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Sep 25

All About Partridge

The partridge is a medium-size, plump-bodied Old World game bird with tender white flesh. Of the four major species, all in the pheasant family, the two most common are the red-legged partridge, a bird that originated in Spain and southern France, and nests in woodland trees; and the gray-legged partridge, from Great Britain, which is about 12 inches long and nests in ground cover, like open fields and moors.

Neither is indigenous to the United States. A third species of partridge, the chukar, was imported from Asia into North America for hunting sport in 1927, and has been farm-raised ever since. Unfortunately, the birds don’t take well to domestication, and the results are pale in comparison to the real thing. To confuse matters even more, what is called a partridge in the United States is often a ruffed grouse or bobwhite quail, and in the American South they are sometimes mistakenly called pheasants.

Partridges are one of the mildest-tasting game birds. They average 10 to 12 ounces dressed, or perhaps 14 ounces for a fat gray-legged bird. Chukars can weigh still more.

When hunting partridge, a perdreau—a bird of the current year—is the most prized catch. In France, a young bird that makes it past October 1, St. Remi’s Day, is said to be mature. The unmistakable sign of a young bird is the tiny white spot at the end of the long wing feather. The talent of the hunter is to recognize surroundings that could be enticing to partridges, and to find a bird that has just gotten its adult colors: earthy tints with rusty tans and, sometimes, a rusty-brown horseshoe line of feathers on the breast.

Far more tender than a perdrix, or old partridge, the young bird is rarely hung. Because the meat of older game birds tends to be tough, they are traditionally hung in a cold room or in refrigeration for several days before plucking. This process ages the meat, tenderizes it, and some would say, improves the flavor.

Influential food writers and gastronomes have long debated the subject of faisander, or hanging, birds. In eighteenth century France, Grimod de la Reynière advocated that a bird shot on Ash Wednesday should hang until Easter before cooking. Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin more judiciously suggested that pheasants were best just as decomposition began and the aroma of the bird’s oil smelled slightly fermented.

Hanging game birds is a common European practice that never quite made it to the United States. In Eliza Leslie’s Directions for Cookery in Its Various Branches (1848), the American food writer observed that “it is not the custom in America, as in some parts of Europe, to keep game till it begins to taint; all food when inclining to decomposition being regarded by us with disgust.” Today the custom is dying out even in Parisian haute cuisine restaurants.

Roasted Partridge

Cooking
Partridge is small so you will want to allow one to two per diner, depending on how you prepare the bird. It’s usually cooked for just 15 minutes, and served with a mild sauce. Often the breast is first covered with a grape leaf to protect it from drying out, and then the bird is encircled with a layer of ventrèche (pancetta) or bacon. It is roasted on top of a thick slice of country bread to trap the best part: the juice. However you can bone the meat and chop it to use in a cacciatore, or on top of wild rice and chestnuts. Older birds require slow cooking, and a strong sauce to compete with the gamy taste. Traditionally, a perdrix is slowly braised with cabbage.

Partridge Cacciatore

At D’Artagnan, we only sell the wild Scottish red-legged partridge during game season. The red-legged partridge was introduced to the United Kingdom in the 1600s for hunting purposes and are central to the hunting culture there. These truly wild game birds are shot on hunting preserves and inspected by European Economic Community Inspectors (similar to the USDA) before being shipped to the U.S. This arrangement offers the rare opportunity to taste hunted game, which is not legal to sell in the U.S.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS:
Partridge Cacciatore
Lime-Flavored Roasted Partridge
Partridge with Marsala and Brandy

Sep 19

Join in the Fun at Le Taste of France

Le Taste of France is a national celebration of French culture that culminates with a big weekend event (Le Show) in NYC on September 29 & 30. D’Artagnan is proud to participate as a sponsor, and will be serving savory treats at Le Show. We invite you to come out, meet and mingle, sample dishes from some great chefs, sip French wines, buy French wares, learn to play pétanque and join in the general joie de vivre.

But never fear, if you are not in NYC and want a taste of France, many of our restaurant clients around the country will be playing along.  They will offer a special D’Artagnan duck dish on the menu from September 20-30, and will show their French spirit in unique ways. So put on your beret and find a restaurant near you to join in the fun. Check our map for participating restaurants. And please take photos of the duck dishes and share them on our Facebook page. We’ll be doing the same!

Sep 5

All About Porcini Mushrooms

The porcini is a native mushroom almost everywhere in the Northern Hemisphere, throughout North American, European and Asian forests, though it has been introduced in parts of the Southern Hemisphere, including Australia and South America. The universally popular boletus mushroom grows under specific trees, including pine, but most commonly under chestnut trees, during the summer and autumn. Known, and loved, in Italy as porcini (meaning piglet), this mushroom is also called cèpe in French, from the Gascon word cep, meaning trunk, referring to its fat stem. Sometimes the porcini is called the king of mushrooms.

Porcini are always gathered in the wild and not cultivated, because the complex and symbiotic relationship between the mushroom and the tree roots is hard to reproduce. All varieties of porcini are characterized by a thick stems and round, fat caps when young. As the mushroom grows the cap flattens and opens up a bit. So a fat young porcini mushroom will look entirely different than the older version. Stems are pale and caps can range from light tan to deep burgundy-brown. Porcini can grow as large as a foot across but are often picked when much smaller. The porcini differs from other mushrooms in that it has a spore sponge, not gills underneath the cap. As the mushroom ages this pale spore sponge will darken and turn green. This is something to look for when buying fresh porcini, and is an indication that the mushroom is past its prime. There are lots of look-a-like boletes that get passed off as porcini, but aficionados know that nothing can come close the king of mushrooms.

Cleaning
Use a minimum of water and try not to allow water to enter the spore sponge under the cap. Cut away any dark spots or green areas. Keep an eye out for worms, who also find porcini tasty. If there is lots of dirt on the porcini, toss it gently in a colander, or gently wipe with a damp paper towel.

Eugenia Bone’s Bruschetta with Porcini Butter & Truffles

Cooking
The versatile porcini has been used in traditional cooking from Scandinavia to Southern Europe, and the mushroom is a favorite in Gascony, France, cooked in duck fat, of course. And Italians have made an art of cooking with porcini, both dried and fresh. The cap and stem of this mushroom are equally tasty, but the texture of the stem is slightly tougher than the cap. The porcini mushroom is meaty and the taste is intense: rich and woodsy with subtle nutty undertones. These mushrooms are delicate in flavor but vigorous enough in body to be used in brown sauces, and will stand up to strong flavors like grilled steak. Cook the stems slowly, in soups or braises, but sauté the caps in duck fat or butter. Porcini are a wonderful partner to pasta, risotto and gravies.

Frank Stitt’s Pappardelle with Rabbit, Porcini & Parmesan

Preserving
If you are lucky enough to possess fresh porcini, eat as many as you can in that state. However, this sturdy mushroom dries well. More often available frozen or dried, the flavor and texture of this hardy mushroom can withstand either process. Dried mushrooms can be reconstituted with hot water in a short time, and the porcini-infused water can also be used in a sauce, soup or pasta dish.

You may find porcini powder available year round, which can act as a magical dust in dry rubs, stews, stuffing, and especially in sauces. It is like a secret weapon in the kitchen, bringing great depth of flavor in any dish to which it is added.


RECIPE SUGGESTIONS:
Roast Veal with Porcini
Mario Batali’s Barbequed Squab al Mattone with Porcini Mustard

Sep 5

Surprise, surprise!!

Aug 29

Duckspotting {and a fond farewell} Charlie Trotter’s

After 25 years, the iconic Charlie Trotter’s restaurant is officially shutting its doors. The last plates will make their way out of the kitchen this Friday, August 31st. Charlie Trotter’s has been one of our longest running clients in Chicago and we are really sad to see them close.

Here’s a duckspotting from a recent dinner sent in from D’Artagnan Chicago sales rep, Joelle.

Squab, White Miso Tortellini, Red Wine Braised Cabbage, Baby Turnips with Turnip Green Puree

Even though Friday marks the end of an era in the Chicago culinary scene, Trotter’s is certainly not going quietly… a few weeks ago, the restaurant hosted a gala $2,500 a head 13-course extravaganza – our friends over at Grubstreet have some great photos and a behind the scenes video. For Friday’s dinner, Charlie will be joined by some well-known Trotter alums, including Graham Elliot, Bill Kim and Mindy Segal. We’re sure it won’t be the last we hear from Charlie Trotter. Yet unconfirmed, but word on the culinary street is Charlie is going to relax, travel then possibly attend graduate school. We hope eventually there will be another restaurant on the horizon as well… Good luck Chef!

Aug 28

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All About Lamb

Lamb is one of the most popular meats in England, Australia, Greece, the Middle East… pretty much everywhere but the United States, where our paltry annual average of one pound of meat per person pales in comparison to the almost 40 pounds consumed by each person in these countries. Our pals in New Zealand get special mention for eating an average of 57 pounds of lamb a year, thus ranking the nation as number one in the world for eating lamb meat!

D’Artagnan Domestic Lambs in Pasture

When Everyone Ate Lamb
Sheep were one of the earliest staple animals as humans made the transition from hunters to farmers. Meat, milk and wool all come from this useful, relatively small ruminant, making it most likely to succeed as one of the first domesticated animals. And sheep graze happily on meager pasture, so they can be reared in marginal, rocky areas. Also going for them (or their shepherds) is their flocking behavior. It does make it easy to keep track of them when they are out in pasture.

As testament to their success as a domesticated species, there are more than 200 breeds in existence today, each developed to a specific purpose. Some are bred for wool production, like the Merino, others for milk, like the East Fresian, which is responsible for much of the sheep milk in the world (which gets made into some of the best cheese!). In France, the Lacaune breed is the sheep of choice for producing the milk to make the legendary Roquefort cheese. And some breeds are best for succulent meat, like Cheviot, Dorset, Rambouillet or Suffolk sheep. And many breeds are good for all three.

Our Rocky Mountain Lambs Grazing

Lamb vs. Mutton

Lamb refers to meat from young sheep less than 12 months old, which is tender and mild in flavor. The meat from a sheep older than one year is called mutton, and it has a more intense flavor and somewhat less tender texture. Some cultures prefer to eat mutton (we’re looking at you, Great Britain!), and have developed recipes that require long slow cooking to break down the meat and tenderize it. There is another category called yearling mutton, which refers to meat from a sheep between 1 year and 2 years old. Yearling mutton will be darker, somewhat coarser and firmer with more fat and obviously larger overall than true lamb. Americans will be more likely to eat young lamb than mutton, when they do hunker down to their one pound of lamb a year.
Why We Should Eat More Lamb
The other red meat is good for you! Lamb meat has eight essential amino acids in the proper ratios, has high-quality protein, and is high in B vitamins, zinc and iron. And lamb is pretty lean compared to other red meats. Most of the fat is on the outside, not marbled throughout the meat, so it’s easily trimmed off. About 36 percent of the fat in lamb is saturated fat, and the rest is mono or polyunsaturated fat. And then there is the CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) which is a unique antioxidant that the human body cannot produce, but must get from eating herbivores like sheep, goats or cows. Lambs that get to eat clean pasture and range in the sunshine produce the most CLA.

Lobel Brothers’ Persian Lamb

D’Artagnan Lamb
D’Artagnan sources humanely-raised lamb from Australia, where there is a strong tradition of pasturing these wooly ruminants. A cross between the Dorset, White Suffolk and Border Leicester-Merino breeds, the sheep dine on clover and rye grasses, ensuring a sweet, mild flavor that is not gamey (a common complaint of uninitiated lamb eaters).

Domestic lamb is raised in the Rocky Mountain region by a small cooperative of family farms. They raise the heritage Rambouillet/Suffolk mixed breed on high altitude pasture, and finish them with a grain supplement. Like the farmers in our other cooperatives, they insist on following natural processes, never administering antibiotics or hormones.

Chef Jason Tillman’s Lamb Chops with Foie Gras and Prunes

The Rocky Mountains are an ideal place to raise lambs, with hundreds of thousands of acres of open pastures for grazing, comfortable temperatures and plenty of water and sunshine. This pristine and healthy environment minimizes stress on the animals and produces robust, well-fed lambs. Lambs grown in this environment are meatier than lambs grown in many other areas due to the optimal growth environment and unique genetics.

Lambs are raised to an average age of 6-9 months, which means their meat is quite tender with rich flavor. The grass and grain diet contributes to a mild, less gamey flavor than that which many associate with lamb.

Chek Kyle Ketchum’s Lamb Loin

Cooking
Racks, shanks, leg of lamb, lamb tenderloin, lamb shoulder—where to begin? Whatever the cut, the key to tasty lamb is not to overcook it! Nobody will be won over to the flavor of lamb if they are offered dry, grey, overcooked meat. Cook to medium rare, or 130 degrees F, which is the temperature that most chefs prefer for lamb, leaving all the juices, texture and flavor intact. In general, rack of lamb is a great roasted braised, or grilled. Leg of lamb can be marinated and roasted, and shanks respond well to braising and roasting. And if you are too timid to start with a lamb rack, try lamb merguez sausage - a favorite in North African and French cuisine!

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS:
Leg of Lamb Gascon Style
Grilled Rack of Lamb with Fresh Herbs
Braised Rack of Lamb with Carrots, Potatoes and Spinach
Moroccan Braised Lamb Shanks with Mint Yogurt

Aug 14

Remembering Julia

Ariane Daguin and Julia Child had many things in common – height, boldness, creativity, humor and a healthy dose of irreverence. But the thing that bonded them was their passion for sharing the pleasures of French food with America. While Julia had TV audiences eating out of her hand, she took time to encourage Ariane in the early years of D’Artagnan to help the fledgling business grow.

August 15, 2012 would have been Julia’s 100th birthday and it’s a time to celebrate her life. Here, Ariane reflects on how much Julia meant to her, sharing memories of the culinary icon that inspired a generation, and who continues to do so.

D’Artagnan exists today in part thanks to Julia Child.

First, because she was the initiator of the good food crusade; in our world of gastronomy, there are definitely two Americas: the one before, and the one after Julia!

Certainly, she was the pioneer who elevated good food to a higher priority in this country. Without her, legions of dedicated artisanal suppliers like us, passionate chefs, and prolific writers would not be here today, arguing about the true meaning of organic, what constitutes local and seasonal boundaries, or the proper age of a Berkshire pig to achieve ideal belly fat.

Second, because not only did she help advance the “good food” cause in general, but she also helped me promote D’Artagnan’s mission, in the early days of the company. 

I met Julia while her influence was at its height. She could not participate in a cooking seminar, enter a restaurant, or even cross the street without creating a mob scene. So I learned quickly that once we entered a public place, whether intimate or not, there would be no more one-on-one conversation.

At the time, 28 years ago (when D’Artagnan started), she was actively working to organize the gastronomes of the country, and constantly invited us to participate in her events and gatherings.

When we were together at those gatherings, she would take me under her wing, like a second mother this side of the Atlantic Ocean.

While giggling in French between us, she would make a point to introduce me to everybody in sight who was “somebody.”

I remember, in particular, one of the first conferences of the A.I.W.F. (American Institute of Wine and Food), that she helped create. We had, after she introduced us to each other, extremely animated discussions: one with Calvin Trillin on cooking spare ribs, and the other with Alice Waters, on which kind of thyme can grow where.

At every food show where she knew we were participating, she would come and get me at D’Artagnan’s booth. We would then walk the aisles together, creating an instant mob scene wherever we decided to stop and taste the goods.

The last time I saw Julia was in Boston, just before she left to retire for good in Santa Barbara, CA. She had invited me to do a talk about foie gras, in the afternoon, then brought me to a Les Dames D’Escoffier cocktail event where, as usual, all the guests flocked around her the minute we entered the room. That evening, for the first time, she had to ask for a chair and continued her greetings while seated.

The next day for lunch, she asked me to meet her at Biba, Lydia Shire’s restaurant which was then THE place to be in Boston. I arrived slightly late (visiting chef clients and getting lost in Boston in the morning). When I got there, Julia was already at the table, seated in front of a tall drink that appeared to be tomato juice. Going with what I assumed was the flow, I asked the waiter for a Bloody Mary. To which Julia added, in her unmistakable multi-tone voice: “Oh, what a good idea! Could you make mine one, too?”  At which, Lydia arrived on the double, with a bottle of vodka in hand. Glasses were filled (constantly) and I remember nothing but that sentence that I try, very badly, to imitate once in a while.

It’s wonderful to see the world celebrating her life on the 100th anniversary of her birth this month. But I’m not surprised, because there is no other “food celebrity” that inspires more affection and devotion than Julia. Actually, she was the beginning of our modern concept of a food celebrity. Her personality was so huge and so generous that it came through the TV. Whether she was tossing a limp, American-style baguette over her shoulder in disgust or burning her eyebrows off making bananas flambé, Julia embodied the spirit of adventure in cooking. She was always learning, even as she taught. She made cooking entertaining, took it from drudgery to artistry—and beyond, to fun. And she did it in a very approachable way, making mistakes, dropping things on the floor, the way you do in real life. Suddenly, French food wasn’t so fancy; it was food you could make at home.

It seems to me that you can’t overestimate the importance of a cultural phenomenon like Julia. Without her, would we even have multiple TV channels dedicated to cooking shows? Or so many food blogs?  I think that the cult of the kitchen started with Julia. She made people want to cook, talk about food and challenge themselves in the kitchen. 

And even now, years after her death, her fame grows with biographical books and movies. This month, to celebrate the 100th anniversary, there are restaurants around the country offering special menus of her recipes. But most of all, there are people cooking her recipes at home. That’s her true legacy. She got people to embrace French cuisine in their kitchens, with her confident voice ringing in their ears and her inspired (and tested!) recipes as a guide. Her joie de vivre and passion for food were infectious. Sharing that on her TV show made French food accessible to Americans. It made her a star, and she even created a catchphrase–that sing-song trademark sign off, “bon appétit!”  - Ariane

Aug 14

All About Sweetbreads

According to the Larousse Gastronomique, sweetbread is “the culinary term for the thymus gland (in the throat) and the pancreas (near the stomach) in calves, lambs and pigs.” Larousse further states that thymus sweetbreads are “elongated and irregular in shape” while pancreas sweetbreads are “larger and rounded.”

But sweetbreads are neither sweet, nor are they bread. The word “sweetbread” was first used in the 16th century, but the reason behind the name is unknown. Sweet is perhaps used since the thymus is sweeter and richer tasting than muscle flesh. Bread may come from brede “roasted meat,” or is used because bread was another name for morsel.

Southern Fried Sweetbreads Recipe from Gourmet Magazine

Sweetbreads fit into the category of offal, along with other organs, meaning “off-fall” or off-cuts from the carcass of an animal. Sometimes known as variety meats, the heads, tails, and organs of animals have long held a place in European kitchens. In the days before the supermarket (admittedly most of human history) when people butchered their own animals, nothing was wasted from the carcass. Thus many recipes for the nasty bits were created to make the most of these odd, often highly nutritional and tasty cuts. Sweetbreads, aka thymus glands, help young animals fend off disease, and after about six months, they are no longer needed and disappear. So sweetbreads are only found in calves, lambs and kids, with the sweetbreads from milk-fed veal calves being most commonly eaten.

Sweetbreads from New York’s legendary La Grenouille

Offal has always had a cult following in professional kitchens, though less so with home cooks until recent years. Sweetbreads are highly prized by chefs for their mild flavor and tender, creamy texture. They are quite versatile and can be prepared many ways: sautéed, poached, grilled, fried, roasted or braised. Sweetbreads are often supporting stars in pâtés, terrines, sausages, cold appetizers, stews and salads.

Sweetbreads au Monarch by Deana Sidney of the wonderful blog, lostpastremembered

Cooking
However they are cooked, sweetbreads must be soaked in cold water for a minimum of three hours, or even up to 24 hours, to remove any blood. Change the water a few times during the soak. Then blanch the sweetbreads—this makes their texture firmer–bring them to a boil in a pot of water and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Place in ice water to cool quickly and then drain. When they are cool enough to handle, take each sweetbread and pick it over, taking off the fatty, gristly, sinewy bits and veins. The trick is to do this without cutting or removing the membrane, though the membrane is removed in some recipes, so the sweetbreads can still be used if the membrane is accidentally broken.

Traditionally, French and Italian chefs serve sweetbreads in rich, creamy sauces, such as veloute sauce or brown sauce, like Madiera, or truffle sauce. Sweetbreads can be served breaded and fried, or grilled after a night-long soak in buttermilk, sautéed, poached or broiled. In the modern renaissance of offal sweetbreads are increasingly being seen on the menus of the nose-to-tail set.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS:
Sweetbreads Grenoble
Veal Sweetbreads with Wild Mushrooms
Veal Tenderloin with Sweetbreads in a Carrot Orange Stew

Aug 9

D’Artagnan Tastemakers: Chef Jean Joho

One of the great perks of working with the country’s best restaurants is, of course, meeting the country’s best chefs! We’ve had the privilege of supplying chefs from New York to Los Angeles and everywhere in between for nearly three decades. As you can imagine, we’ve met a lot of interesting, talented and inspiring characters over the years. We thought it would be fun to share a little personal info about these chefs  – in their words – in our new column, D’Artagnan Tastemakers. We hope you like it!

Jean Joho has a classic French chef story. He started as an apprentice to the legendary Paul Haeberlin at just 13 years old, he earned his chops in restaurants across France, Italy, and Switzerland, attended Hotel & Restaurant School in Strasbourg and was helming a 3 Michelin starred kitchen at the tender age of 23.

Chef Joho is a Relais & Chateaux Grand Chef, James Beard Award Winner, and his 4-star Chicago restaurant Everest, consistently ranks among the countries best. We’ve had the pleasure of being a supplier for Jean Joho’s restaurants for several years now, and accolades aside, what impresses us the most is his convivial spirit and commitment to top-quality, seasonal ingredients. This is why Jean Joho is a D’Artagnan Tastemaker. Read on to learn more about the chef with the infectious smile!

Chef, what do you cook at home?

I grew up with a father who was a businessman and he entertained very frequently. So from a very young age I was surrounded by the spirit of hospitality. We love to entertain and it is very seasonal. During the growing season we use whatever we get from the farmers, in the snowy winter I love to cook in the fireplace or on an open fire.

If you weren’t a chef, what would you be?

An artist or a sculptor. I am very inspired by art, and have many artist friends, such as Ivo Soldini, the Swiss sculptor whose bronze statues adorn each of the tables at Everest, and John Westmark, from whom I recently purchased two paintings, also for the restaurant.

Favorite food destination?

I spend a lot of time in France, Italy and Spain. I never tire of the cuisine, the landscape, the cities, the people, the ingredients and the history, the care and spirit that the people cook with.

What’s your fondest food memory?

Having lunch during the harvest in the vineyards with my father and his clients in Alsace. The weather was cold, so everyday we would have warm soup, homemade sausage, ham baked in bread, suckling pig cooked on an open fire of vine segments, and fresh fruit pies.

What is the one ingredient that you can’t live without?

Mustard. It also reminds me of my childhood.

When you’re not in the kitchen, where can you be found?

During the growing season, I try to spend as much time as possible with the farmers in Michigan. Otherwise, with winemakers or at a cultural event—theater, museum, concerts, symphony.

If you could share a meal with anyone, who would it be? What would you eat?

I would love to sit down and share a meal with Einstein. I would cook whole black truffles in potatoes, topped with fleur de sel.

Sounds amazing to us! Chef Joho is Chef/Proprietor at Everest and Paris Club in Chicago, Brasserie Jo in Boston and Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas. Reservations can be made online, on the homepage of each location. Visit his site and learn more about him here. 

Aug 8

And…..go!

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