in the game
SET THEMSELVES APART. CHEFS WHO SERVE GAME
Today’s diners are increasingly adventurous, and that means more culinary license for the creative
chef. Game on the menu—a single dish or maybe two—says a chef has confidence and knows his
or her customers well. The result is a satisfying experience for all.
BY KAY ORDE
DUCK IN PORCHETTA RAGU
Sara Jenkins, Chef / Porsena; Porchetta / New York
6-8 SERVINGS
¼ lb. prosciutto fat, guanciale or pancetta,
finely diced
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 small leek, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
4 sprigs sage
2 T. fresh thyme leaves
2 T. chopped flat leaf parsley
2 T. wild fennel pollen
2 T. Italian tomato, double concentrate
1 cup warm water
2 lbs. ground duck meat
Salt and pepper, as needed
1 lb. dried artisanal maccheroncini
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
METHOD: Put olive oil in large heavy-
bottomed pan; on low heat, slowly render
out prosciutto fat. When fat begins to render
clear, add onion, carrot, celery, leek, garlic,
sage, thyme, parsley and fennel pollen.
Cook gently over low heat until onion is
translucent, about 5 minutes. Dissolve
tomato concentrate in warm water; pour
over vegetables. Slowly simmer until water
evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add duck
meat and a healthy pinch of salt. Stir
vigorously until meat is totally broken up and
no longer raw. Braise in own liquid on low
heat, stirring occasionally, 45-60 minutes.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water. Drain;
immediately toss with sauce. Dress with
Parmigiano-Reggiano. Adjust seasoning with
salt and pepper; serve.
RABBIT SADDLE WITH
OVEN-DRIED GRAPES
AND SUNCHOKES
Octavio Becerra, Chef/Owner, Jason Mattick,
Executive Chef / Palate Food + Wine / Glendale, Calif.
4 SERVINGS
1 bunch seedless black California grapes
1 t. thyme, divided
1 cup extra virgin olive oil + more, as needed
Salt and pepper, as needed
8 oz. sunchokes, divided
2 T. heavy cream
4 oz. spigarello or baby kale
¼ cup sliced garlic
1 chili d’arbol
1 whole ( 4 lb.) rabbit, to yield 2 lbs. rabbit
¼ lb. smoked bacon
¼ lb. pistachio, toasted
¼ lb. Zante currants, in walnut liqueur
½ cup shallots, minced, cooked until translucent
¼ cup garlic, minced, cooked until translucent
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup tarragon, chopped
¼ cup chervil, chopped
3 oz. prosciutto, sliced
3 oz. purple mustard
1 cup rabbit cuisson (reduced rabbit stock)
3 oz. in-house churned butter (use fine butter)
1. Toss grapes with thyme, olive oil, salt and
pepper. Oven-dry at 250ºF for about 4 hours,
or until raisin-like.
2. Toss 4 oz. sunchokes with thyme, olive oil, salt
and pepper. Oven-roast at 375ºF for about
20 minutes; move around every 7 minutes.
3. Boil remaining sunchokes until tender. Add
heavy cream; purée until smooth.
4. Saute spigarello with sliced garlic, chili
and olive oil.
5. To prepare rabbit saddle: Fabricate rabbit
into six parts. Remove meat from rabbit
legs; grind through meat grinder with
medium die. Grind bacon. Mix ground
meat together with pistachio, currants,
shallots, minced garlic, parsley, tarragon
and chervil. Season saddle with salt
and pepper; stuff with mix. Wrap with
prosciutto, then plastic wrap. Lightly
poach saddle in simmering water until
firm to touch.
6. Remove plastic wrap from saddle; sear in cast
iron pan. Rest 10 minutes. Slice for service.
7. To plate: Paint plates with purple
mustard. Put sunchoke purée on top.
Add sliced stuffed rabbit. Emulsify
rabbit cuisson with butter; spoon over
rabbit. Garnish with roasted sunchokes,
spigarello and grapes.
