The Frenchie gave me a book. Not any book; a book I've been drooling over, but hadn't even mentioned to him: Charcuterie, by Michael Ruhlman and Brian Poleyn. Arcadia and jvdh have been cooking their way through it, it seems, over on Voer, and their duck prosciutto- and pancetta-making has had me salivating.
For more about the big red X see the comments!
Now, as I write, two duck breasts (from Union Market on Court) are tucked up into their salt bed in the fridge. Tomorrow they will be washed, spiced, wrapped in cheesecloth and hung cunningly on the terrace to cure for a week.
We also visited Los Paisanos on Smith and brought a honking great porterhouse and tub of DUCK FAT back. We're not getting any younger so we might as well live it up. I'm roasting potatoes in the duck fat. One of the younger butchers (Pedro and Mike were not there) asked us how we liked the batch of boerewors they made, we said great, but we'll be back with the recalibrated spice mix.
And how is Mr. Escorbo going to stay away ducks hanging on the terrace? Sounds like a several-days-long timeout for him! And something delicious coming soon for you!
ReplyDeleteWebb took the words right out of my mouth..I can picture the next bad report from Estorbo and 'the duck' adventure. Good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteWe looked in Dinah's Big Word Book and we saw that "dexterity" is mentioned with cunning.
ReplyDeleteWe are very dextrous. And agile.And would not, for ONE MOMENT be fooled by dangling duck breasts.
We'll email Estorbo with some ideas!
I forgot to give you the goose fat! You must come back and get it.
ReplyDeletebless you for curing and thank you for the kind words.
ReplyDeletebut please, no iodized salt, ever, please!
never stop cooking.
next: belly into bacon
The cat will be turned into saucisson sec if he touches the duck...
ReplyDeleteEllen, I know I left the goose fat, argh! We roasted potatoes in the duck fat tonight and they were divine. Super-crunchy, melting in middle.
Um...ruhlman, is it really you? Or is it your on-the-ball publicist :-)
Well, I feel like an idiot. I'll never do it again. (Why?) Weird thing is I never buy iodized salt. I was over-excited by duck prospects?
Pork belly, mose def. Maybe pancetta.
Liewe hel, hoe het jy reggekry om Michael Ruhlman te kry om te comment? Fok. Nou's ek jaloers. Maar dis exciting dat jy gaan cure! Yay! Ek en J vind wel nog mense is bietjie bang om van ons cured vleis te eet, hul's bang hul word siek :-/
ReplyDeleteA - ek het regtig geen idee hoe hy hier uitgekom het nie,as dit hy is...Ek wonder hoekom mense bang is as julle dit self geeet het?
ReplyDelete