Change is Good

We loves it when the seasons change, Precious.  This Chef's Table we dove in with both feet, and Fall splashed out all over the place.  Of course, it never hurts to have great ingredients.  And, this was the first dinner we've done using the new combi-therm oven (with confidence, anyway).  All I can say is, after only two years of Chef's Table dinners, we're just getting started.

 THE CHEF’S TABLE

at the

UNIVERSITY and WHIST CLUB

of WILMINGTON

SEPTEMBER 27, 2012

A last taste of summer: Maryland crab with hon dashi, heirloom tomato, corn "butter" and scallop chip

RECEPTION

LAMB SHOULDER, HORSERADISH-BEET PUREE

ROCKSHRIMP WONTON

Andre Bonhomme, Vire Classe, Macon, 2010

AMUSE BOUCHE

MARYLAND BLUE CRAB COCKTAIL

HON DASHI, CORN BUTTER AND SCALLOP “CHIP”

FIRST COURSE

RABBIT AND BARLEY

ROASTED GARLIC, SAGE, GRANA PADANA

Cavollotto Fratelli, Langhe Pino Nero, Piemonte, 2011

 Scented with root vegetbles, white wine and sage, the tender barley popped with flavor and the Grana pulled all the earthiness out of that rabbit.  The wine, extremely rare, is white pinot noir from Piedmont, exhibiting all the raciness of a Tocai from Friulli.  It was a delicious foil to the rich flavors, and a nice surprise for guests.

SECOND COURSE

VEAL AND TALLEGIO TORTELLINI

GOLDEN CHANTERELLES, PORCINI AND TRUFFLE RAGOUT

Jean-Luc Colombo, Chateauneuf du Pape, “Bartavelles “ 2009

Three plump, meaty tortellini sit surrounded by a poelle of North Western chanterelles, swimming in the braising juices of the veal which is tucked inside the pasta with gooey Taleggio.  

INTERMEZZO

PUMPKIN, RUM AND MINT GRANITA

MAIN

MOULARD DUCKBREAST

SZECHUAN PEPPERCORN, RED KURI SQUASH AND VINDALOO

Faustino, Rioja “Riserva”, 2005

SIW Farms rises to the occasion again with rich, velvety red kuri squash (here both as a sauce and roasted with vindaloo) while Swiss chard rests beneath the sous-vide breast of duck, kicked up with Szechuan peppercorns and roasted cauliflower "crumble".  

CHEESE

HUMBOLDT FOG CRANBERRY ENROBE

AMAZING ACRES GOAT WITH PUMPKIN

POMEGRANATE, PLUM MOSTARDA

The Rioja Riserva had legs to carry over for this sampling of Fall goat cheeses.  We had Humboldt Fog enrobed with cranberry, and Amazing Acres (PA) fresh goat with pumpkin.  Plum mostarda, pomegranate and baguette toasts tagged along.

DESSERT

CHOCOLATE PECAN BOMBE

CHESTNUT MASCARPONE, PORT SYRUP

Warre’s Vintage Porto, 2000

Soft to the fork, this bombe had the smoky essence of chestnut bound with sweet and creamy mascarpone, nutty pecans and deep, ruby port wine syrup.

MIGNARDISES AND COFFEE

WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY TRUFFLE, MAPLE SHORTBREAD, SWEET POTATO TARTLET

Next Month has BRAISE written all over it, and mushroomer Art Inden arrived yesterday with the first of what he thinks will be a banner year for locally foraged mushrooms.