Flashback Friday - Deconstructed Cassoulet

This post originally appeared on Minxeats.com on February 6, 2014.

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There's a new Asian grocery store in Catonsville called Great Wall. It caters to a largely Chinese clientele, and while I'm not Chinese, I find myself cooking more Chinese-style food than anything from other Asian cultures. That made Great Wall right up my alley, especially when I discovered the selection of duck parts, including whole ducks, duck tongues, and duck legs. On our first exploratory trip to the store, I grabbed a pack of two duck legs to keep in the freezer until inspiration struck.

Inspiration struck pretty quickly.

I had never cooked duck legs on their own before, but after doing some research found that confitting them (cooking them in their own fat) was a pretty simple proposition. Ordinarily, a confit involves extra duck fat in addition to the fat on the legs, but I didn't have that. (I did have a cup or so of bacon grease, left over from making a quadruple batch of bacon jam, but that wasn't going to work. Or maybe it would, but I didn't want bacon-flavored duck. I wanted duck-flavored duck.) Instead, I just went ahead and cooked the legs as is, figuring nothing could go terribly wrong.

Ok, I know you're now expecting me to relate a disaster story. But really--nothing went wrong. As the duck cooked low and slow, its fat was rendered, the meat cooked, and the skin got crisp. Exactly the results I wanted.

While the duck was in the oven, I threw together some white beans seasoned with sausage. In my mind, duck + white beans + sausage = cassoulet, and rather than going through the whole somewhat complicated process of making a real cassoulet, I cooked my components separately. I even toasted some plain bread crumbs in olive oil to mimic cassoulet's customary crusty surface.

The beans were an experiment. I found two lonely links of andouille sausage in the freezer, and added them, with a handful of carrot and onion, to a couple cans of cannellini beans. I didn't have all of the proper fresh herbs to make a bouquet garni for the pot, but I did have a little jar of bouquet garni seasoning that I got from Penzey's as a free gift the last time I placed an order. Their spice mix is a combination of savory, rosemary, thyme, Turkish oregano, basil, dill weed, marjoram, sage, and tarragon; it packed the perfect herbal punch for the bland beans. You, of course, can use an actual bouquet garni (fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf tied up in a bundle with twine), just make sure to remove it before serving.

Both elements of the dish were highly successful. And the beans were amazing. If you cook beans long enough, stirring regularly, they get dreamily creamy and taste really fattening. While my dish used pork sausages, I'm betting that if one used chicken andouille sausage, the result would be just as delicious but practically a diet delight.

Deconstructed Cassoulet

For duck confit:
2 duck legs
salt

For the beans:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup carrot, cut into small dice
1/2 medium onion, diced
pinch salt
2 andouille sausage, cut into small dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 teaspoon Penzey's Bouquet Garni seasoning
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken stock
additional salt and pepper to taste

To serve:
minced parsley
toasted bread crumbs

To make the duck: Prick the skin all over with a needle or tip of a sharp knife. Salt generously on both sides and allow to rest for at least an hour.

Wipe salt off of duck and place in a pan or baking dish into which they fit somewhat snugly. Place baking dish in a cold oven and turn oven to 285°F. Cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until fat has rendered and duck is tender.

Raise oven temperature to 375°F and cook duck for an additional 15 minutes to brown skin. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

To make the beans: Heat the oil in a 3-quart stock pot. Add the carrots and onion and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to soften. Stir in the sausage and cook an additional 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic and herbs. Add the beans and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer beans for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until quite soft, stirring frequently.

To serve: Either pull the duck meat from the bones or serve legs whole on top of beans. Garnish with minced parsley and toasted bread crumbs.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Citron Opens on Quarry Lake

There's quite a bit of activity happening along Quarry Lake Road recently, This stretch of road off Greenspring Avenue has seen the opening of La Food Marketa just a couple months ago, and now a fine dining restaurant, Citron, has debuted in a newly completed building situated directly in front of Quarry Lake. The new facility, featuring one building for the restaurant and a second for private events, is the brain child of Charles Levine, president of Charles Levine Catering and Glorious Events. We were thrilled to be invited to dinner at his eagerly anticipated restaurant.

While showing the Minx and I around the restaurant, it's clear that Mr. Levine is quite proud of his baby and he has good reason to be. Every detail has been carefully thought out, from the acoustical fabric built into the ceiling to dampen noise to the combi oven in the kitchen, which allows for a variety of cooking techniques. The courtyard between the restaurant and the event building has wiring and plumbing in place for flat-screen televisions and a bar, offering a great space for warm weather dining. Clear plastic tents will soon enclose the outdoor seating areas along the lake side so that diners can enjoy the beautiful view while protected from the elements.

Of course, the heart of any restaurant is its cuisine, so we were eager to sample what Citron has to offer. We started with cocktails and were happy to see that they were using products from local distilleries. The Minx ordered the B'More Fizz which featured Shot Tower gin, Strega liqueur, lime, club soda, orange flower, and egg white for the frothy top. Although not normally a fan of gin, she enjoyed the drink's bright, refreshing flavor, which was redolent of orange flower. I chose the Tribute Manhattan which used Sagamore rye, sweet vermouth, and Abbott's Angostura bitters. The Sagamore rye has a warm, almost cinnamon quality that was perfect for the chilly, fall evening.

Citron describes its menu as contemporary American with a subtle French twist. A dish that fits the description is their lobster bisque. One of my pet peeves is when a restaurant cheats by putting an excess of cream in their bisque to cover up the fact that they did not make a proper stock. Basically calling a cream soup a bisque. At Citron, this is a true lobster bisque with the lobster stock clearly prominent. The technique is all French. The American part is seen in the generosity of the portion, which included the meat from both claws, butter-poached to sweet succulence.

Their potato gnocchi is another lovely starter. It has the proper texture (soft with a slight bite, neither mushy nor chewy) and the combination of mushrooms and garlic gives the dish a welcome umami quality that is emphasized by the truffle sage sauce and a grating of Grana Padano. The dish is topped off with peas and pine nuts to add a little freshness and crunch. The ample portion I was served was an appetizer, but would make a nice entree for lighter appetites. Heartier ones, too, as the dish can be ordered in a larger quantity as well.

The Minx and I are both fools for well-prepared duck dishes. Normally I order the duck, but we both felt it was her turn to feast on the fowl. Citron's Hudson Valley Duck "Duo" features a tender pan-seared duck breast served medium-rare coupled with a rich confit duck leg with crisp skin and meltingly soft flesh. A poached cherry reduction adds a sweet-tart piquancy; tamarind sweet potato mash and french beans round out this perfect fall meal.

Since The Minx went with poultry, I opted for one of the several seafood dishes on the menu: grilled Atlantic swordfish. The meaty fillet is accompanied by a harissa white bean mash that is so creamy, one might think it was whipped potatoes. It's interesting to note how Citron uses many alternatives to traditional starches. This creates interesting dishes that in many cases are gluten-free. The fish has a topping of tomato-olive compote with sauteed spinach on the side. A syrup made from the dessert wine Banyuls adds a sweet element, and a drizzle of green oil balances the sweet with a bit of herbal brightness.

Since Citron has a talented pastry chef in Yassmeen Jackson (who has her own sweet kitchen off the main kitchen), it would have been rude not to try some of their desserts. The chocolate macadamia nut bar came highly recommended, so I tried it. Our waiter described the dessert as something akin to a Snickers bar, and I can see his point, as it has macadamia nuts, caramel, and a creamy nougat-like element, all enrobed in chocolate. However, this is far richer and more subtle in flavor than any commercial candy bar. Dots of raspberry coulis add a contrasting acidic touch and edible gold leaf brings a bit of bling.

The Minx's lemon torte sandwiched coconut milk custard between two slices of gluten-free lemon sponge cake, topped with a generous ball of blackberry sorbet. It's perfect for those folks who prefer to finish their meals with something lighter and not chocolate.

Everything about Citron feels carefully crafted, from the decor to the menu to the service. Even the bread course is special, coming to the table with ramekins of butter sprinkled with pink Hawaiian sea salt and a delicious cheese spread. I can definitely see us heading to Quarry Lake for a birthday dinner or special occasion, or maybe even to have a pizza and a beer in the bar. I'm also eager to go back in the spring to check out the courtyard, which I'm sure will be in full swing by then.

Citron

2605 Quarry Lake Drive

Baltimore, Maryland 21209

410-363-0900

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Points South Latin Kitchen

When we went to Points South Latin Kitchen last winter for a media tasting, we didn't get any decent pictures to post. We've been looking for an opportunity to go back, order a large meal, and get plenty of nice photos, so we figured the Dining Out for Life event might be the best time to do it. Points South was donating 25% of that evening's receipts to Moveable Feast, a charity that delivers meals to people living with AIDS/HIV, cancer, or other life-threatening illnesses. We brought along Minxbro and Minxdad to help us drive up the bill as high as possible for a good cause.

Since the weather was mild, we took an outside table and enjoyed the hustle bustle on Thames Street while we shared a pitcher of red sangria. Since so many of the small plate items sounded intriguing, we decided to try five, the first being the shrimp ceviche. Bright and refreshing, the shrimp were dressed with salad spread across a bed of avocado.

We had eaten the carimanolas, or yucca croquettes, at the media tasting and wanted to have them again. Lightly crisp on the outside and creamy smooth on the inside, the croquettes have the added bonus of a beef filling. It's almost like a mini shepherd's pie with the yucca standing in for potatoes, but yucca has its own flavor and texture. An avocado crema is provided for dipping, adding a nice touch of tang and richness.

Since we tend to order calamari everywhere we go, we thought we'd shake things up a bit and get the grilled octopus. The octopus was amazingly tender and the accompaniment of romesco, olives, and chili-dusted jicama made for a pleasant salad dressed in smoky achiote oil.

The pork belly had a crackling crust on the fat layer and unctuously tender meat, exactly the way pork belly should be served. In this case, I don't recall having any pork belly that was quite this good.

Minxdad has long insisted that he does not like lamb, but since the rest of us do, we decided to order the Denver lamb ribs while he was distracted with people watching. Smothered in a honey chipotle barbeque sauce and complimented with garlic chips, scallions, and creamy mojo, Minxdad gobbled down every bite of his rib and declared that he would've eaten the bone if he could. Only then did we reveal to him the true nature of the protein. He offered a sheepish shrug.

Duck confit was the special that day and, given how much we all love duck, we ordered it. The confit leg was meltingly soft, with a crisp skin, exactly as it should be. It was accompanied by a bit of medium rare duck breast, which was also tender and flavorful.The creamy potatoes and roasted root vegetables and squash made for a filling entree that hinted of the coming fall season.

We finished with the beef short ribs braised in bittersweet chocolate sauce. Fork tender and infused with the spicy chocolate flavor, the ribs were my favorite dish of the evening. I could've devoured the whole dish on my own, but I'm sure I would've had a fight on my hands had I tried.

As the late summer sun disappeared behind the buildings, we felt quite full and satisfied. Not only did we have a great meal, but we were supporting a great cause. We have to make sure we don't wait another nine months to return.

Points South Latin Kitchen
1640 Thames St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (443) 563-2018



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Deconstructed Cassoulet

There's a new Asian grocery store in Catonsville called Great Wall. It caters to a largely Chinese clientele, and while I'm not Chinese, I find myself cooking more Chinese-style food than anything from other Asian cultures. That made Great Wall right up my alley, especially when I discovered the selection of duck parts, including whole ducks, duck tongues, and duck legs. On our first exploratory trip to the store, I grabbed a pack of two duck legs to keep in the freezer until inspiration struck.

Inspiration struck pretty quickly.

I had never cooked duck legs on their own before, but after doing some research found that confitting them (cooking them in their own fat) was a pretty simple proposition. Ordinarily, a confit involves extra duck fat in addition to the fat on the legs, but I didn't have that. (I did have a cup or so of bacon grease, left over from making a quadruple batch of bacon jam, but that wasn't going to work. Or maybe it would, but I didn't want bacon-flavored duck. I wanted duck-flavored duck.) Instead, I just went ahead and cooked the legs as is, figuring nothing could go terribly wrong.

Ok, I know you're now expecting me to relate a disaster story. But really--nothing went wrong. As the duck cooked low and slow, its fat was rendered, the meat cooked, and the skin got crisp. Exactly the results I wanted.

While the duck was in the oven, I threw together some white beans seasoned with sausage. In my mind, duck + white beans + sausage = cassoulet, and rather than going through the whole somewhat complicated process of making a real cassoulet, I cooked my components separately. I even toasted some plain bread crumbs in olive oil to mimic cassoulet's customary crusty surface.

The beans were an experiment. I found two lonely links of andouille sausage in the freezer, and added them, with a handful of carrot and onion, to a couple cans of cannellini beans. I didn't have all of the proper fresh herbs to make a bouquet garni for the pot, but I did have a little jar of bouquet garni seasoning that I got from Penzey's as a free gift the last time I placed an order. Their spice mix is a combination of savory, rosemary, thyme, Turkish oregano, basil, dill weed, marjoram, sage, and tarragon; it packed the perfect herbal punch for the bland beans. You, of course, can use an actual bouquet garni (fresh parsley, thyme, rosemary, and a bay leaf tied up in a bundle with twine), just make sure to remove it before serving.

Both elements of the dish were highly successful. And the beans were amazing. If you cook beans long enough, stirring regularly, they get dreamily creamy and taste really fattening. While my dish used pork sausages, I'm betting that if one used chicken andouille sausage, the result would be just as delicious but practically a diet delight. 

Deconstructed Cassoulet

For duck confit:

2 duck legs

salt

For the beans:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup carrot, cut into small dice

1/2 medium onion, diced

pinch salt

2 andouille sausage, cut into small dice

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 - 1 teaspoon Penzey's Bouquet Garni seasoning

2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup chicken stock

additional salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

minced parsley

toasted bread crumbs

To make the duck: Prick the skin all over with a needle or tip of a sharp knife. Salt generously on both sides and allow to rest for at least an hour. 

Wipe salt off of duck and place in a pan or baking dish into which they fit somewhat snugly. Place baking dish in a cold oven and turn oven to 285°F. Cook for 90 minutes to 2 hours, until fat has rendered and duck is tender.

Raise oven temperature to 375°F and cook duck for an additional 15 minutes to brown skin. Remove from oven and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

To make the beans: Heat the oil in a 3-quart stock pot. Add the carrots and onion and pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until vegetables start to soften. Stir in the sausage and cook an additional 3-4 minutes before adding the garlic and herbs. Add the beans and stock and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer beans for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until quite soft, stirring frequently.

To serve: Either pull the duck meat from the bones or serve legs whole on top of beans. Garnish with minced parsley and toasted bread crumbs.

Posted on Minxeats.com.