Thank you for a thought and laugh provoking essay. I once went with a group of fellow gastronauts to a restaurant in DC's Chinatown that had a separate offal menu; we ordered every dish on the menu. The table soon filled with platters of several preparations of pig intestine, duck tongues, duck feet, and duck blood. Ginger and garlic made a mighty effort, but the funk was still the primary flavor profile. I enjoyed the experience, but never repeated it. A little bit of duck blood goes a long way. Which leads me to a note of disappointment found in your recipe: crispy duck skin is perhaps the most delicious by-product of cooking duck, yet you would have us discard it! Even if you don't want to include it in your terrine, it can be retained for garnishing a salad or any number of other dishes, or just a snack for the cook!
I’m afraid I draw the line at offal, though I know my resistance is as much psychological as culinary. But Katie Parla raves about the pajata at Cesare al Cassoletto in Rome, the dish with which you begin your musings. Still I think liver pâté might be my limit, or a salade Perigordine with foie gras and gizzards in the Perigord, or sweetbreads if they are crispy. I have tried (unsuccessfully) the famous spleen sandwiches in the market in Palermo, and managed only a single piece of andouillette in Paris. I’ll just increase my veggies, thanks, even if it does not really save the environment.
I used to make patés, terrines as young man but they take so much time and fiddling around. Agree on offal very much (thought can't handle tripe) but in shops I go to lambs liver, kidneys, even chicken livers for a rag just aren't around. Yes I know I can make an expedition to an expensive butcher but life is running out. I loved going to St John's but even on a decent salary in past years only once a year it was so dear. Paradox of eating the bit of animal most shudder at is they seem very costly. Will send to my son who is very s serious cook
I always, always learn from Julia...another keeper.
Thank you for a thought and laugh provoking essay. I once went with a group of fellow gastronauts to a restaurant in DC's Chinatown that had a separate offal menu; we ordered every dish on the menu. The table soon filled with platters of several preparations of pig intestine, duck tongues, duck feet, and duck blood. Ginger and garlic made a mighty effort, but the funk was still the primary flavor profile. I enjoyed the experience, but never repeated it. A little bit of duck blood goes a long way. Which leads me to a note of disappointment found in your recipe: crispy duck skin is perhaps the most delicious by-product of cooking duck, yet you would have us discard it! Even if you don't want to include it in your terrine, it can be retained for garnishing a salad or any number of other dishes, or just a snack for the cook!
I’m afraid I draw the line at offal, though I know my resistance is as much psychological as culinary. But Katie Parla raves about the pajata at Cesare al Cassoletto in Rome, the dish with which you begin your musings. Still I think liver pâté might be my limit, or a salade Perigordine with foie gras and gizzards in the Perigord, or sweetbreads if they are crispy. I have tried (unsuccessfully) the famous spleen sandwiches in the market in Palermo, and managed only a single piece of andouillette in Paris. I’ll just increase my veggies, thanks, even if it does not really save the environment.
Thank you for your thought provoking essay and of course the recipe. I do not think I am ready for offal but I am getting more adventuresome.
I used to make patés, terrines as young man but they take so much time and fiddling around. Agree on offal very much (thought can't handle tripe) but in shops I go to lambs liver, kidneys, even chicken livers for a rag just aren't around. Yes I know I can make an expedition to an expensive butcher but life is running out. I loved going to St John's but even on a decent salary in past years only once a year it was so dear. Paradox of eating the bit of animal most shudder at is they seem very costly. Will send to my son who is very s serious cook