aj12754's Reviews
2 recipe(s) reviewed. Showing 1 to 2Sort by: Title 
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Chef, Interrupted: Delicious Chefs' Recipes That You Can Actually Make at Home
By Melissa Clark
Clarkson Potter - 2005
Chicken Pate with Fennel and Red Onion : page 15
This is a really yummy recipe -- a team project for "soupereasy" and me ... and an excellent (maybe the best) part of our lunch today.
The recipe comes from Mario Batali of Babbo. We started with some very nice-looking organic chicken livers from Whole Foods. We did modify the recipe just a bit -- after sauteing the red onion and fennel, we put them in the food processor with the chicken livers (after they were sauteed with minced garlic). Fennel seed, sherry vinegar and salt were added, and then we processed everything to a spreadable consistency.
Batali calls for chopping the liver and combining with the other ingredients but we prefer a smoother texture for pate. We also found that we used a bit more salt and sherry vinegar than the recipe called for.
The final product was just delicious, the sauteed fennel red onion and sherry vinegar were wonderful additions to the livers; a nice alternative to French pates that use brandy or other liquors.
useful (0)
Fresh and Smoked Salmon Rillettes : page 14
Note: on a regular basis, another cookbooker member [soupereasy] and I meet to do some kind of cooking project. These rillettes were part of a day of projects for us (others were the spiced beer jelly from Mes Confitures and Mario Batali's chicken pate with fennel and red onion). "My" reviews for these recipes (and other recipes identified as team projects in the future) are really "our" reviews as they reflect both our efforts and our opinions.
If you expecting a traditional rillette, this recipe might disappoint you. It is definitely more like a salmon salad (one of the ingredients is mayonnaise). If you like salmon salad (and we do), this is delicious.Very fresh and light-tasting. I think it is a wonderful spring/summer appetizer. It might be perfect with a sparkling rose wine.
Although I liked the dish as it was, my cohort in cooking thought the salmon could use a bit more lemon juice and a goodly hit of zest and maybe some minced salted capers.
So our rating is a 4 although I might have been tempted to give it a 5. But maybe that's because I am just so happy to be doing spring cooking again after the long long winter.
Note: This cookbook is a collection of chefs' recipes -- this recipe came from Eric Ripert of Le Bernadin.
A more traditional rillette is available in Dorie Greenspan's Around My French Table -- I haven't made it yet but have it marked to try as a point of comparison with this recipe.
useful (1)