Duck fat and ghee

[spiderpig]

I'm a Food Network junkie.

I've seen famous chefs like Hubert Keller extol the incredible flavor duck fat imparts to potatoes and other vegs. Also the use of ghee in cooking.

I bought some of both today. Any recommendations?

[catnhatnh]

1. Yep...

...Put your cardiologist on speed-dial.

[spiderpig]

2. Ya know, there's a point in your life where you just say "Screw it"

But you're right. I'm sure those containers are additional nails in my coffin!

[Kali]

3. man, country folk have know the deliciousness of good animal fat forever

lard and bacon grease, butter, goose and duck fat - hell ask your Jewish Grandmother about good chicken fat.

the keys to good frying are the correct temperatures, cutting the food in uniform pieces, leaving plenty of room - nothing touching! and draining either on a rack or brown paper - paper towels are the SUCK for fried foods.

enjoy! if done properly they really don't absorb much and as an occasional treat won't hurt you, but don't do it every day or even every week!

[spiderpig]

4. When it comes right down to it, one thing we all have in common is eating.

One of my coworkers about two centuries ago said the best chocolate chip cookies she'd ever eaten were made with chicken fat. Never tried it myself.

I live in the burbs, right next to a watershed, so we have deer, quail, ducks, wild turkeys wandering around in the yard. I'm an animal lover, but realize that there's a food chain and that a coyote or mountain lion could appear at any time, and so it goes.

You are making me really hungry. Checking my pantry for fryable items. (And I'll save the paper towels for wiping my greasy fingers!)

[harmonicon]

5. Duck fat is great for roasted potatoes, parsnips, etc.

Not having used it myself, I can't give you any tips, but I bet there are a million recipes online.

[spiderpig]

6. I've never had parsnips

But watching all these cooking shows, I really want to try them.

Hubert Keller made parsnip blinis to serve with caviar (no, I am NOT a Republican!), and they looked delicious.

[harmonicon]

9. You're not really missing out or anything.

Like most root vegetables, they'll take on the flavour of what they're cooked in/with - they're pretty neutral. It's just a slight change or contrast to normal ol' potatoes - except in the UK, I guess potatoes are comparatively the new fancy thing.

[spiderpig]

10. Are they related to turnips?

When I was in Scotland a few years ago we had Neeps and Tatties with haggis. How I reached that age never having had turnips was kind of amazing. (Now haggis - that's another thing!)

[harmonicon]

11. I think so.

For as long as I lived in England, I never had too much of that stuff.

I've had that same combination as well, and I was surprised that I really liked it. It definitely made me want to try haggis again, but I was too scared to cook it myself.

[spiderpig]

12. I was surprised too.

We had the whole ceremony with the piping of the haggis and reading of the Burns "Ode to Haggis".

It wasn't bad. And a few days later at the Fairmont St. Andrews they offered vegetarian haggis (wha?) at the breakfast buffet. Of course I had to try.

I love Scotland.

[nolabear]

7. Potatoes cooked in duck fat are incredible. But beware.

It's rich as hell and you may end up feeling it later.

[spiderpig]

8. I'll save it for a treat when I'm having a really crummy day

We all deserve our little indulgences!!!

[HopeHoops]

13. Stick with the ghee. I've also found that skimming the foam off of melted butter works as well.

It's not exactly the same thing since the butter isn't fully "clarified", but it's a good and quick substitute.

[spiderpig]

14. Thanks, HopeHoops

I though I was lazy (well, I am) for not producing my own ghee. But I wanted to try it and came late in life to Indian cuisine (despite years in the UK where curry is huge).

[HopeHoops]

15. Here - Enjoy...

http://food-india.com/recipe/