Text
and Photos By Stephen Ashton
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on Images for Captions |
Restaurant
Manager Gens Ast and his team start orchestrating the utensils
and setup for the Duck Courses.
Lorenz Adlon brought
the recipe and Press from France where the dish originated in
the town of Rouen (hence the name of the sauce Rouennaise ) in
the mid 1800's, and by the 1890's Princes and Presidents were
raving about this flavor-filled delicacy. The recipe, like a migratory
bird, spread to the Americas and it was a great favorite of, among
others, Jack London.
The stage is being
set for a remarkable show: first the equipment. On sturdy tables
are placed a beautiful cylindrical press, actually the original
that Lorenz brought from France; a heated deep-dish into which
the breasts of duck will be place in reduced red wine sauce, carving
knives and strong forks, a table with a burner and pan, a bottle
each of Cognac and Madeira, salt and pepper.
Mr. Ast brings
the partially roasted duck, unstuffed, out of the kitchen and
carefully carves off the legs and thighs, then the breasts. Only
this meat will be served, in two courses. Everything else meat
, skin, bones, wings and the back, which is cut into pieces, go
into the press. (See the photos and captions for a step by step
description.) The breast pieces are placed in a deep pan in reduced
red wine sauce on a glowing hot plate and the legs go back to
the oven to be roasted to completion for the second course.
Then
the press is loaded and the two men start turning the screw. Slowly
liquid begins to flow from the trough, first red blood, then more
complex pressings of the contents.
In the meantime
his colleague is working away on the sauce, melting the duck and
goose liver into red wine reduction jus, salt and pepper, lemon
and Madeira wine. The aromas are beginning to fill the room and
all eyes are on this SHOW! The pressed nectar is slowly stirred
into the pan with the rest of the sauce and cooked until the color
and consistency of chocolate.
The breasts are cut diagonally into aiguillettes and finally the
breast is plated with a flower of potato (pommes maxime) and pressed
steamed greens. The sizzling Rouennaise is spooned onto the meat,
giving it a final cooking.
The Caneton à
la Presse ("Lorenz Adlon" Pressed Duck) is a mouth-watering
extravagance, the extracted flavors of the cooking from the skin,
cooked blood sauce, the meat juices and the Madeira, Cognac wine
sauce with foie gras and duck liver paté make a perfect
marriage with a bold Chardonnay.
The
Second Serving of Roasted Duck on Salad with Truffle and Muscato
Grapes goes beautifully with Pinot Noir.
And finally, Praline
of Pear and Almond with Williams pear sorbet, makes a refreshing,
perfectly matched dessert for this leisurely evening meal.
The Hotel Adlon
is a must see in a city that is moving at break-neck speed into
the future. It is a step into that timeless zone of elegance,
style and exquisite harmonious design. Even the way fish is served
on a tray at the weekend brunches is an experience of visual ecstasy.
It is little wonder
then that Lorenz descendants, Percy and Felix Adlon, are dedicated
artists first in film and writing, but not that far behind in
the culinary arts and the Shrimp CookOff at that Napa Valley outdoor
Film Festival event greatly challenged the audience to decide
whose recipe they preferred. In the end, it was Percy's more spicy
version that won the prize, and the Adlon Family Tradition continues.
Other
Great Related Links:
The Hotel Adlon Recipes
Caneton
à La Presse (Pressed Duck)
Leek
Cream Soup with Monkfish Medallions and Tomato Fondue
Marinated
Tuna with Green Asparagus and Capers Pancake
The
Hote; Adlon
The
Making of the Hotel Adlon Article
The
Preparation & Serving of Pressed Duck
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