Episode 84: Fats

Chili and Sesame Oil
Buerre Noisette
Monter au Buerre
Citrus Buerre Blanc
Confit of Duck
Rillettes
Pumpkin Seed Viniagrette
Safflower and Poppyseed Mayonnaise

CHILI AND SESAME OIL
Preparation is easy

3 ½ ounces red chillies (105 grams)
4 cups sesame oil (1 litre)
2 tablespoons sweet paprika (30 millilitres)

Preparation time is 30 minutes

Remove the stalks from the chilies. Put them in a food processor and whiz until they are finely chopped. Transfer the chillies to a saucepan and add the sesame oil. Heat it gently until it reaches nearly 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Centigrade, in other words, nearly boiling. Simmer the oil for 15 minutes. Watch the temperature as it does not want to boil. Remove the pan from the heat, cool it slightly, then stir in the paprika.

Set the oil aside to cool before pouring it through a coffee filter or wet cheese cloth. Keeps for 1 year.

Yield: 1 litre
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BUERRE NOISETTE
Preparation is easy

100 Grams of unsalted butter (3 ¼ ounces)

Preparation time is 10 minutes

In a saucepan, melt the butter slowly and cook until it turns brown or "noisette" in color. Voila. Serve with poached skate or offal.
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MONTER AU BEURRE
Preparation is easy

2 small shallots minced
1 teaspoon butter, unsalted (5 millilitres)
2 cups red wine - Hernder Estates Cabernet Sauvignon (500 millilitres)
1 cup butter, cut in cubes (250 grams)

Preparation time is 20 minutes

In a saucepan over a medium-low heat, saute the shallots in 1 teaspoon of butter. Once they have turned golden in colour, turn up the heat and add the wine. Flambe it to burn off the alcohol. Turn the heat back down and simmer the sauce to reduce it to ½ cup (125 millilitres) before taking it off the heat. Add the butter cube by cube, whisking all the time. It is important to whisk in each piece before adding the next to emulsify the sauce well so that it does not separate. Serve with beef or lamb.
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CITRUS BUERRE BLANC
Preparation is easy

4 small shallots, minced
1/2 cup white wine vinegar (125 millilitres)
½ cup white wine - Hernder Estates Reisling (125 millilitres)
Black pepper
250 grams unsalted butter (8 ounces)
Juice of ½ lemon

Preparation time is 20 minutes

Combine the vinegar, wine and shallots in a saucepan over a low heat. Reduce until the liquid is almost dry. Then, add the butter one tablespoon at a time, whisking between each addition. Do not add the butter too quickly. Once all the butter is added, pour in the lemon juice to taste, whisking continuously. Season and keep the sauce warm over a bain marie.

Yield: 1 cup
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CONFIT OF DUCK
Preparation is moderate

2 tablespoons of coarse salt (30 millilitres)
6 duck legs
1 ½ pounds goose or duck fat (750 grams)
4 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
½ teaspoon cloves
¼ cup raspberry vinegar (60 millilitres)
¼ cup chives, chopped

Preparation time is 2 1/2 hours, plus 24 hours marinating time

Mix the salt and duck legs together, put them into a non-reactive dish, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Brush the salt off the duck legs and put the fat to melt in a heavy pan over a medium heat. Add the duck legs, garlic, peppercorns and cloves. Make sure the legs are covered with fat. Cook for 2 hours, slowly, over a medium-low heat at around 250 degrees. After this time, take the legs out of the fat to cool. Strain the fat through a cheesecloth.

Heat about 3 tablespoons of the strained fat in a non-stick saucepan over a high heat until hot. Put the legs of duck in and cook until crispy on one side. Put the lid on the saucepan, take it off the heat and cover your hands. With the other hand, squirt the raspberry vinegar into the pan. Be careful because it will crackle and spit out. Just before serving, add the chopped chives, and check the seasoning.

Yield: 6 servings
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RILLETTES
Preparation is moderate

2 pounds uncured slab bacon (pork belly) cut into ½-inch by 2-inch strips (1 kilogram)
1 pound pork fatback, cut into small pieces (450 grams)
½ cup dry white wine - Hernder Estates Chardonnay (125 millilitres)
2 sprigs thyme
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 ½ teaspoons salt (7 millilitres)
1 teaspoon black pepper (5 millilitres)
1 blade of mace

Preparation time is 4 hours

Place all the ingredients in heavy pan and bring it slowly to boil over a medium heat. Cook, covered, over low heat for 3 hours, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Uncover the pan and cook for a further hour, until the meat is soft and falls apart. Take the pan from the heat and tip it into a colander over a saucepan. Remove the cloves, mace and thyme. Squeeze the meat to extract the fat and shred the meat until it resembles a fine fibrous mass. Put the meat back into the pot with the cooking liquids. Cook for another 10 minutes until everything comes back together. Pour it into individual ramekins or a large pate mold. Serve with toast.

Yield: 8 servings
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PUMPKIN SEED VINIAGRETTE
Preparation is easy

½ cup pumpkin seed oil (125 millilitres)
¼ cup olive oil (60 millilitres)
¼ cup champagne vinegar (60 millilitres)
1 egg yolk
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard (7 millilitres)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley (15 millilitres)
1 teaspoon buckwheat honey (5 millilitres)

Preparation time is 5 minutes

In a small bowl using a whisk, mix the egg yolk and honey with the mustard. Add the vinegar and slowly add the oils. Stop mixing and check for seasoning, add salt and pepper as necessary. Add the fresh parsley and serve over endive leaves.

Yield: 1 cup dressing
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SAFFLOWER AND POPPYSEED MAYONNAISE
Preparation is easy

6 egg yolks
1 to 2 teaspoons salt (10 millilitres)
1 pinch fresh black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 millilitres)
1 tablespoon white vinegar (15 millilitres)
3 cups safflower oil (750 millilitres)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (30 millilitres)
1 teaspoon poppy seeds (10 millilitres)

Preparation time is 10 minutes

Put the egg yolks into a stainless steel bowl and season them with salt and pepper. Add the mustard, half the lemon juice and half the vinegar. Whisk until smooth. Then, add the oil in a thin stream and whisk continuously. When the mixture begins to thicken, add the remainder of the lemon juice. Continue to add the oil and if necessary, add more vinegar to get the taste and consistency you want. Add the poppy seeds and check the seasoning.

Yield: 1 litre
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Recipe courtesy of Chef Caroline McCann-Bizjak