It’s long past New Year’s and I’m not into resolutions, but
I was inspired over the holidays to try my hand at more charcuterie and I’ve
decided that trend will continue into 2019 as part of my weekend kitchen
routine. The sausages we made over the break (more on that in a bit) were not
the first bit of salted meat I attempted and my first foray into this exciting
new realm of grinders and guts was quite a hit at our holiday table.
Call it pâté, terrine or fancy meatloaf the concept of
salted, pressed, finely ground fat, flesh and offal that is shaped into a mold
then slow cooked and served cold is about as old as the concept of “cuisine”
itself. If you didn’t pick up the accent, this dish is French, unapologetically
oldschool French in the same way that quail with grapes or veal tripe in white
sauce is. The process has been streamlined since the days of Grandfather
Escoffier, but it’s still got that that slightly fussy way about it that both
makes it a joy to execute and a hell of a story for your guests when you drop
it on the table.
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