Hi Friends!

Welcome to another week of Chef’s Stash.  This week we are having fun with the transition into the fall season. In celebration, we made Brandon’s famous duck confit legs.  We also roasted some beautiful baby parsnips and carrots for you.

The duck comes in a sealed bag and can be reheated either by putting the bag in hot (not boiling) water until hot, or by crisping it in a pan and finishing it in the oven.  It is best to reheat it with the fat.  We thought you could do either the lentils or the baby turnips and carrots as a side.

Lentils are an easy and healthy legume to make.  There is enough in the bag for several uses, I would suggest 1/3 of a bag for 2.  You don’t need to soak them like many dried beans which makes them more convenient, just give them a quick rinse.  I would start sweating onions in a pot with some oil or butter, you could sweat them with celery, carrots, potatoes, or any other aromatic veggies you like.  Bay leaf, garlic, salt, pepper, maybe a little paprika or cayenne for spices.  Once the veggies are soft, I add some stock or water and the lentils.  Cover and let simmer until the lentils soften (about 20 minutes).  The lentils will absorb about twice their volume in stock.  You can add some cubed tomatoes at the last minute if you want either fresh or canned.

One other suggestion is to shred the duck and combine with the lentils above once they have cooled and make a salad over some of the beautiful salanova lettuce

Frisee lettuce is used in classic salade Lyonnaise.  You can make variations but the idea is to start by dicing some pancetta, cooking it and combining it into a dressing with olive oil, mustard, and some sherry or other vinegar.  Pour this over the frisee and top with a soft boiled or poached egg.  You could add some green beans raw or poached until soft on top too.

The rosa de Milan red onions are an Italian heirloom onion that we are excited to try…We’ve never had them before but the Borba family who grows them grow lots of great Italian heirloom varieties so we trust they will be delicious.

Bavette Steak is a classic French cut of beef.  We suggest marinating in Worcestershire, rosemary, salt and pepper and olive oil. Grill to medium temperature (145-150 degrees).  It’s a cut that benefits from a little more cooking than a typical steak.  Slice against the grain and serve.

The Pure Bake sourdough is great for sandwiches, grilled or toasted for avocado toast in the morning is a special treat.

Blue Heron Farms grows the best green onions I’ve had.  They are tender and sweet.  A great way to cook them is to soak them in water for about 10 minutes and then grill them until charred and finish with a little olive oil and salt.  Would be great alongside the steak.

Local halibut is a lean fish.  Most of these halibut were on the smaller side so we recommend sautéing in butter and lemon.  I’ve mentioned before but a quick dip in flour and then egg before cooking helps keep this fish moist.  You could also make smaller pieces and make some fish tacos with cilantro, onion and avocado.

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out for more suggestions, or with any questions.

Gabe and Brandon