The Dynamic Food Duo Behind East Hampton Gourmet Food

Kate Pratt and Michel Mazuret, owners of East Hampton Gourmet Food.

I believe we are the culmination of our life experiences. This is especially true when you meet Kate Pratt and Michel Mazuret, the dynamic food duo behind the East Hampton Gourmet Food in East Hampton, New York. Together, for the past 17 years, they have been creating healthy gourmet eats for the wholesale, retail and entertaining markets of the East End and New York metro area.

I met with Kate and Michel on a beautiful Saturday afternoon, and the drive to East Hampton was bumper-to-bumper traffic; something us “East Enders” are familiar with. This was a sure sign that winter was long gone and the summer crowds were eager to get their houses ready for Memorial Day weekend.

Kate Pratt and Michel Mazuret, owners of East Hampton Gourmet Food

I sat with Kate and Michel outside their store at 66 Newtown Lane, and they began reminiscing about their partnership and story. The weather was a perfect compliment to their sunny disposition and charming personalities; I could have chatted with them for hours. During my visit, they had an order for a well-known photographers birthday party of vegetarian delights: assorted grilled vegetables, lentil rice crispbread with mango chutney, white bean puree with grilled bread, vegan veggie burgers, tempeh blt’s, kale Caesar salad, quinoa salad and instead of a birthday cake a beautiful burrata cheese with basil and roasted red peppers.

Burrata cheese with basil and roasted red peppers

The majority of customers who stopped by the store were opening up their homes for the coming summer season; picking up their gourmet-to-go meals which are internationally inspired using locally grown, raised or caught when possible.

Their ethnic cuisine is no surprise as Kate’s father was a chef in the Army as a Mess Sergeant during World War II. Can you imagine trying to satisfy the palates of hungry soldiers, who wished they were home eating their Mom’s best recipes? Kate’s father did just that, he learned how to cook foods from an array of cultures and when he returned home from active duty he would make these recipes for Kate’s family. The one cuisine Kate’s father did not learn was Indian; that is where Kate’s maternal grandfather filled the void. He was in the British Royal Army, stationed in Bombay, India, where he became interested in Indian philosophy, culture and food. When Kate was thirteen her grandfather took her to the 1964 Worlds Fair in Queens, New York where she spent the entire time at the Indian Pavilion learning how to make Indian food.

Chickpea Cake

lentil rice Crispbreads

Coconut Bliss; vegan, raw, organic

I tasted a few items on the menu that took me around the world: turkey meatballs in marinara sauce, a chickpea cake with yogurt sauce, Kitchari (an Ayurvedic detoxifying soupy porridge made of mung bean, brown rice and active yeast), turkey chili, quinoa spice salad, lentil rice crispbreads (flavors: rosemary parmesan and everything. These are thin, beautifully tasting artisan crackers), ready-to-bake flourless peanut butter cookies, coconut bliss (a vegan, raw and organic version of an almond joy) and a gluten-free roulade meringue with unsweetened whipped cream and raspberries infused with rosewater. This sweet treat will be the all-star at our Sheridan Green open house party; you can bank on the fact that I would drive in Saturday summer traffic to get this light and luscious dessert.
 

Roulade meringue with unsweetened 

whipped cream and raspberries infused with rosewater

Roulade meringue with unsweetened whipped cream and raspberries infused with rosewater

Kate’s curiosity for culture and global flavors continued into her adult life. She lived in Indian for a few years and immersed herself in the culture. On her return from India she managed the famed Mangia, one of Manhattan’s premier gourmet take-out and catering establishments and a few years later moved to Key West Florida to manage, Ocean Key Resort and Spa.

It was in Key West Florida where she met Michel Mazuret, who happened to be her neighbor. Michel worked at the acclaimed Café Des Artistes as a chef and was classically trained in the region of Brittany, France.

When Kate and Michel met they instantly knew they would be collaborating in some type of business together and so they packed their bags and headed to Kate’s refuge in the Hamptons.

The coming together of Kate and Michel was sheer serendipity. In 1996 they launched East Hampton Gourmet Food, as an artisanal wholesale bakery supplying esoteric, savory/sweet vegan pies to Hay Day Markets, Dean and Deluca, Balducci's, and several gourmet stores. In 2006, they expanded their culinary offerings alongside the wholesale operation of gourmet prepared meals for the public.

These days, this health conscious foodie team is cooking up ready-to-eat, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals alongside free-range poultry and local fish dishes. During the winter months, Michel travels to Hawaii, Japan and France to expand on his culinary repertoire which influences the seasonal dishes at East Hampton Gourmet Food. Not only does Michel create the diverse dishes offered but also the talented team of cooks: Maggie, Tikka and Beatrice who have extensive knowledge in Indian, Thai and Lebanese cooking, add their own twist.

East Hampton Gourmet Food caters for events and parties. The refrigerated case displays are filled with a variety of gourmet prepared meals; vegan, vegetarian, and some poultry. The vegetarian frozen hors d’oeuvres would satisfy any carnivore; offering dumplings, quiches, samosas and fritters. Most dishes in the store are gluten-free and they even offer frozen flourless peanut butter and chocolate chunk cookies that are ready to be baked. 

To top it off, Kate who has a degree in biochemistry, developed a skin care line, Hampton Botanicals. “70 percent of what you put onto your body goes into your body,” says Kate. The products are made with essential oils, are plant-derived, as organic as possible and will be offered at White's Pharmacy in East Hampton.

Hampton Botanicals Skin Care

East Hampton Gourmet Food is presently looking for an additional location to expand their business. This new location may focus on their wholesale products, gourmet-to-go refrigerated foods, or their skin care line, Hampton Botanicals. 

Eat well and healthy is Kate and Michel's mantra. Be sure to stop by their shop as there is something for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to their upcoming journey as I think it is going to be a happy and healthful ride.

Counter People Needed: Who are foodies at heart and interested in healthy foods. 
Please inquire: phone: 631.329.3993 email: info@easthamptongourmetfood.com 
website: www.easthamptongourmetfood.com 
address: 66 Newtown Lane (rear building) East Hampton, New York.

Grano Arso Pasta inspired by Chef Patti Jackson

All culinary and artisan roads lead to Jimmy Carbone, the owner of Jimmy's No. 43; a Slow Food approved restaurant and craft beer bar in the East Village of New York City. Thankfully, Jimmy's is a five minute walk from my New York City apartment, as their Monday night prix fixe dinner series is about imbibing craft beers with a chef prepared, locally focused meal that is not to be missed; especially if Chef Patti Jackson, formerly of iTrulli, is cooking.

In 2011, I met chef Jackson at my first Cassoulet cooking competition at Jimmy's No. 43. She was stationed right next to me and I was so excited to meet the chef of iTrulli, as I thought her talent for developing Italian fare, especially her pasta, was right on. I am very much inspired by chef Jackson and have been fortunate enough to indulge at a few of these dinners: Spanish tapas paired with hard ciders and Spanish beers of Iberian United, Vegetarian Nonsense™ Dinner paired with Italian craft beer curated by B. United, and most recently April Sours, featuring lambic and sour beers paired with a special tasting menu which included:

• Chicken Liver Pate, Rhubarb Relish paired with Hanssens Gueuze
• Smoked Mackerel Salad with Cress and Rye Crumbs paired with Alvinne Wild Undressed
• Burnt-flour Pasta with Duck Sausage and White Beans paired with Vapeur, Vintage
• Braised Bacon, Braised Spring Greens and Ramps paired with Vapeur Cochonne 1996
• Savory Cheese Tart, Fig and Cardamon Toast paired with Alvinne Cuvee Freddy

I have eaten and made my fair share of pasta, but I have never heard of the burnt flour type, known as, grano arso, which means burnt grain. Grano arso originated in the region of Puglia as cucina povera, or "cuisine of poverty". There’s more than one story about the origin of using grano arso. Some say hungry peasants scoured freshly burned wheat fields seeking overlooked scorched stubbles, while another theory suggests that villagers would sweep their communal wood-burning ovens to collect the burnt flour that was left behind after baking bread. Today, burnt grain is not a necessity for survival, but of interest to the experimental cook or chef like Patti Jackson.

I was so inspired by chef Jackson's burnt flour recipe that I experimented the following day in my kitchen and followed her technique. 

Tagliatelle di Grano Arso with Spring Peas, Asparagus and Caramelized Onions

Chef Jackson made a Maccheroncini pasta which are pasta tubes, that she cut into 1-inch pieces. I decided to make a Tagliatelle pasta that are long and flat which held the ingredients nicely. My burnt flour could have taken another 5 minutes in the oven, however, my smoke detector was not happy, alarming me of when it thought the flour was done, so I had to stop. Be sure to open the windows or us your oven vents. The flavor of the burnt flour pasta is exactly like charred pizza dough and the color — a dark, toasted amber similar in color to cocoa powder.

Grano Arso

ingredients

• 1 cup; durum flour

directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°
2. Spread flour on a baking sheet and bake for 30 - 40 minuets; until dark in color and charred on the edges.
3. Remove from oven and let cool. Sieve in a bowl; reserve.

Tagliatelle di Grano Arso

ingredients

• 1 cup; grano arso
• 3 cups; durum flour
• 1 cup; hot water

Note: for this recipes 2 pieces of dough was used. The remainder you can freeze, 1 -3 months.

directions

1. Place grano arso and flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook.
2. Slowly add the hot water and mix until moist and capable of sticking together
3. Remove dough from mixer and place on a lightly floured work surface; knead by hand to form an elastic ball and divide into 4 pieces and cover with plastic wrap.
4. Flatten your 1 piece of dough a little and feed it through the machine, set to #1.
5. Fold the dough in half and feed it through the machine again, still on #1.
6. Repeat this process around 10 times.
7. Change your setting to #2 and feed it through the machine once. No need to fold the dough in half again.
8. Using the Tagliatelle pasta attachement feed the pasta through, lightly flour pasta on a baking sheet and let dry for 15 minutes.
9. Continue with Step 1-8 with the remaining pasta pieces.

Assembly

ingredients

• 1 cup, spring peas
• 12 stalks of asparagus, cut into 1/2 inch pieces 
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup of grated Pecorino cheese
• 1 tablespoon of cracked black pepper
• Generous amount of salt for the pasta water and for blanching the peas and asparagus.
• 1 cup of reserved pasta water

directions

1. Over medium heat in a wide skillet add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and caramelize until golden brown; set aside.
2. Bring a medium size pot of salted water to a boil and add the peas and cut asparagus; blanch for 2 minutes; strain and reserve.
   
   note: before cutting asparagus snap off the woody base of each spear by bending the spear a few times to find a place where it breaks easily.
    
3. Place vegetables with the caramelized onions and lightly fold together over low heat; reserve.
4. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; cook until al dente, for about 3 minutes; remove pasta with a wide strainer and place in the pan with the vegetables.
   
5. Add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 3/4 cup of grated pecorino cheese.; gently fold together.
6. Place in a bowl or serving dish and lightly sprinkle with pecorino cheese.

Chikapalooza - The Basics of Raising Chickens

The Garden of Eve's first Chikapalooza was a great way to kick-off Earth Day and to celebrate spring. Throughout the weekend there were cooking demonstrations and information about their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as well as workshops for creating an organic home garden, shearing wool, working with bees, and the highlight of my visit, raising chickens.

At a very young age birds have always been a part of my life. My father raised a hundred or so canaries that started out in the basement of our house and eventually made its way to the outdoor shed. At the crack of dawn, just when the sun peeked it's way through the window, the canaries would sing the longest and most beautiful melody you have ever heard. My father always had an affinity for birds, and even tried a hand at raising chickens for eggs years ago, until the town put a stop to his love affair. Thankfully, the Chicken Laws and Ordinances have evolved since then.

Four years ago, when my husband Chris and I bought our 1.1 acre lot in Hampton Bays, New York my father's first thought was, "Chickens, you can raise chickens!"  Our first thought, "We need to build a house." 

We are 3.5 months away from Sheridan Green being complete and all I can think about is raising chickens for eggs. We have not picked out our kitchen appliances yet and I'm fantasizing about the design of our chicken coop and the young Araucanas, Bantams and Top Hats frolicking around our property.

While Chris was busy being Architect and General Contractor for Sheridan Green, I was on my way to Chikapalooza, to understand the basics of raising chickens.

Dr. Mark Bridgen, Professor and Director of the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center at Cornell University led the seminar. 

Dr. Mark Bridgen, Professor and Director of the Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center at Cornell University led the seminar. He has been raising his own chickens for more than 25 years and is an authority on the care and management of chickens in the home. 

Here are some of my top takeaways from the seminar:

1. How to begin? First research your Chicken Laws and Ordinances. It is important to understand your zoning restrictions and to think about your neighbors.
2. What kind of chickens should you get? There are different chicken breeds for meat, eggs, pets and show birds. Determine your purpose for chickens and then pick your breeds. Starting with baby chicks ensures a "cleaner" flock from potential diseases and easier adaptation to you and their new environment.
3. Where to get Chickens? You can mail order chicks from Cackle Hatchery and Murray McMurray Hatchery. During the springtime you can get chicks at your local feed stores. Locally for Long Island residents you can call Long Island Hatchery at 631.457.0612.
4. What to do when baby chicks arrive? It is best to be prepared before your chicks arrive. You'll need a chick brooder and flooring of pine shavings. The easiest way to make sure your chicks stay warm is to provide them with a heat lamp indoors at a temperature of 90 to 100 degrees for the first week from a single lamp. Decrease 5 degrees per week until the chick is 4 weeks old. Special feed of "crumbles" or "mash" and fresh water is imperative.
5. Do you need a rooster to get eggs? No. You would only need a rooster if you want to raise your own chicks. If you want a rooster you need to be considerate of your neighbors as they are extremely loud.
6. Where to keep Chickens? In a chicken coop; general rule 2 or 3-square-feet for each chicken. A sturdy, well ventilated and protected structure which is raised off the ground is best to keep predators from getting in. One nesting box for every 2-3 hens. Chickens need exercise, fresh air and room to roam safely. If you are fencing in a chicken run which is attached to your coop each chicken needs approximately 4-square-feet. 
7. What to feed Chickens? Adults get vegetarian, no-antibiotic feed which you can get at any Agway (NOT their normal Agway brand feed - which has antibiotics and animal by products in it). Locally for Long Island residents: Neptune Feed, 631.369.0965 and East Port Feed, 10 bag-pellet quantities only. 631.325.0077. Chickens will eat your vegetable scraps/compost, lawn clippings, bugs, ticks and worms. Fresh water daily is a must.
8. How many eggs will you get? 200-300 eggs per year per chicken. Hens naturally lay eggs when the days are long, and slow down as the days grow short in the wintertime. If you want your hens to lay eggs throughout the winter add a 40-watt bulb for 100-square-feet (10- by 10-foot) or 60-watt bulb for 200-square-feet (20- by 20-foot) suspended about 7 feet off the floor to substitute for daylight.
9. Common Chicken Predators: Cats, Dogs, Foxes, Hawks, Owls, Raccoons and Rats. The chickens will naturally go into their coop at dusk and you must lock the chickens in so no predators can enter the coop. Put sturdy wire metal screens on all of your chicken house windows and use a good grade wire with small openings. Instead of letting the chickens roam freely, build a wire-enclosed chicken run next to your coop and make sure to put a top on it.
10. Why would you want to raise chickens? fun, easy, fresh eggs and pet-friendly. 

Chris, Garden of Eve's Farmer gave me a tour of their "Egg mobiles"

After the seminar, I went to see how the Garden of Eve pastures their 1,500 chickens in their custom-built "eggmobiles" that are out in the fields, and moved every 3 weeks to new "pasture". Pastured poultry is a sustainable agriculture technique that calls for the raising of laying chickens on pasture, as opposed to indoor confinement. They eat grass, just like a cow, in addition to their no-antibiotic, all vegetarian grain pelleted feed and bugs within the field. Pastured chicken eggs have alot more flavor than store-bought. The yolk is bright orange and higher in Omega-3's due to the chlorophyll in the greens the chickens eat.

North Fork Hen House Tour

For those of you who are looking to create your own hen house or simply curious about chicken coops in general, there will be a self-guided tour of the North Fork Hen Houses on Saturday, June 15, 2013 from 10–3 p.m. This is organized by Cornell University's Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center, to celebrate hometown hen houses, and to share enthusiasm for raising chickens. 

Some of the stops on the tour include: a small family-run farm that sells eggs and chickens all year, a supplier of baby chicks, a perennial plant grower that has ducks, geese, and chickens, a homemade hen house with a green roof and families who raise chickens for fresh eggs and more.

Participants will pick up their maps at Cornell University's Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Center at 3059 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, New York 11901. There will be a $5 fee per vehicle to obtain a map.

If you have a hen house that you are especially proud of and are willing to be one of the sites on the tour, please call Dr. Mark Bridgen at: 631.727.3595 or e-mail: mpb27@cornell.edu.

Did you know?
That Suffolk County is the most Agricultural county in the State of New York based on wholesale value. No other county in New York is more important or more diverse. 

To visit the Garden of Eve Organic Farm & Market: 4558 Sound Ave, Riverhead New York 11901 www.GardenOfEveFarm.com  phone: 631.722.8777.

Spring Greens Soup with a Poached Farm Egg

Spring is all about green shoots and new growth. The quintessential gastronomic sign of an early spring is young fresh green garlic and green shallots that are harvested before the cloves have begun to mature. The season for these mild flavored alliums is short, so sauntering to your local farmers market to snatch up these mild but distinct flavored beauties is not recommended. 

Spring Greens Soup with a Poached Farm Egg Recipe

ingredients

1/2 pound of young green garlic, outer layer peeled and chopped

1/2 pound of young green shallots, chopped

1 cup of parsley

2 cups of watercress

2 cups of radish greens

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium potato, peeled

8 cups of chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme

2 tablespoons of sour cream

Salt and pepper to taste

chives, snipped for garnish

poached egg

Fresh farm eggs (1 for each bowl)

3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar

directions

1. Melt the butter and olive oil in a medium stockpot set over medium-low heat. Add the young green shallots and garlic, watercress, radish greens, onion and potato.
2. Stir occasionally, until softened, about 20 minutes. Then add the parsley and thyme.
3. Add 8 cups of stock and bring to a boil.
4. Add the sour cream and with a hand held immersion blender puree in the stockpot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
   
   poached egg
   
5. Half-fill a wide pan about 4 inches deep, with unsalted water. Add 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar and bring to a boil.
6. Break an egg into a small bowl. Stir the water clockwise so it is moving and then gently tip the egg into the pan. The circular movement helps the egg white to gather into a ball.
7. Poach egg for 1 1/2 minutes.
   (if you like your poached egg to be firmer, cook for 2 minutes.
   
8. With a slotted spoon lift the egg out of the pot and rest the bottom of the spoon on a paper towel to absorb some of the liquid.
9. Place the poached egg in the center of a shallow soup bowl.
10. Ladle the hot soup around the poached egg, carefully not to cover or pierce it. Garnish with snipped chives.
    

note: Do not poach more than 4 eggs at a time, to prevent over crowding and breakage.

Easter Time Nostalgia

Recently, my mother shared with me my maternal Grandmother's recipe box, which was filled with hand-written recipes of years past, mostly desserts, which explains her love for sweets. When I came across the recipes for Pizza Rustica and Wheat Pie, the Easter time nostalgia began to set-in. I reminisced about Easter mornings, waking up to a huge Easter basket of treats and a half-eaten carrot on the kitchen table that was left out for the Easter bunny. Then there was the Easter Egg hunt at my hometown baseball field where hundreds of colorfully wrapped chocolate eggs were randomly dispersed on the field and one large Golden Egg filled with candy for a lucky kid to find. Imagine all the children picking up the first candy they could see and me bee-lining it to the corner of left field. I ran past my competition and all the shiny eggs to only snatch up the Golden Egg. To this day, I will not reveal my sources.

My 1st Easter at 5 months old. Photo Credit: My mother Barbara Luciano.

Nostalgic triggers tell a story about our lives, helping us reflect on traditions and moments, which bring us back to a comforting time. In the days when both my maternal and paternal Grandparents were alive Easter dinner was always celebrated with them. I particularly like to have holiday meals at home, however this year, my husband and I had Easter dinner at the Stone Creek Inn, in East Quogue, NY with my father, sister and stepmother.

The Easter menu was prix fixé and offered a variety of seasonal and delicious dishes to choose from. The portions were generous and the wine list was extensive with a good offering of local wines.

What was most enjoyable was the ambiance, which provided a comfortable setting for us to come together and reminisce about the past, to talk over the present and plan for the future. What's better than Easter time, the spring season that calls upon us to pause amongst ourselves, to break bread and reflect upon the thaw of winter into a cycle of growth. 

My stepmother was reminiscing about her godfather, uncle Stash who would give her a Palmer chocolate bunny every Easter. She seems to love this chocolate ( I personally think her memory out weighs the taste ) and for her the nostalgia of this is what makes it so special. She buys one every year. It tells a story about her childhood, a memory that she finds comfort and joy in. What is better than that?

I am sure we all can relate to something we are nostalgic about. What triggers our emotions is purely personal. I am truly thankful for these special reminders, especially my Grandmother's newly found recipe box that I will cherish forever. 

Chocolate Bread Bruschetta inspired by The Blue Duck Bakery Cafe

I am relieved to say that my sinus infection is almost gone and my sense of taste and smell have finally come back. To celebrate, I fulfilled my month long fantasy of walking into The Blue Duck Bakery Café in Riverhead to smell pastry and taste warm loaves of bread coming out of the oven.

This family-owned bakery is operated by the Kouris Family, who first opened its doors in Southampton, New York in 1999. The bakery quickly gained popularity and recognition for its artisan breads, which are created by hand in the centuries-old tradition of European bakers. Their breads can be found at farmers markets throughout the East End of Long Island and select retailers and restaurants. In 2008, the Kouris family opened a second location in Southold, New York and in December of 2012 opened its third location in Riverhead, New York.

My eyes feasted on the variety of artisan breads. To name a few; New York Sour Rye, Pain Provence, Pane Pugliese, Ciabatta, Pane All' Olive, Landbrot Mit Sauerkraut and a beautiful chocolate bread that I had to have. This bread was a welcome back party for my taste buds and I had grand plans for what I was to make out of this chocolate loaf.

I noticed they had dinner rolls and thought the whole grain and olive roll would be a perfect snack for my car ride home — forget dinner.

As I munched gleefully all by my lonesome with my dinner rolls, (you might as well call them "car rolls" as I do not see how anyone can get home without eating a few of these along the way) I was thinking about the chocolate bread sitting on the passenger seat and whether or not I should chomp on that too. 

Thankfully, I restrained myself because I made a chocolate bread bruschetta dessert that is insanely delicious. The Blue Duck Bakery Café satisfied my month long fantasy and I am so happy they are now in Riverhead as they are only 10 minutes from our upcoming home Sheridan Green which is about 2 "car rolls" away.

Chocolate Bread Bruschetta 

ingredients

8 ounces Mascarpone

2 tablespoons of local honey

Bunch of raspberries

3 ounces of good Dark chocolate, shaved

The Blue Duck Bakery Café chocolate bread

 

note: Check here to see if you can get The Blue Duck Bakery Café chocolate bread. If you cannot get this exact bread, your local baker may have something similar.

directions

1. Mix one container, 8 ounces of the Mascarpone cheese with the honey until smooth. 
2. Cut the chocolate bread to your desired shape, about 1/4 thick. I cut 2 x 2 squares.
3. Place the cut bread onto a baking sheet and lightly toast in the oven at 350° or place in a small toaster over for 3 minutes. Be sure the bread does not burn. Bread should be lightly toasted and warm.
4. Once bread slices are lightly toasted place a dollop of the Mascarpone cheese on top of the bread and then the Raspberries. With a microplane shave dark chocolate on top.

note: One loaf of chocolate bread should yield 24 - 30, 2 x 2 x 1/4 inch pieces.

Quacked for Duck Confit Tart

There is something about duck that keeps me coming back for more. I recently participated in the Food Systems Network NYC's 3rd Annual Duck-Off hosted by Jimmy Carbone of Jimmy's No. 43. Some would call me a "quack" for taking on this challenge having just competed in the 5th Annual Cassoulet Cook-off that took me weeks to prepare an award-winning dish.

But how can I resist? Hudson Valley Duck Farm supplies the requested duck parts of our choice and it is for a great cause. When asked, I had one day to decide on my dish and committed myself to making a duck confit tart.

The next day, it dawned on me, I had to confit 20 duck legs and prepare Pate Brisee for the tart shells in my 400-sqare-foot New York City apartment. My stove is the size of an easy bake oven and the refrigerator is sized for a college dorm. Thankfully, I have a fire escape where I was able to store the 10lbs of duck fat for my confit.

Yep, I am definitely "quacked", but the effort won me 3rd place amongst talented Chef's like Micah Mowrey and Andrew Gumpel of Gramercy Tavern who placed 1st for their duck pastrami with sunchokes & aji dulce pepper jam. This duck confit tart is definitely worth a try.

Duck confit tart with caramelized onions, fennel, pear and brie

Duck Leg Confit

The confit is prepared in a centuries-old process of preservation that consists of salt curing a piece of meat (generally duck, goose or pork) and then poaching it in its own fat and refrigerating. This process is more time-consuming than daunting.

Can be done two weeks in advance.

ingredients

4 Duck Legs

3 cups of rendered duck fat

1/3 cup kosher salt

1 head of garlic, unpeeled

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1/4 cup of shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme, chopped

2 bay leaves, crumbled

4 juniper berries crushed.

2 whole cloves.

1  teaspoons of a four-spice blend: 1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves, 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 1 tablespoon of white pepper. (Remainder of spice blend keeps for 6 months in airtight container)

note: If you cannot get ahold of fresh duck legs or duck fat locally, there are resources online where you can order these duck products.

directions

1. Mash 2 garlic cloves to a paste with a pinch of kosher salt. Then stir together paste, 1/3 cup of kosher salt, shallots, thyme, bay leaves, crushed juniper berries, and the four-spice blend in a large bowl. Add duck legs and toss to coat. Marinate, covered and chilled in a large pan, for 1 day.
2. Wipe off marinade with paper towels. Thoroughly remove all the spices and herbs the best you can.
3. Trim off 1/4 inch from top of garlic head and stick 2 whole cloves into head.
4. Melt duck fat in a wide large pot over low heat. Once fat is translucent place duck legs and garlic head in. Cook uncovered, over low heat until fat registers approximately 190ºF, about 1 hour. You will need a deep-fat thermometer for this. Continue to cook duck, maintaining a temperature of 190 to 210º, for another 2-3 hours more or until a wooden bakers pick or toothpick slides easily into thighs.
5. Transfer duck with a slotted spoon to a large bowl and reserve the garlic minus the cloves for the tart mixture.
   
6. Slowly pour duck fat through a fine-mesh sieve into a large deep bowl, leaving any meat juices in the bottom of pot. Pour strained fat over duck legs to cover by 1 inch.
7. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Once chilled at room temperature place in refrigerator covered.
8. The duck legs should be kept in duck fat for at least 6 hours or until you are ready to use for the tart.

Pate Brisee

Pate Brisee has a rich buttery flavor and a crisp and crumbly texture which is ideal for
both sweet and savory pies, tarts, and quiches. This savory crust only has four ingredients; flour, water, salt and butter. Be sure to use quality ingredients and make sure your water and butter are cold when you are ready to use.

ingredients

2 1/2 cups of flour

2 sticks of butter

1 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of ice water

directions

1. Place the flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor, and process for a few seconds to combine.
2. Cut up the cold butter into 1/2 inch cubes and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, about the size of garbanzo beans. Pulse about about 10 seconds.
3. Add the ice water slowly through the feed tube, just until the dough holds together. The dough should be visibly crumbly where you can pinch the dough between your fingers and should hold. You are not looking for a ball state here.
4. Remove the crumbly mixture from the processor and place on a smooth surface. Work the dough only enough to just bring the dough together. Do not over-knead or your crust will end up tough.
5. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, flatten each portion into a disk, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour before using. This will chill the butter and allow the gluten in the flour to relax. At this point you can also freeze the dough for later use.  
6. For each disk of pastry, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry to fit into a 8 or 9 inch tart. To prevent the pastry from sticking to the counter and to ensure uniform thickness, keep lifting up and turning the pastry a quarter turn as you roll. To make sure it is the right size, take your tart pan and place it on the rolled out pastry. The pastry should be about an inch larger than your pan.
7. lightly roll pastry around your rolling pin and unroll onto the top of your tart pan. Gently lay in pan and lightly press pastry into bottom and up sides of pan. Roll your rolling pin over top of pan to get rid of excess pastry dough.
   
   To prebake the tart 
   
   
8. With the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the dough (this will prevent the dough from puffing up as it bakes). Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to chill the butter and to rest the gluten.
   

9. Preheat oven to 400° and place rack in center of oven. Line the unbaked pastry shell with parchment paper and fill the tart pan with pie weights or beans, making sure the weights are to the top of the pan and evenly distributed over the entire surface. Bake crust for about 25 minutes or until the crust is dry and lightly browned. Remove weights and cool crust on wire rack. 
   
   Makes two, 9 inch tart shells or two 14 x 4.5 inch tart shells.

Duck Confit Mixture

Caramelized Onions

ingredients

2 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons of Vermouth

1 tablespoon of Cognac

1 teaspoon of butter

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Salt and Pepper

directions

1. Coat the bottom of a saute pan with 1 teaspoon of olive oil and butter.
2. Heat the pan on medium high heat until the fat is shimmering and then add the chopped onion. Spread the onions out evenly over the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally.You may need to lower the heat to keep the onions from burning or drying out.
3. After 10 minutes, sprinkle some salt over the onions. 
4. Let cook for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. As soon as the onions start sticking to the pan, let them stick a little and brown. 
5. Add the vermouth and cognac to deglaze the pan. cook-off the liquid for 2-5 minutes.
6. When done set-aside and let cool.

Fennel and Pear

ingredients

1 fennel, chopped

2 firm bosc pears, cubed

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1/2 teaspoon of thyme

Salt and Pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place the fennel and pear on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the thyme.
3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let roast for 20 minutes.
4. When done set-aside and let cool.

Brie Cheese

ingredients

• 1/2 cup of Brie cheese

directions

1. in a food processor puree the Brie cheese with rind on until smooth.
2. Set-aside for tart assembly

Duck Confit Tart Assembly

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Remove the meat from the duck legs and chop into bite size pieces.
   The skin from the duck legs you can save and make duck cracklings for future use. 
3. Fold into the duck the fennel, pear, caramelized onions and the reserved garlic from the duck confit.
   
4. Take 1/4 cup of the Brie cheese and carefully spread on the bottom of the tart.
5. Place half the duck mixture on top of the Brie and bake for 15 minutes until you begin to smell the tart. Cover the tarts with aluminum foil to keep the tarts from burning. You are simply heating the ingredients and allowing the Brie cheese to melt.
   
   This recipe yields two, 9 inch or two, 14 x 4.5 inch tarts.

Listen to my story on the Heritage Radio Network: Meet Your Maker

If you missed my story on the Heritage Radio Network: Meet Your Maker, hosted by Rachel Wharton you can hear it here or the audio button below: Listen in as I discuss the process of building a sustainable home while keeping up with my food blog. I talk about the local food scene, farms, and artisans that have inspired my articles and recipes as well as my geothermal and solar home that will be self sustaining and the perfect place for the Out East Feast. 

About Heritage Radio

The Heritage Radio Network advances the country's rich food culture through programs that give a voice to America's leading food professionals, farmers, policy experts, artists, and tastemakers. They have over one million listens a month and reach over 200 countries around the world. All programs are aired live and archived on their website which is easy-to-use and accessible to all.

HeritageRadioNetwork.org is a 501c3 non-profit organization that relies on the support of listeners!

Heritage Radio Network: Meet Your Maker

On Thursday, March 7th at 3pm EST, I will be on the Heritage Radio Network for the program Meet Your Maker, hosted by Rachel Wharton. You will hear my story and inspiration for creating the Out East Foodie. 

The Heritage Radio Network advances the country's rich food culture through programs that give a voice to America's leading food professionals, farmers, policy experts, artists, and tastemakers. They have over one million listens a month and reach over 200 countries around the world. All programs are aired live and archived on their website which is easy-to-use and accessible to all.

HeritageRadioNetwork.org is a 501c3 non-profit organization that relies on the support of listeners! 

Making Sense of Meatloaf

For two weeks now I have been fighting the worst cold that has led to a sinus infection causing my most coveted senses, taste and smell, to go dormant. During this time my father came back from the sunny Florida Keys to begin the electrical work on our upcoming home Sheridan Green. How nice of him considering we have been hit with some nasty weather on the East End of Long Island, not to mention a daughter who has been producing enough mucous to be used as mortar for our fireplace construction. When cooking, I have been trudging along relying on my husband Chris and my sixth sense to guide the way. Thankfully, I made a few meals previous to my fathers visit before becoming sick; freezing pasta e fagioli, tomato soup, ricotta gnocchi and French onion soup.

I took on the challenge of making one of my father's favorite meals, meatloaf. It was the least I could do since he flew back from paradise to the cold and his mucous producing daughter. How was I going to make sense of this Cook’s Country inspired recipe? My senses were shot. I began cooking dinner before Chris and my father returned home from working on our house. Upon their arrival my father said, “Whatever you are making smells absolutely delicious.” Imagine a foodie like me making a meatloaf of beef and pork, wrapping it in bacon and not being able to taste or smell it. As my father took a bite of the meatloaf, he closed his eyes [my father always closes his eyes when critiquing food] he said, “Not bad. I'm not fond of the bbq glaze, and maybe would have added some carrots to it, but pretty good for someone who cannot taste or smell.” He seemed happy and I was simply miserable. I knew the texture was right on, and had no idea what it tasted like. 

I have been fantasizing about walking into a bakery, smelling fresh pastry and warm loaves of bread coming out of the oven. As soon as I get better I will be running to The Blue Duck Bakery Cafe in Riverhead to take a deep breath and a long taste. In the meantime, I hope you can make sense of this meatloaf recipe.

Meatloaf wrapped in bacon

Directions

1. Mix the glaze ingredients; set aside. 
2. Heat oven to 350°. In a medium skillet heat the olive oil then  add the onion and garlic. and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool while preparing remaining ingredients.
3. Mix eggs with thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce,  and hot pepper sauce.
4. Crush the Saltines and puree with the milk.
5. Add the egg and saltine mixture to the meat in large bowl with the parsley, and cooked onion and garlic. Mix with a fork until evenly blended. Do not over mix the meat fold it gently.
6. Turn meat mixture onto a baking sheet and shape into a loaf approximately 8-by-4.
7. Brush with the glaze, then arrange bacon slices, crosswise, over loaf, overlapping slightly and tucking bacon tip ends under loaf.
8. Bake loaf until bacon is crisp and loaf registers 160°, about 1 hour. Cool at least 20 minutes before cutting.

Ingredients

1 pound 85% ground beef chuck 

1 pound ground pork 

1 medium onion, chopped

3 medium cloves garlic, minced 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon dried thyme 

1 teaspoon of sea salt 

1 teaspoon ground black pepper 

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce 

1/2 cup whole milk

2/3 cup Saltine crackers, crushed

1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves 

8 slices of bacon

1 tablespoon of olive oil 

for glaze

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons of brown sugar

2 tablespoons of cider vinegar

Note: You can replace the Saltine crackers with stale bread and eliminate the glaze if you desire.