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earth2table: The King of Earthly Poultry
November 10, 2006

Stu Stein

November 10, 2006
Though it may sound a bit grandiose, Olivier de Serre called pheasant “the king of earthly poultry.” Not far from the truth, in my opinion.

I recently participated in an annual event (I have participated in five out six) that brings together ranchers, farmers, chefs, vintners and consumers who want to learn more about game cooking. Fergus Henderson, chef and co-owner of St. John Bar and Restaurant in London and author of The Whole Beast: Nose to Tail Eating (HarperCollins Publishers, 2004), was the special guest. Oregon wine was flowing; game was roasting, poaching and sautéing; offals were stewing; and intellectual discussions were a-happening.

I presented an hour-long demonstration and discussion on the merits, sustainable issues and cooking techniques surrounding that most noble of birds, the pheasant. My theme and coincidentally, the overall theme of the event, was respect for the whole animal. I reiterated the need and the responsibility for using everything the animal gives us. As Fergus said, “It would be disingenuous to the animal not to use the whole beast; there is a set of delights, textural and flavoursome, which lies beyond the fillet.”

Specifically, I prepared a pheasant stock using bones and legs, then used that stock in several dishes. First was a pheasant thigh braised in sofrito (a quick Catalonian sauce made with garlic, onion and heirloom tomatoes) with Oregon chanterelles, smoked bacon and pheasant liver. Next came shallow-poached pheasant breast with black olives and white peach purée. Both fit beautifully into my small-plate philosophy.

Chef Stu's Recipes Poached Breast of Pheasant Catalan Braised Pheasant

I pointed out that the dishes were generally quick to prepare and cook, and I included a number of ingredient substitutions, various options and advice on advance preparations. I stressed the importance of balance and working with the natural flavor of the meat to bring out its true nature, not cover up its shortcomings. This maxim holds true whether we are concerned with the flavors of the dish itself or how the dish will interact with our beverage choices.

How does this fit in with Terroir, I hear you asking? Terroir will have a regional, ingredients-based cuisine seeking a co-existence between food, wine, place and season. The food, the wine and the beverages will basically yearn for each other. It’s about making the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Yes, it’s a bit of a cliché, but it boils down to using what the earth gives you and instilling in the diner a sense of place and passion.

In “The Whole Beast,” Fergus talks about “Seven Things I Should Mention.” His advice that I want to pass along to you—both the seasoned professional or the ranked amateur—is this: “Don’t be afraid of cooking, as your ingredients will know and misbehave. Enjoy cooking and the food will behave; moreover, it will pass your pleasure on to those who eat.”

You’ve got to love a guy who extols the virtues of curly parsley, tells you to leave the poor fava bean alone—don’t peel them, just pick them at the right time—and rightfully describes pig’s trotters as bringing an “unctuous, lip-sticking quality” to any dish they inhabit.

And the journey continues.

Cheers!

Stu

Posted by Stu Stein on November 10, 2006 | Comments (0)