Sunday, January 11, 2009

Canapes


I think canapes are utterly underrated. A variety of savories such as these could make up a whole meal. These are crispy squares of polenta, with sauteed broccoli rabe (my favorite vegetable), grated parmiggiano topped with freshly smoked scallops. Worked very nicely because just the right combination of crisp and toothsome and chewy. And just a few bites in each.

It was the starter to a meal that got a bit out of hand, not in terms of taste, but in time spent in the kitchen. It was worth it. A whole wheat and flax seed bread, a roasted veg medley of parsnips, yellow beets, fennel and shallots. And a bizarre chicken experiment that tasted utterly luscious, but didn't quite look as I wanted it yet. Basically it was two chickens skinned, then completely boned, the meat seasoned and rewrapped in the skins so it looks like one chicken, but is solid and boneless. It was really bizarre cutting through actually. Oh, and the bones were made into a nice stock. It's the solution for how to get everything out a chicken at once. The only problem thus far is without bones it has no internal structure to keep it chicken shaped. So it looked like a flattened chicken. With 4 wings!

Then to top it off our friends brought 9, yes 9, ducks. Tiny little things. Which I hacked Chinese style across the breast with the bone in, into 3 or 4 pieces, and threw on the fire, a few others into a pot to see what would happen. Actually I think they all over cooked a bit. Tought and a little livery. But I have two left. If anyone has experience cooking a teeny wild duck, please let me know. I'm assuming it really should be very rare, but I've never cooked wild ducks before.

A lovely apple pie to end. Whole wheat pastry flour crust, green pippins with cranberries and walnuts. It was fab. And now I'm exhausted.

9 comments:

Syd said...

Dear GOD, that chicken dish sounds like a lot of work. Very intriguing though.

I want a couple of those canapes right NOW.

Heather said...

Would Hank happen to have been one of those friends? He is up to his ass in ducks these days.

Mmm...smoked scallops. And polenta. And perfect bitter broccoli rabe.

Lo said...

Wow. Can I capture you and bring you to my house? You can make me smoked scallop canapes any old time!

Ken Albala said...

Dear ones, You jest invite me, and I'll be happy to cook up anything in your oven.

I do know Hank, but it wasn't him. A friend who grows Zuckerman potatoes here in town, if you've seen them - you probably have, gorgeous fingerlings, and various little colored potatoes in mesh bags.

But I have to say, after the third day of wild duck, I'm not sold. Even last night, very gently cooked rare, the last two little birdies, were still pretty tough. Tasty, but nothing like the domestic muscovies I'm used to eating, procesed right here in town. If you've ever had a good maigret du canard, they came from the Hudson Valley or Grimaud Farms in Stockton. Either are sold by d'Artagnan, I think. Or their glorious confit - my favorite food in the world.

Heather said...

Wild ducks to tend to be a bit lean, and don't impress me much. But smoked...

We Are Never Full said...

you're so right about the mighty canape. so underrated and so many crappy ones overdone! let's bring back the canape!

kryssie's daily photo said...

I'm a pie freak. I love pie! Yours sounds wonderfully scrumptious!

peter said...

I'm all about the small bites; lately I've just been ordering a few appetizers at restaurants and skipping the main dishes altogether. The small plates always seem more adventurous, and there's no palate fatigue.

HV Foie gras is right down the road... I should order a bunch of legs to confit. Thanks for reminding me!

western boots said...

Look so tasty,I love this pizza.