Well Monday was a good day off, it was a day of leisurely cooking, moderately drinking, and interesting conversations. Guests of the dinner party were representing Peru, Louisiana, California, and France. The menu was an evolutionary endeavor which made its way from inception to plate with many different meanderings but ended up creating a smile once reaching the palate. Then Menu contained:
Chicken Liver Pate w/ Plums, Apples and Leeks (Sake Plum Wine)
Salad Fresco
Hock Stocked Rice w/ Hock Meat and Leeks
Garlic, Rosemary, Plum Stuffed Pork Butt
Peruvian Bread Pudding
Berry Salad w/ Creme Anglaise
Vouvray
In purchasing all of the ingredients for a leisure day off meal, one must ensure the frugality of the day by spending more money on wine than on food. Holding true to this theory, the main protein of the meal came in at a whopping thirteen dollars and the hocks only add a few dollars more. Once the pork butt made its way into the kitchen, the marinade/stuffing needed to be made in order for the flavors to commingle amongst themselves. Crushed garlic, rosemary, flat leaf parsley, white pepper, salt, nut meg, clove and all spice where place together in a bowl and bound with olive oil. After taking out the bone out, the butt was butterflied into about one inch thickness. Spreading the mixture on the inside of the meat, then placing sliced plums on top of the pork, made it a happy little pig. Once the pig was tied, a vegetable rack was made out of fennel, onion, celery, bay leaf, and thyme. The roast was placed on top of the veggie rack and covered with plum sake. Placed in an over at 200F until it is ready, it was an uphill battle trying not to peak in and take a look, but the longer the door is shut, the better the food...Patience. The hock stock was simple. Rinsed off the hocks, placed in cold water with onion, thyme, garlic, leek tops, celery and allowed to gently simmer until all of the delicious porked smokiness was released into the water. After a few hours of hanging out in the pot, the vegetables and hocks had given away all the flavor they could and it was time to strain. The liquid was used in two different ways. First, medium grained rice was allowed to cook in the stock along with scalloped leeks, the hock meat was then added back providing more texture and smokiness to the rice. Second, a small bit of stock was reduced along with pan drippings from the oven into a glace, which was deglazed with the plum sake and garnished with sliced plums, and cilantro. I had almost forgotten about the chicken liver pate, it was simple. Brown butter, chicken livers until golden, vegetables, deglaze with plum sake, emulsify in blender with heavy cream, garnish with sliced fruit and blanched leeks, refrigerate and serve on house made bread. The salade was composed of Romaine spears, cabbage, chiffonade of Romaine, creole tomatoes, and an Italian style garlic vinaigrette. Dessert was brought by some of the guests; bread pudding was warmed and topped with Short Street Honey(from the neighbor), and a berry and fruit salad mixed with creme anglaise gave a nice goodnight kiss to the palate. All and all it was another gastronomic adventure with food being the glue, binding together people from different places, and holding there attention while life stories are swapped.
Yooo
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