Blue Duck Tavern Blog

Potato and Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese Gratin

Another recipe from Vegas...

Potato and Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese Gratin (yields 8)

Ingredients

2 tbsp butter

1 onion, julienne

2 cloves garlic, fine diced

3 1/2 cup heavy cream

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 lbs Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8 inch slices

8 oz Humboldt Fog Cheese

2 tbsp chives, chopped

Method

Heat oven to 350F.  Melt butter in a large dutch oven, over low heat, until it melts fully.  Add onion and garlic and cook slowly until the onions turn transluscent. Do not brown.  Add the thyme, salt, pepper, cream and potatoes and bring to a simmer.  Cover and maintain a light simmer until the potatoes are cooked and the cream is thick.  Transfer the potato mixture to a gratin dish.  Sprinkle the top with goat cheese and chives.  Bake at 350F until the sides bubble and the top starts to brown.  Serve hot!

Viva Las Recipes!

Over the past few days I have received several emails commenting on my recent Vegas post and the summer dishes I made.  While we still have a few weeks left of summer and warm weather, I thought it would be nice to share these recipes for you to enjoy at home! Here is the Summer Tomato Tart.

Summer Tomato Tart (yields 6 to 8 servings)

Ingredients

200 g all purpose flour

200 g parmigiano reggiano

150 g butter

20 g water

20 g olive oil

1 tsp salt

6-8 tomatoes, varying colors if possible

2 large cloves garlic, sliced thin

6 springs oregano

2 tbsp chopped chives

salt and pepper

Method

For the dough, In a large bowl, work the cheese, flour, salt and butter together until they start to come together.  Add the olive oil and half the water.  Work with your hands until it forms a ball (use the rest of the water only if you need it.)  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Slice the tomatoes 1/8 inch think and place on a rack.  Sprinkle with salt and peeper and allow tomatoes to sit for 2 to 3 hours until they give up some of their water.  Roll out the dough to fit in a 12-inch tart pan.  Brush with a little olive oil and layer the tomato slices around the tart shell in a decorative manner.  Sprinkle with garlic slices, oregano leaves, chives and a little more olive oil.  Bake at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool a little before unmolding and slicing.

Dupont Circle FRESHFARM Market on Sunday!

This Sunday morning at 11:00 am, Michael and I will be leading a chef's demo at the Dupont FRESHFARM Market. Come join us at one of the city's best markets. Using several of the market's freshest ingredients, we'll be preparing Radish & Butter and Tomatoes en Escabeche.

Here's the recipe for Radish & Butter. It's quick and easy to make at home.

Ingredients:

1 bunch assorted radish

1 loaf crusty bread or baguette

1 piece of Clare's Camembert cheese

1 chunk butter

sea salt

freshly toasted black peppercorn

Method:

Soften the butter and Camembert and paddle until creamy.  Cut rounds of the baguette and toast in the oven lightly.  Spread the butter and cheese mixture over the toast and garnish with freshly shaven slices of the radish.  Finish with the black pepper and sea salt.  Serve as a first course on a warm night or with greens for a light lunch. 

Sugar Cookies

Last week our friends at Washingtonian magazine gave us a ring as they were searching for information on our fresh-baked sugar cookies. 

Thanks to Laurent for providing them with the recipe to this signature menu item - and a favorite of mine! Click here to learn more about these tasty cookies.

FRESHFARM Market

 

On Thursday afternoon, Michael will be participating in FRESHFARM Markets' Chefs at Market program, at the Penn Quarter Market. Look for Michael around 4:00 pm, where he will be demonstrating how to prepare a Apple, Almond, Watercress and Local Sheep Cheese Salad, using the region's freshest ingredients.

The Penn Quarter Market is on 8th Street NW, between D & E Streets.  Shop for fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, cookies, meat, plants, flowers, soaps and more! The market goes on - rain or shine!

For those who are unable to attend the demonstration, here is the recipe for this seasonal salad:

Apple, Almond, Watercress and Local Sheep Cheese Salad

Ingredients:

2 apples, cored and sliced

1/4 cup almonds, toasted

1 cup lightly packed watercress, cleaned

shavings sheep milk cheese

extra virgin olive oil

sherry vinegar

salt

pepper

chiffonade of basil

3 tears of mint

Method:

Combine all of the above except for oil and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir in vinaigrette to taste.

Chefs A' Field Recipes

Yesterday, I blogged about my family's visit to Toigo Orchards to film an episode of Chefs A' Field - Kids on the Farm.  In the post, I wrote about two of the dishes my daughters and I made using the ingredients we collected at Toigo.  Here are the recipes for Local Chicken with Fire Roasted Garlic Peaches and Herbs and Heirloom Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Nectarines and Donut Peaches.

Local Chicken with Fire Roasted Garlic Peaches and Herbs

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

1 ea 3 1/2 pound Amish chicken

2 ea large peaches

4 sprigs rosemary

4 ea shallots

4 ea cippolini onions

1 head garlic, split in half

6 sprigs thyme

2 ea leeks, split and washed

salt

pepper

chicken jus

olive oil

butter

Method

Preheat oven to 275 F.  Remove back bone from chicken, discard or save for stock.  Separate the legs and thighs from the bird, split the breast, leave them on the bone.  Season the bird generously with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a thick bottomed saute pan over medium heat. When hot, brown the chicken on all sides.  Remove from heat and add shallots, garlic and onions.  Place in the oven for approximately 1 hour.  Cut the leeks into 1/2 inch pieces, core the peaches and cut into quarters.  Raise the temperature of the oven to 400 F and when the chicken starts to sizzle, add the peaches, leeks, rosemary and thyme.  Toss to coat with the pan juices and roast 10 to 15 minutes until the breast reaches an interior temperature of about 160 F.  Add a little chicken jus to the pan, toss to coat and transfer to a serving platter.  Serve family style.

 

Heirloom Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, Nectarines and Donut Peaches

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 ea heirloom tomatoes ie. Cherokee Purple

4 oz semi-firm goat cheese roulade

2 ea ripe nectarines

2 ea donut peaches

8 leaves basil

1 cup farm greens or arugula

2 tbsp pumpkin seeds

Dressing

6 oz Round Pond olive oil

2 oz Round Pond red wine vinegar

2 ea shallots, minced

2 tbsp chopped chives

fresh pepper

kosher salt

Method

For dressing - Place all ingredients in a non reactive bowl and whisk together.  Season with salt and pepper.

For salad - Core tomatoes and slice each tomato into 6 or 8 wedges and place in a bowl.  Core and pit the nectarines and peaches, slice into wedges and add to the tomatoes.  Tear the basil into small pieces and crumble the goat cheese.  Add to the tomatoes.  Add pumpkin seeds, season with salt and pepper and toss with a generous amount of dressing.  Divide onto 4 chilled plates.  Toss the greens with a little dressing and top each salad.  Serve.

Chefs A' Field - Kids on the Farm

 This September, PBS will air brand-new episodes of Chefs A' Field - Kids on the Farm, following chefs and their children search for fresh ingredients and unique local specialties.  I, along with my  daughters, Miranda and Hannah will be featured in one of these episodes.  Show creator Heidi Hanson, from Warner Hanson Television, invited us to spend the day with Mark Toigo of Toigo Orchards.  We spent eight hours at the orchard, collecting produce and creating new recipes.

The following morning, Miranda and Hannah donned their chef whites and spent the morning cooking with me at Blue Duck.  Together, we prepared local chicken with fire roasted garlic, peaches and herbs, as well as an heirloom tomato salad with goat cheese, nectarines and donut peaches. 

The girls loved every moment!  The time we spent at the orchard created a fabulous learning and eating experience for them.  Mark has over 21,000 trees devoted to fresh market apple production, 41 acres devoted to peach production, while also growing plums, apricots, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, melons, pears and Asian pears. Just the number of peach varietals that he produces each year is staggering to the mind while the amount of knowledge that he throws out in a conversation is sometimes a bit hard to take in!

The fruit from Toigo is always a warm welcome sight after the harsh winter.  At Blue Duck, we employ his fruit in our ice creams, pickles, jams and preserves.  For those who enjoy eating fresh fruit straight from the basket, Toigo Orchards can typically be found at the DC area farmers markets, including Dupont Circle on Sundays and Penn Quarter on Thursdays.

A very special thank you to Mark for his generous hospitality and time, and for producing such a high quality product.  Also, thanks to Heidi for inviting us to be on the show and for getting the word out on sustainable agriculture.  I'll keep you posted on the show's upcoming air date.

 

 

 

 

French Onion Soup Souffle

Not too long ago we added the French Onion Soup Souffle to our lunch menu and its been a real hit!  Some of you have even been asking for the recipe.  So, here it is!  Send me an email (brian@blueducktavernblog.com) if you try to make it at home.

French Onion Soup Souffle

Ingredients

Base:

1 cup milk

2 1/2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

4 egg yolks

1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese

Egg Whites:

1 cup egg whites

1 1/2 tsp egg white powder

1/4 cup base

Building the Dish:

Parmesan cheese

butter

3 to 4 0z onion soup

1 cruton

shredded Gruyere

egg white base mixture

Method

Base: Make roux, add milk and simmer.  Pull from flame and temper in yolks. Blend in cheese.

Egg whites: Whip egg whites and powder to little more than medium peak.  Fold in 1/4 cup base.

Building the dish: Butter old, line with Parmesan, shaking out excess.  Add hot onion soup.  Place cruton on top of soup. Add a thin layer of Gruyere, top with egg whites and bake until golden brown.

Spring Chicken: Not so young any more!

By request, here is the recipe for our Spring Buttermilk Chicken:

Ingredients:

1 Fryer Chicken

1 quart buttermilk

1 quart water

2 sprigs rosemary

2 sprigs thyme

4 cloves garlic

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2 lemons zested and juiced

10 whole black peppercorns

80 g salt

Method of Prep:

Bring water and aromatics up to the boil to dissolve the salt, do not add buttermilk yet.

Cool down in the refrigerator. Once cool add buttermilk and stir to combine and pour over the bird in the appropriate size container, so the bird is completely submerged in the liquid.  Leave to sit for two days.  Rinse the bird completely. 

Quarter the bird leaving the drumette in the breast.  Roast the breasts in the oven at 145F until you   reach 145F in the center.  The bird will look pale white, reserve.  Bone the thigh and seperate the drumstick.  Roast the drumstick and thigh in the oven at 160F until you reach 160 in the center of the drumstick. 

Heat a nonstick pan and place a film of oil in the pan. Brown the skin of the bird nicely until golden.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes and carve. 

This method will allow you to keep the bird moist by not denaturing the protein to quickly, while also achieving the browning in the end stages.  The result is a moist and tender bird, with a buttermilk flavor and beautiful carmelization.

Michael Does TV

Just a few days ago I blogged about our signature quiche, one of my favorite brunch-time entrees at Blue Duck. And today, our chef de cuisine, Michael Santoro, appeared on Fox 5's "What's Cooking" segment, preparing this dish, which is part of our Easter holiday menu.

If you plan to gather with friends and family at home this Sunday, then click here to get the full recipe and to watch Michael in action! The recipe is fairly simple and perfect for entertaining!