Holiday Dishing
Delicious recipes from some of D.C.’s finest chefs
SMITH POINT
Tucked underground near the the corner
of Wisconsin and Q Streets, N.W., Smith
Point shouldn’t be discounted as just a
loud bar catering to the Bush twins. Owner Bo
Blair has recharged his restaurant by hiring one of
Le Paradou’s chefs, Nathan Bearfield, dishes up
cuisine inspired by Eastern seaboard favorites:
crab cakes, chowders and lobster. His prized New
England cheddar cheese and beer soup is ideal
for one of Washington’s snowy days.
New England Cheddar
Cheese and Beer Soup
1 cup lamb marinade
12 oz. diced onions
6 oz. diced mushrooms
6 oz. diced celery
2 oz. minced garlic
12 oz. clarified butter
2 green onions
12 oz. flour
6 qt. chicken stock
16 oz. lager beer, Samuel Adams
4 lb. tillamook grated cheddar cheese
1 oz. dry mustard
1 pt. hot heavy cream
1 tsp. tabasco sauce
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
Salt
White ground pepper
Rye croutons
1. Sweat the onions, mushrooms, celery and
garlic in the butter until limp.
2. Add the flour to make a blond roux and cook
out for 12 minutes.
3. Add the stock gradually, whisking constantly
to work out any lumps.
Simmer for 45 minutes, or
until the soup has a good flavor and velvety texture.
Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
4. Return the soup to a simmer. One half hour
before service add the beer, cheese, and continue
to heat the soup gently until the cheese melts. Do
not boil.
5. Blend the dry mustard with enough water
to make a paste. Add the mustard mixture and
the cream to the soup and bring the soup back
to a simmer. Adjust the consistency with stock, if
necessary.
6. Season with Tabasco, Worcestershire, salt, and
pepper to taste. Serve with rye croutons on the side.
LE PARADOU
There are few restaurants in Washington
that can impress a true gourmet. Yannick
Cam’s Le Paradou is one of them. His
delicate dishes— scallops, lobster, foie
gras, matched with bold flavors such as garlic,
ginger and rosemary— offer an exquisite
dinning experience for the most discerning
critics. Cam suggests foie gras as
the holiday season’s spectacular appetizer.
He suggests buying Grade A foie gras
from Dean and Deluca or Balducci’s and
pairing it with a sauce to enhance its
flavor. www.leparadou.net
Foie Gras de Canard
aux Coings Confit
4 slices of foie gras
1 quince
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups pomegranate
1 cup duck stock
2 slices parma ham
6 juniper berries
1 vanilla bean
½ bottle “Vin de Paille” wine reduced
Foie gras
1. Heat a medium sauté pan with oil
over high heat until very hot. Season the
foie gras with salt and pepper quite liberally.
2. Place slices of foie gras in the pan.
Sauté the foie gras until browned on one
side, then flip over and cook on the other
side browned.
Sauce
1. Cut a quince in 3 mm slices.
2. Prepare the syrup with sugar,
pomegranate juice.
3. Poach the quinces and cut julienne.
4. Pour over foie gras.
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