting up was that it was not the alarm beeping, just something that sounded like it. Anyway, 3am, alarm still going, temperature at 245F=toast, fireplace ham, non-stick pan stuck, ruination. This is why people tell us not to drink. 7:39:21 AM    comment []