Confit Fit!

[colinjn]

Hi Karen,
With the cool spring and hope of summer ahead, my mind has turned toward confits. Jacques Pepin has this simple duck technique where he just puts the duck in a pan and lets it drown in its own renderings. Time to go duck hunting it think!

However this got me to thinking about an exchange you had with Doreen about good quality tuna. I had a great tuna confit recipe somewhere, but as with all great recipes it has disappeared when needed most. I could just whack some tuna in a pan and poach it in olive oil; but considering the cost of these ingredients it would be good to get it right the first time.

Any suggestions?

Thanks
Colin

[Karen]

I've poached tuna in olive oil, but it's meant to be eaten right away. Is this what you're looking for, or something more preserved?

Karen

[colinjn]

Hi Karen,
I was looking for something to be there in the fridge for a quick meal. However that said, I found out where the recipe was. It is in "Fine Cooking" (Sept '01) . Now all I have to do is figure out which file box I put it in (another project).

A quick search also came up with this recipe. It looks as good or better:
http://www.webseafood.com/recipes/tuna_confit.htm

So now the shopping will turn into "surf and marsh". I know about the duck farm out toward Cultus Lake, but I might settle for the superstore.

Colin

[Karen]

That looks absolutely yummy Colin! Albacore is cheaper than Ahi too.

Do you know about Angel Seafoods, the Japanese seafood store? I think it's on Grant Street, near Clark. You can get loins of sashimi grade albacore there.

Karen

[colinjn]

Thanks Karen,
I'm soon due for a trip to that end of town for supplies. It is good to get a healthy list and hit all the shops in one go. Mary has been told to expect a "restocking" charge to the budget soon.

You wouldn't know where to find a small quantity of methylcellulose to play around with, would you?

[Karen]

What are you trying to make?

I have some NotSugar by Expert Foods. It thickens syrups and things like that without heat.

Karen

[colinjn]

ummm......to thicken syrups and things. Actually I have a great savory flax muffin recipe, but find that it is a bit brick- like in texture. The technique of folding in beaten egg whites just adds a styrofoam element (all fluff and no flavour) in baking.

I read about methylcellulose in a natural food bread baking book. They found that it lightened up dense doughs like rye, and since it is made from trees, felt it was ok to be considered "natural". It is amazing the sophistry we can employ when our taste buds are involved.

I then noticed how ubiquitous it is in commercial preparations. But I have not been able to find any to try in my personal experiments. The authors of the baking book said that they had to cozy up to a commercial baker to get theirs. Know of any bakers that need a cuddle?

Long answer to a short question. I guess the coffee is kicking in.

Thanks
Colin

[Karen]

It is amazing the sophistry we can employ when our taste buds are involved.

Isn't it though? ;) I do it all the time!

I just know bakers that "do it" naturally, but I will make enquiries to our baking supply company.

What is your recipe? Maybe it could be tweaked in some other way.

Karen

[colinjn]

2/3 Cup Protein powder
2/3 Cup Soy flour
2/3 Cup "Bake Mix" (see below)
2/3 Cup Flax Seed Meal
2/3 Cup Wheat Bran
1 Tsp Baking Powder
4 Eggs
2 Egg Whites
8 Tbs. Sour Cream
1 Cup Splenda
1/3 Cup Peanut Oil (or whatever is handy)
1/4 Cup Club Soda

Add up to 1 1/2 Cup Nuts, Berries, or Pumpkin
in any combination that strikes your fancy.

For a savory muffin, add whatever herbs that are in danger of expiring in the cupboard and any cheese that is being attacked by aliens in the fridge. (I told you I wasn't good at this baker's science thing.)

Combine all ingredients and Bake at 350F for 25 minutes.

Bake Mix
1Cup Soy Flour
2 Cups Soy Isolate
2 Tsp Baking Soda
2 Tbs Baking Powder
2 Tbs Splenda
1 Tsp Salt

I got this a long time ago at www.lowcarbcafe.com

I know you are not a fan of soy. I've thought about adding gluten, but that gets me into unfamiliar territory. Nuts seem too coarse. The flax is a good binder though and might be able to hold them together....oops my brain has gone into free flow mode.


Better quit while I'm still moderately sane

Thanks for your interest and help

Colin

[IslandGirl]

Nice looking recipe, Colin. Hope you don't mind if I play with it, too? (I've got a couple of flaxseed muffin recipes as well, and will trade as they aren't necessarily bricklike though a trifle bland).

More to the point, I have a small cache of methylcellulose right here. Found it in the bulk pack bin of my local Health Food Store, right next to the guar and xantham gums and other 'gluten-free' or celiac baking aids.

[IslandGirl]

Just eyeballing the recipe, Colin, and both the Bake Mix and the 'main' recipe are topheavy on soy, both flour and isolate. This could definitely be contributing to brickdom.

The components of the bake mix are already in the main recipe and the soy needs to be cut down anyway... ditch the 'bake mix' portion, double the flaxseed meal, halve the wheat bran, ensure the protein powder is a whey powder, use a full Tablespoon of baking soda/powder, and change out the club soda and sour cream to a Cup of buttermilk or more, enough to moisten the batter to a 'muffin batter' consistency.... see what happens (ok, so I'll see what happens :D because that's where I'd start). If you have other sweeteners, combine to get the 1-Cup sweeteness equivalent rather than use all Splenda.

Oy, and add some nice seasalt, maybe a half-teaspoon?

[Karen]

More to the point, I have a small cache of methylcellulose right here.

Maybe Galloway's would have it? Or, Famous Foods on Kingsway?

I asked Snowcap which supplies our baking stuff and they don't have it. I'll keep my eye out for it though.

I agree with Judy on the heaviness of the soy and bake mix. Wa'il is really good at things like this. Bready stuff I can live without.

My thing is desserts! ;)

Karen

[colinjn]

Hi all,
Judy thanks for your comments. It is good to see an experienced hand at work! I guess we all have our areas of expertise. I can see that you know your way arond a baking pan!

Karen the (Low Carb) World salutes you for your dessert dedication!

I had my suspicions about the soy, but was not sure how to remedy it. I tried Galloways here in New West but came up empty on the cellulose. I haven't been in Famous Foods for about 15 yrs. so perhaps it is time to revisit them.

Judy, if you are willing to sacrifice some of your stash, I would be interested to find out if it does lighten things up as much as the authors claimed. It was not their first choice, but ended up being their best.

Karen, I know what you mean about the bread; however I found these to be very portable during summer ( I know I'm being optimistic) when I had to commute across the border regularly. I could do a Ploughman's Lunch while plugging along to the custom's gate.

Summer must be coming, I've been dreaming of Fried Chicken.

Thanks all

Colin

[IslandGirl]

Colin, I've been working up to getting over there for Karen's fab LowCarb Dinner Series, LC Spice night on the 30th... I should know by start of next week if I'm coming over on Das Boot, and will gladly bring you a portion (I'm not sure how much is in the jar but it goes a long way...).

Will YOU be at the Dinner?

[IslandGirl]

BTW, I've got those flaxseed muffin recipes for you, Colin, but thought maybe another thread would be appropriate (other than Confit Fit)... so I've popped them into the Quick Meals & Snacks section of this Kitchen forum .... Flaxseed Muffins - Sweet and Savory (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?threadid=44881).

Hope they work for you like they work for me (as in packable portable nutritious etc.).

[Karen]

I just found this over at YahooGroups, and because of my quirky sense of humour, Flax Seed MuffinMania really cracked me up. ;) There are 123 members in the group.

LCMuffinMania (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/LCMuffinMania)
This group is for low-carbers (Atkins, Protein Power, Schwarzbein, etc.) who are addicted to flax seed (linseed) meal muffins and want to share recipes and chit-chat about baking. Topics may also expand to include other areas of low-carb baking.

Could be interesting....

Karen

[colinjn]

Now why do I have the suspicion that you set that group up just for the fun of it? I could see a "hemp muffin" site, but flax? The things some people do for kicks eh?

[Karen]

Now why do I have the suspicion that you set that group up just for the fun of it?

Are you sure that you weren't the mastermind behind it? ;)

There are lots of interesting substances to be addicted to, but addicted to flax seed muffins? It's probably a good thing then that I've never had one.

Flax seed muffins; cunning, baffling, powerful! :spin:

Karen

[Karen]

So, getting back to what this thread was about, I made some tuna confit last night.

I had some Ahi bellies and and other assorted bits that I cut into pieces about 1-inch thick and 4-inches long. I seasoned them with coarse sea salt, sliced garlic, fresh rosemary and lots of coarsely ground black pepper and let them sit for an hour. Then into a pot, covered them with olive oil and warmed it on top of the stove. When I deemed the oil hot enough - I could still stick my finger in it but don't try this if you don't have heat-proof hands - I put the whole thing into the oven at 225 F and let it do its thing for 45 minutes. After cooling, I transfered the whole thing to a container and refrigerated it.

At one point I tasted it and thought it was ruined because I used salt liberally. But as it cooked, the salt mellowed. I just tried it and it is delicious. The rosemary flavour is pronounced and the garlic is good for nibbling on.

I may make some sort of Nicoise-y salad for the potluck nest weekend!

Karen

[colinjn]

I know what you mean about the salt. I experienced the same thing with the duck. I thought that I had over koshered it (is duck kosher?)at first taste but it too settled down.

We seem doomed to learn the same lessons over and over again. Mine is "you get what you pay for". With the recent spike in gas prices, and schedule cramming, I settled for a few utility ducks from superstore. After all this was a confit, and if there were a few slashes or wings missing it wouldn't matter. How was I to know that these were ones the dog caught! An amputee in a chicken is not a great deal, but a leg means a lot to a duck. I seem to have paid a premium for a couple of underfleshed rib cages. Ah well, buyer beware.

So if you ever see someone groping frozen birds in the supermarket, you'll know it is me.

[Karen]

Try to find duck legs - they're usually a lot cheaper than the whole duck. Breasts just don't confit it!

Karen

[colinjn]

Hi Karen,
You are right about the breasts. Whenever duck fever hits me I like to use the whole bird to prolong the ecstasy. The breasts were served over some mysterious greens (very spicy in taste but looked like broccoli rape) topped with cracklings.

The legs go in the confit, with the rendered lard used for frying. It is amazing how duck lard always makes the home smell so good.

The carcasses are in the freezer and will soon be turned into duck soup.
http://entertainment.singnet.com.sg/food/recipes/1016334242.html

The only part that always has me stumped are the giblets....not a big fan of giblets.

Now on with the tuna! Can't wait to taste the salad you made. Are you sure there will be some left by the end of the week?

Colin

[Karen]

Now on with the tuna! Can't wait to taste the salad you made. Are you sure there will be some left by the end of the week?

If there's not, I'll make some more!

I like making a similar duck soup with lots of sliced ginger, daikon and tofu. Super yummy with lots of chilies, green onion and cilantro on top. I sometimes beat a raw egg into the bowl. I just throw in the gizzard and heart when I cook the carcass and slice it thinly into the soup.

Make a very small pate out of the liver!

Karen

[clwydd]

Karen

I just got back from Malta where you can get green olives stuffed with a sort of tuna paste. They're delicious. If you have a bit of the tuna confit left over, give it a try.

Another thing I liked was the local sausage--coarsely ground pork (definitely no fillers) with lots of parsley and big bits of crushed peppercorn and whole coriander. They tended to burst their skins when cooked. Wonderful with fresh tomato fondue.

Susan

[Karen]

Yes! Yes! You can by them here in cans. One of my faves is anchovy stuffed olives.

Travelling is a great inspiration to see the scope of what you can eat, isn't it!

Did you have any interesting cheese?

Karen

[clwydd]

Cheese is one thing they don't do well. The only local kinds are cheeselets (plain and peppered), which at their best are like unbrined feta. They grow really strong-flavoured capers, though. It's a standard Mediterranean diet--olive oil and pasta and fresh seafood. The bread is outstanding (I ate tiny pieces), mostly from wood-fired ovens, judging by the bottom of the loaves. I had lots of rabbit and chicken.

I should have plenty of scope for cheese eating in the fall; there's a good chance that we're going to France for a couple of weeks. This will be a challenge. Last time I stopped trying to LC in about a day. I didn't gain anything, but it's a bad habit to get into. All this talk of confit made me think of the cassoulet in Castlenaudry--who knew baked beans could be so good!

We'll be staying in rented houses and cooking two meals a day, so I can LC at those times. One of the things I like best about travelling is food shopping in other countries--especially in France.

Susan

[Karen]

Last time I stopped trying to LC in about a day. I didn't gain anything, but it's a bad habit to get into.

I know what you mean. But if there is an opportunity to have something that I have only read about and have wanted to try, I will. If I eat a peice of croissant for example, I don't have to eat one everyday.

The cheese does drive me mad though! When I was there in the spring, I was fixated on ricotta and buffalo milk mozzarella. Sheep ricotta, goat ricotta, cow ricotta, ricotta from different regions...

I had a very groovy sausage that was a goose neck stuffed with goose meat and foie gras, then poached in goose fat. Made a great breakfast!

Karen

[colinjn]

Ah the good old days. My Larousse is always on the shelf right above me. I love to look at the ways to use every part of an animal and transform it into something wonderful. Now if I only had the kitchen to do it in. (The kitchen reno is going as expected, full of little glitches that stir ashes into our dreams and aches in our bones.)

Susan, your planned trip to France is my idea of the perfect vacation. I think the markets of places stand right up there with all the galleries and museums. After all this is the true culture of the people. (So what does Safeway say about us?)

Perhaps we should have another forum on ideal vacation plans? Once the envy is supressed it would be a great way to escape the winter rains.

[clwydd]

Our daughter starts university in less than two years, my husband retires in three, so we're cramming in as much travel as possible while we still have ready cash. I feel so spoiled getting two trips abroad in one year. Of course in years to come, we may not be able to travel as often, but we'll stay for longer (a month in Paris will be my retirement present).

The French approach to food--not just cooking--is a huge part of their culture. This is a country that date stamps their eggs. Have you read Adam Gopnik's "Paris to the Moon"? It's a wonderful book.

Susan

[clwydd]

I just read an article in the New York Times about a theory that "the preparing, cooking and sociable eating of food are so central to the human experience that the culinary arts may well be what made us human in the first place."

It's a little long, but I'll post it if anyone is interested.

Susan

[colinjn]

I have to report back on the results of the confits. The tuna worked very well in the hot weather. With the infusion of lemon, it was like having a complete salad dressing. I just tossed it in with a few fixings and it made a perfect meal. (Toasted pine nuts matched it nicely) I also used the infused oil in cooking. Sauted garlic prawns had a nice added element to them with the tuna just coming through enough to add but not distract.

The duck is still giving me pleasure. the rendered fat is proving to be a fantastic cooking fat. I used it to fry fish cakes and it gave a nice warmth to them. It is now the first thing I turn to when I saute unless I am after a greener/lighter flavour.

I made a bit of glace with the stock bones and pan fonds. Last night I made fajitas and found out that there were only chicken breasts in the freezer. As far as I'm concerned, chicken breasts are just there to highlight some other ingredients' flavour (minor rant), so I added some of the duck glace to the saute.

You know that cartoon dog that used to go into rapture after getting a bone? Well that is the difference it made. With the addition of chipotle sauce it brought the recipe the earthiness I wanted.

Ducks are on sale again....hmmmm.

Colin

PS I am going to put that book on order at the library Susan!

[Karen]

Wow Colin! You've been going crazy! What kind of tuna did you use?

Duck fat...have you roasted daikon in duck fat yet?

Since ducks are on sale, what about making rilettes? Very nice for the warmer weather, with a salad of slightly bitter greens dressed with walnut oil.

Duck fat is...I suppose the best way to describe it is...limpid.

Speaking of fat, a bottle of hazelnut oil from France arrived for me this week that is just amazing. When I tasted it, it felt like the best dessert ever. The next time you're over, we'll share a snort.

I know that doggy feeling very well. Mm, mm, mm!

"the preparing, cooking and sociable eating of food are so central to the human experience that the culinary arts may well be what made us human in the first place."

You should post it Susan! That, along with domesticating dogs is what did it for us. Oh, and meat eating. No dog would have hung around the fire, waiting to be tossed a carrot.

Think I've just proved the paleo theory. ;)

Karen

[colinjn]

Hi Karen,
I used the Albacore tuna that I got from the supplier you recommended. Well,with the survivor of the sashimi frenzy that occured when I got home! My Father once went out on a whale hunt with a group of Inuit. The poor beluga was lucky to make it to shore in one piece. They were snacking on it all the way back! The same thing just about happened with us. That (Angel Seafoods) is a wonderful place and we are going to fit a sashimi/sushi party into our summer plans if the weather ever cooperates. (Note to the casual reader; they serve "Sashimi grade" seafood, don't try this with that trout you pulled from the pond last year) We are waiting for that weather where you don't dare heat anything and crave cool pleasures.

The tuna turned out firmer and unfortunately a bit drier than yours. I suspect it might have to do with the size of the pieces and the heat of the oven. It was a good first try (I say to myself).

I will have to tread lightly around the rillettes idea. I made a version of that and served it over a mix of spinach and romaine with a halo of seared mushrooms when the "sugar plum fairies" were visiting. The evening ended with one out on the balcony sobbing about not being able to eat a cute duck and the other taking diplomatic stabs at the greenery, with background noise coming from me about "how much you would pay for this in a restaurant". Not the highlight of the visit.

memo to self:1. Next time buy frosted everything when nieces come to visit. 2. Keep biblical references about "pearls before swine" to self.

You would think that there was enough of the east coast in their blood for them to appreciate some unscale "scruncheons"! Forgive the rant.

Colin

[colinjn]

I spent all yesterday with an image of us, feet up and snifters in hand, swirling amber liquid.

"Marvelous stuff this, eh what?" "Care for a splash of truffle?"

Colin

[Karen]

Were we wearing smoking jackets and ascots?

If yes, I'll will have to bring out several vintages of the Venturi-Schulze balsamic vinegar as a nightcap. ;)

Karen

[tofi]

I think this is the little dog who used to soar up in the air and gently float back to earth from his treat:
http://www.animationartgallery.com/images/mag/magauggy.gif

:wave: