|
Post by annettecinca on May 29, 2007 19:37:41 GMT -5
Just read another thread about those wonderful potatoes fried in goose fat which are served so many places in Paris. I asked the owner of an epicerie* once how to make them, and he explained it this way: Slice your potatoes and parboil them in salted water a few minutes, until they just start to get tender, but not cooked all the way through. Drain. Heat goose fat (or duck fat) in a frying pan till hot, then add potatoes and fry until golden and tender. During the last minute of cooking, add fresh minced garlic and a bit of fresh chopped parsley, fresh thyme, or herbes de Provence. Not at all good for the arteries, but a nice splurge once in awhile! I haven't been able to find goose fat in my area, but have ordered it from Amazon (it comes packed in styrofoam and frozen gel packs). *L'Epicerie Fine, 8, rue du Champs de Mars--by the way, a really fun little place to shop for spices, oils, etc. The owner and his wife are very kind and helpful. www.epiceriefinerivegauche.com/
|
|
|
Post by GitteK on May 29, 2007 23:55:06 GMT -5
IMO the only real way to produce goose-/duck fat is to roast one of those divine birds in your oven. (slowly, low temperatures, loooong time, all you have to add is salt, pepper, some dried prunes and appelchunks inside the beast, sprinkle with salt + add water to the pan to make the gravy from) When you then want to make the sauce, you will of course NOT need all that fat, that has melted off the bird, so you skim it off the gravy, put the fat in small containers and put in the freezer.
|
|
|
Post by iank9 on May 30, 2007 1:12:57 GMT -5
Hi, In the village markets in France you will often find a stall where they are spit roasting chicken, beneath which are being cooked potatoes in the fat released from the bird. With the added garlic, herbs and seasoning they are absolutely delicious. In the UK, tinned goose fat is always available in local supermarkets, and the brand available at our local Sainsbury can also be bought at www.merchant-gourmet.com/osb/itemdetails.cfm/products/index.cfm?ID=596&campaign=affiliatewindowWe tend to use goose fat at Xmas as a treat or else my GP would see my cholesterol count go through the roof. In fact I would have to drink an extra glass of red to unclog the arteries. Now there's a thought.......... ;D
|
|
|
Post by geordy on May 31, 2007 7:42:23 GMT -5
Yum!!
You brought back a memory of staying at a hotel in Paris and meeting a bunch of cardiologists at the hotel bar. They were there for a convention. We saw it as a license to indulge in all the cheese, fois gras, frites, butter etc. as we would be well taken care of!
BTW most of them smoked!!!
|
|
|
Post by annettecinca on May 31, 2007 11:13:23 GMT -5
Gitte--I've really never thought about cooking a goose or duck--wasn't in my family's repertoire of recipes while I was growing up, so I wasn't introduced to it until my duck-loving husband came along. Even tho he loves it, he's never asked me to cook one! But if the only "real" goose/duck fat is from cooking a fresh bird, then I'll have to keep this thought on the back burner till Christmas, which is the only time I've ever seen them in our local stores (this is rural So. California, not France!) Thanks for the link, Ian. I'll check that out! ( After my next cholesterol screening!) Geordy, I like your way of thinking! Maybe I'll have to ask the doctors who live across the street if either of them happen to be a cardiologist!
|
|
|
Post by phread on May 31, 2007 11:35:51 GMT -5
I save the extra duck fat that comes when purchasing confit de canard, wither from the butcher or in a jar. MMMMmmmmmmmm
|
|
|
Post by geordy on May 31, 2007 16:58:43 GMT -5
What a great idea phread!! I'll do the same the next time!
|
|
|
Post by kasthor on Jun 2, 2007 4:17:11 GMT -5
Fried potatoes, probably my favourite dish on earth, the one vegetable you can cook and fry with endless possibilities! my grand ma does them (well did, now it's me) in a slightly different way, no pre boiling but cut into small squares and put directly in a big pan, added some sea salt and (and that was the secret) unpealed garlic pieces. Since the cooking time (depending on the amount of potatoes) is about 30 minutes, the garlic fires in it's "skin" and delivers it's taste in a much more subtle way over all the potatoes and the best bit is, once cooked, to peal the garlic and add it to the potatoes, wonderful! Of course Gitte is right, cooking an 8 lbs goose for 4hrs+ at 100-125°C is the best way to obtain the fat, geese are very fat animals and it is amazing how much they produce, maybe for the next thanksgivig you should try that, in Germany (and apparently in Denmark too) it is the favoutite winterdish, especially for St Martin, which is mid november! One of my favourites though remain the little round potatoes called "grenaille" here, cooked just as they are in their skin, YUM, just add some big salt and a little parsli before serving... Also, and that is my secret receipe for mashed potatoes, just squish some (not much) fresh garlic to it and poor the mash, it is awsome! Voila, a few of my potatoe experiences!
|
|
|
Post by GitteK on Jun 2, 2007 5:09:57 GMT -5
annette and kasthor: we eat goose/ duck for Christmas. annette - remember to put the duck on the grill over the pan, so that the skin can be crisp on all sides. 4 hours is definitely not enough for a 4 kilo goose, if you fry it at 125 C. More like 6 hours, I'd say. The beast is done, when the bone in the thigh/leg loosens easily and if the juice that comes out of the breast when pricked is totally clear (no blood). A duck of 3 kilos would be about 4 hours. Here's a goose for you
|
|
|
Post by Shoesy on Jun 2, 2007 5:34:35 GMT -5
Wow - That's quite a lovely picture, Gitte ! Now it's going to be hard for me to say anything bad about that dish. ;D
|
|
|
Post by Happygoin on Jun 2, 2007 5:55:31 GMT -5
Perhaps it's the Irish in me, but I've never met a potato that I didn't like. Combine them with goose/duck fat....a little heaven on earth, I'll bet. Thanks for the recipes. ~waist growing~
|
|
|
Post by holger on Jun 2, 2007 7:41:07 GMT -5
;D Gitte, Danish husband does the goose for Christmas along with other unmentionables for our vegetarian son and his family and our frig is full of goose fat. I like it when used in cooking. Cannot just spread it on bread as he does. But when all these things are eaten in France, magically they have no fat nor calories. As to fried potatoes, the garlic like red wine and even white removes the fat and unclogs the arteries.
|
|
|
Post by sistereurope on Jun 2, 2007 8:06:09 GMT -5
Thanks for that Holger... I must have really clear arteries then ;D
My husband cooks a goose for Thanksgiving every year. He uses the fat for gravy.
|
|
|
Post by annettecinca on Jun 2, 2007 9:41:34 GMT -5
Thanks for all the tips, you guys (and gals)! I'm taking notes Gitte, that picture is making me hungry! I haven't had breakfast yet!
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Jun 2, 2007 9:49:08 GMT -5
Goose! Not my idea of a good meal. In fact, I feel about goose the way Happy (nice avatar!) feels about chestnuts. I too, love any type of potato. My idea of fried potato heaven would be to cook it in bacon fat. I always keep a small can of the fat in a can in the refrig. s I don't understand the new way to do recipe postings. Will keep an eye on how everyone else does it and assume I will catch on.
|
|
|
Post by Penny on Jun 2, 2007 15:55:56 GMT -5
You did fine. Just as long as your recipe is named in subject and you list ingredients. Then others can reply if they have questions. Don't tag a recipe onto another thread or it gets lost in the shuffle.
|
|
|
Post by susanb on Jun 2, 2007 17:01:26 GMT -5
I think I understand now Penny. Will keep watching. I don't need to be smited! s
Your Brie and Baguette sandwich sound delicious. I cant wait until we get fresh tomatos!
|
|