D'Artagnan Dares to Deliver Conscientiously Raised Meats & Delicious Farm to Fork Goods - AD

This is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links. TL:DR I’m working with D’Artagnan and earn commissions when you shop through my link.

For years D’Artagnan has been a leader in specialty meats and the only place to get duck, truffles, and foie gras shipped to your door. With the rise of many other services, D’Artagnan has persisted in its mission to consciously raise meats from independent farms to keep their practices transparent.

I was lucky enough to attend the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) conference in 2018 and caught a duck butchery demonstration with Ariane Daguin, the owner and CEO of D’Artagnan. She also happened to receive a Trailblazer award that year. She made herself available to the audience to ask questions about her landmark products and how hands-on she is in the production process. She is known for launching the first domestically made foie gras in the United States. D’Artagnan defines foie gras as “enhanced” duck or goose liver. It’s a fraught food because geese and ducks are typically force-fed to enlarge their liver. The practice was even banned in California and has been tied up in courts up through last year. At D’Artagnan, they make foie gras from Moulard ducks and explain their stress-free process:

“Waterfowl have a natural propensity to gorge themselves before leaving on long migratory flights. They store the fat in their liver, which serves as a gas tank, and under the skin, which protects them from the cold at high altitudes. Humans discovered this fattened and delicious liver while hunting migratory ducks and geese, and soon found a way to reproduce it when the fowl was domesticated. The first record of fattening ducks is in Egyptian tombs, where vivid paintings depict the special feeding. Since the esophagus of a duck is thickened to protect it from harm when swallowing whole fish, frogs, and other prey, it is impervious to pain. A small funnel slipped into the mouth of the duck delivers a quick burst of mashed corn directly to the gullet. This high-calorie diet reproduces the natural process of gorging and causes the liver to expand and grow fatty.”

To be honest, I rarely ate duck. My family never cooked it and it felt too expensive to splurge on Peking duck at restaurants. Duck was part of my culinary awakening in my late 20’s, I tore through Kitchen Confidential and visited Les Halles where Anthony Bourdain used to work. I ordered the duck confit and it clicked. How wonderful is it that duck can taste so good, get so crispy, and even better, you can use its rendered fat to roast potatoes. It’s lower in saturated fat and higher amounts of “good” unsaturated fats compared to beef and pork fat. Whenever I need duck, premium charcuterie, and ethically made foie gras, I look to D’Artagnan.

How do I use D’Artagnan?

Here is a running list of dishes that I’ve made with D’Artagnan products.

Foie Gras Butter

I ordered the foie gras chunks, which are offcuts of the larger pate and torchon. I trimmed them and tossed them in a dry cure. After curing overnight, I blended the foie one piece at a time into softened unsalted butter. The result is a luxurious smooth butter for biscuits, finishing steaks, and fancy floats for soup.

Cheese & Charcuterie Grazing Board

For Valentine’s Day, I created large grazing boards with cheeses, fruits, nuts, and homemade focaccia. I also featured D’Artagnan duck rillettes, the above foie gras butter, wagyu bresaola, wild boar lonza, and sliced Iberico jamon.

Jamon Iberico & Mushroom Nabe

Japanese nabe or hot pot is traditionally made with uncured pork belly. It is generally advised that bacon is too salty for this application, but a single slice of this otherwise vegetable forward dish gives it a savory, luxe finish when you dip it in ponzu and eat it.

FAQ

What is D’Artagnan?

D’Artagnan is an online meat and luxury food company. They are known for their free-range, natural production, and sustainable humane farming practices on products from organic chicken to grass-fed beef to lamb, heritage pork, and other meats. They are also a leading source of specialty mushrooms, foie gras, and finishing oils. Moreover, they partner with independent family farms and ranches. You won’t catch them using added antibiotics or hormones.

What is your relationship with D’Artagnan?

I am an affiliate partner. That means that I get compensated by D’Artagnan for every purchase made through my links on this post.

ButcherBox Makes My Biggest Cooking Dreams Complete - AD

This is a sponsored post and contains affiliate links. TL:DR When you use my link to try ButcherBox, I receive a commission.

After a long hiatus away from making random sandwiches (for which this website is named!), I walked every aisle of the grocery store and local farmer’s market for inspiration. Coming up with ideas is so fun for me, but even I hit a wall sometimes. I’ve always been an advocate for meal kits and grocery delivery services for folks who are new to the kitchen. I like to try out new services around the holidays or surrounding my birthday because I need a break from coming up with meals, too.

ButcherBox has been the exception. I look forward to my big box of high-quality meats every month! Each package is a welcome cooking challenge. When you sign up, there is almost always a generous bonus. I lucked out and got 3 months of free salmon! Around Thanksgiving, you can get a free turkey (if you order fast). And before that, new subscribers got free ground beef for life.

SO, WHAT IS BUTCHERBOX?

ButcherBox is a meat and seafood delivery service where you can adjust the timing, size, and make-up of the contents. It’s all been hits, from filet mignon to pork loin, chops, chicken, ground beef, and even lobster. I haven’t been disappointed! It’s great for households that have ample freezer space and mouths to feed. I have a friend who tried it and said it was too much meat for her, but, thankfully, you can delay or pause shipments if that is the case for you. Everything arrives frozen in a nicely insulated box. Per food safety guidelines, it’s best to get the products right into the freezer or in the fridge on a lipped sheet pan if you’re going to defrost them for that day.

WHAT DO I DO WITH ALL OF THIS MEAT?

If you want to try it out and get free stuff when you sign up, use my affiliate link. Not sure what you’re going to do with all of that meat? Don’t worry, I made this post to round up what I’ve made so far (and will keep adding as I make more dishes).

Sansho pepper pork chops with shiso leaves

Replace your ground black pepper with Japanese sansho pepper, which in small amounts, provides a buzzy, citrusy flavor with every bite. I also marinated it overnight with crushed yellow plums. Prepare your pork chops as you normally do on the grill, in the oven, or on the stove. Then slice it all up and serve it with shiso leaves, a habit I picked up from Korean BBQ restaurants.

Beef chuck roast with capers and mustard

I tied up this beef chuck roast so it would cook evenly. Then I marinated it with lots of coriander, pepper, salt, and fennel seeds. It went into a sous vide bath for 6 hours (I wish I had longer!). Then I sliced it really thinly, resting the pieces in their juices, whisked with mustard and chopped capers.

Filet mignon with Christmas beans and mustard greens

I simply seasoned the filet mignon with salt and pepper before pan-frying it to medium doneness. I really don’t like to overwhelm such high quality meat! It’s so good that you don’t need to add much to it. When I was growing up I typically ate steak with rice and boiled veggies. These days I’ll throw on some warm beans tossed with salsa and fresh farmer’s market produce like mustard greens pictured here.

Click here to take advantage of ButcherBox and sign up knowing I’m part of the community of folks who will help you figure out your next meal. If you ever have a cooking question, comment on my Instagram account or sign up for my Patreon for personal cooking advice.

FAQ

What is ButcherBox? ButcherBox is a delivery subscription service for grass-fed & grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage-breed pork.

What is a #ButcherboxPartner? I am disclosing my business relationship with ButcherBox. I am an affiliate partner who provides links and deals to my audience and ButcherBox compensates me for every person who participates.

Seared Pork Chops Dripping with Sweet Hazelnut Sauce

Pork chops are the perfect serving size for dinner and with help from toasty hazelnuts, you'll have a showstopper in no time. Add a grain or warm up a piece of crusty toast to soak up the rest of the dressing.

Hazelnut Pork Chops

Serves 2

Things you'll need:
2 pork chops 3 tablespoons kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 1 tablespoon pepper, plus more for seasoning 4 cups water 1 cup ice	1 bay leaf 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 cup hazelnuts 1 tablespoon honey 1 teaspoon water

1. Prepare a quick brine by boiling the water, bay leaf, salt and 2 cloves of garlic together for 5 minutes.

2. Turn off the heat and add the ice. 

3. Brine the pork chops for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours in the fridge.

4. Drain and pat the outside of your chop dry with a paper towel.

5. Rub the chops with olive oil and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

6. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.

7. Heat a cast iron or oven-safe pan on high on the stove.

8. Sear the pork chops on both sides for 2 minutes to brown the outside.

9. Place the pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, roughly chop the hazelnuts.

11. Mash them with the last piece of garlic, honey and bit of water.

12. The pork chops are safe to eat when it is cooked to 145 degrees F.

13. Transfer the chops to a plate to rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

14. Whisk the pan juices with the hazelnut mixture and pour over your chops.

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Let me know if you try it! Tag @Randwiches on Twitter or Instagram.

Ambrosial Whole Chicken with Sumac and Thyme

Everyone should know how to roast a chicken. With a few tricks, you can have a flavorful chicken dinner and save the leftovers for sandwiches. Don’t throw away the bones! You can use those to make a broth, too.

You can switch the olive oil for butter. My friend Claire Matern puts a whole lemon in the carcass, while I opt for a whole head of garlic. You can do both if you want to get crazy.

Whole Roasted Chicken with Sumac and Thyme

Serves 4

Things you'll need:
1 whole chicken, 3 to 4 pounds 2 tablespoons sumac 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, stems removed or 1 tablespoon dried	1 tablespoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 head garlic, split crosswise Optional: sesame seeds

1. Check the inner cavity of the chicken for giblets or the neck. Save for making broth another time.

2. Pat the chicken dry on all sides with a paper towel.

3. Rub a bit of the olive oil on your hands and shimmy your fingers under the skin over the breast, still keeping the skin attached around the edges.

4. Drizzle the rest of the olive oil over the outside of the chicken and rub it on every part.

5. Sprinkle the salt, sumac, and thyme leave evenly over the bird.

6. Stuff the garlic head into the cavity of the chicken.

7. For crispy skin, let the chicken dry uncovered on a sheet pan in the fridge overnight.

8. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

9. Roast the chicken on the middle rack for an hour, check the temperature. Continue to cook for up to another 30 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F at the thickest part.

10. Crank on the boiler and brown the skin for 2 to 3 minutes. Be careful not to let it burn.

11. Remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.

12. Pull the roasted garlic out of the chicken. Remove the skins and mash up the cloves with the pan juices. If there isn’t enough juice, add 1/4 cup broth or water. Scrape up the bits from the pan to mix it in.

13. Collect the pan juices and pour over the chicken when serving. Finish with a shower of sesame seeds.

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Let me know if you try it! Tag @Randwiches on Twitter or Instagram.

Steak Dinner is Easier Than You Think

Steak dinner is just 15 minutes away. What’s great is that it leaves this buttery pan residue that you can scrape up and cook greens in after you’ve turned off the heat. Win! You can get fancy with different sorts of compound butters but beware that using delicate herbs may burn and become bitter.

One steak for just me is a lot. I enjoy half of it for dinner and wrap up the other half for a sandwich the next day. The overnight rest in the fridge makes it firmer and easier to slice thinly.

Easy Pan-Fried Steak

What you'll need
1 pound NY strip steak, 1" thick 1 tablespoon butter	Kosher salt Pepper

1. Remove the steak from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking to let it come to room temperature.

2. Generously salt and pepper it on both sides.

3. Heat a cast-iron pan or grill top on high for 5 minutes. Turn off any vents or open a window.

4. Split the butter in half and place half into the pan.

5. As it partially melts, put the steak directly on top of it.

6. Let it cook for 4 minutes. Do not be tempted to move or fuss with it. It is creating a crust!

7. Using a pair of tongs, lift the steak out of the pan and add the remaining butter to the pan.

8. Place the uncooked side of the steak over the butter.

9. Cook the difference for 2 minutes for rare at 130 degrees F, 3 minutes for medium-rare at 140 degrees F; or 5 minutes for medium at 155 degrees F or 6 minutes for well done.

10. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes on a plate to catch the juices.

11. Transfer to a cutting board and slice it against the grain.

12. Garnish with more salt if you like!

If you try this recipe and like it, let me know on social by tagging @Randwiches.

Embark on Effortless and Juicy Sambal Chicken Thighs

I worked with Claire Matern to help Local Roots refresh their website for their fall CSA. Every season, their inventory changes, so we needed to showcase the latest offerings as well as a few simple recipe ideas.

Chicken thighs are arguably the juiciest parts of the bird. I like them because they have this perfect flap of skin that crisps up in the oven. Here, I’ve oven-baked them with a spicy gravy using Auria’s Maylaysian Kitchen’s hot chili sambal. You’ll love this with a bowl of rice or on a bed of greens.

Spicy Sambal Gravy Chicken Thighs

Serves 2

Things you'll need:
1 pound Local Roots chicken thighs 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped Salt and pepper, to taste	1/4 cup Auria's Hot Chili Sambal 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Mix the sambal and water in a small cast iron pan or oven safe dish.

3. Pat the completely defrosted chicken thighs with a paper towel.

4. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over both sides of the chicken.

5. Place the chicken thighs skin side up in the pan over the sambal sauce.

6. Drizzle the olive oil onto the chicken skin.

7. Place the pan in the oven for 35 minutes, check the temperature. If the sauce has sizzled off and is not liquidy anymore, add another 1/4 cup of water and stir it around.

8. Continue to cook the chicken for up to another 10-15 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

9. Optional: switch the broiler on high heat and broil for 2 to 3 minutes to crisp up the skin.

10. Remove the pan from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

11. Garnish with parsley and serve.

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Let me know if you try this recipe out!

If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.

Luscious Pork Chops with Fresh Plums and Sage

I worked with Claire Matern to help Local Roots refresh their website for their fall CSA. Every season, their inventory changes, so we needed to showcase the latest offerings as well as a few simple recipe ideas.

Pork chops are pretty easy to master at home. If you don’t have an oven-safe pan (like it has a metal handle and not a plastic one), you can still complete this dish on the stovetop. Just watch the temperature! And if you do go the way of the oven, don’t forget the handle will be very hot.

In the case you can’t find fresh plums right now, a dollop of apricot jam or sweet chili sauce will do just as nicely.

Pork Chops with Plums and Sage

Serves 2

Things you'll need:
2 Local Roots pork chops Salt and pepper, to taste	2 plums, pitted 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 leaves fresh sage, stems removed

1. Pat the completely defrosted pork chops with a paper towel.

2. Drizzle the olive oil onto the pork chops and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.

3. Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.

4. Heat a cast-iron or oven-safe pan on high on the stove.

5. Sear the pork chop on both sides for 2 minutes to brown the outside.

6. Place the pan in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes.

7. Continue to cook the pork chop until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (for medium).

8. Transfer the pork chop to a plate to rest.

9. (Not pictured) Using the pan juices, saute the sage leaves for 1 to 2 minutes and pour onto the pork chops.

10. Serve alongside sliced plums.

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Let me know if you try this recipe out!

If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.

It's a Go! Succulent Baked Chicken Wings with Creamy Mustard

I worked with Claire Matern to help Local Roots refresh their website for their fall CSA. Every season, their inventory changes, so we needed to showcase the latest offerings as well as a few simple recipe ideas.

Once you know how to oven-bake wings, you can switch out the spices to make your own version. You can also brush on a bbq sauce or finish the wings with a pesto or simmer sauce. The grainy mustard dip goes well with the lemony sumac here. It comes from an old Escoffier recipe for mustard sauce. You can use dijon or honey in place of the grainy, but I like the pop with every bite of chicken.

Oven-Baked Chicken Wings with Mustard Creme

Serves 2

Things you'll need:
1 pound Local Roots chicken wings 1 tablespoon ground sumac 1 teaspoon dried thyme Salt and pepper, to taste	1/4 cup grainy mustard 2 tablespoons heavy cream 1 clove garlic, grated

1. Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel.

2. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper over all sides of the chicken.

3. Optional: dry the wings uncovered in a single layer in the fridge for an hour or up to overnight.

4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

5. Toss the wings in a bowl with the sumac and thyme.

6. Arrange the wings in a single layer on a sheet pan.

7. Bake the wings for 40-45 minutes on the middle rack until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.

8. Set the broiler to high and transfer the wings to the top rack for 2 to 3 minutes until they sizzle.

9. Remove the wings from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, mix the mustard, heavy cream and garlic in a small ramekin.

11. If the mustard sauce is too strong for you, dilute with more cream, a spoonful of mayonnaise, or sour cream.

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Let me know if you try this recipe out!

If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.

Bun-less Lamb Patties with Dill Butter, Plums, and Tomato

I worked with Claire Matern to help Local Roots refresh their website for their fall CSA. Every season, their inventory changes, so we needed to showcase the latest offerings as well as a few simple recipe ideas.

With the addition of heavy cream and a little bit of waiting (only a little, I promise), you’ll have soft, juicy lamb burgers for dinner. Sure, you can have them on slider buns but they play well with just tomatoes and plums here or if you like, a bed of grains or greens, too.

Lamb Patties with Dill Butter

Serves 2 for a meal or 4 for a snack

Things you'll need:
1 pound Local Roots ground lamb 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 2 tablespoons heavy cream	1 ripe plum, pitted 2 Roma tomatoes, diced Zest of 1 lemon Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Mix the butter and dill together in a small bowl, set aside.

2. Crumble the lamb into a mixing bowl with your fingers.

3. Pour the heavy cream and lemon zest over the lamb and toss to coat.

4. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or up to overnight.

5. Form the lamb into four equal patties.

6. Heat a dry frying pan on medium heat. Lamb should be fatty enough to fry in its own juices, but if it looks like burning, add a bit of olive oil to get it going.

7. Pan fry the lamb for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until they reach an internal temperature of at last 130 to 135°F for medium; 140 to 145 F for medium-well and 150 to 155°F for well done.

8. Transfer the patties to a plate and garnish each with a dollop of dill butter, a bit of salt and pepper if you like.

9. Scatter the plums and tomatoes around the patties.

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Let me know if you try this recipe out!

If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.

Dig Into This Miso Glazed Pork Belly Bowl

I helped develop and style a series of 5 recipes for Local Roots to help showcase their meat CSA. All of the products at their markets are sourced within 2 hours of New York City, meaning everything is super fresh.

Miso Glazed Pork Belly Rice Bowl

This dinner packs a punch. The reduced beer sticks to the succulent pork belly as it bubbles away. Whenever I get high-quality pork, my first instinct is to make bacon or roast it slowly for hours. Here, I’ve reduced it to one hour and balance it with rice and shredded cabbage. If you don’t drink beer, apple cider or hard cider works just as well.

Serves 4

Things you'll need:
1 Local Roots pork belly 1 tablespoon white miso 1 12oz can light beer 1 cup cabbage, shredded	2 scallions, chopped  Scallion sauce (recipe follows below) 4 cups white rice, cooked

1. Whisk the miso and light beer together, set aside.

2. Cube the pork into 1” pieces.

3. Fill a pot with cold water and bring to a boil.

4. Boil the pork belly for 8 to 10 minutes to render the fat.

5. Remove the pork from the water. Keep the water warm and add the beer mixture to it.

6. Preheat a cast-iron pan on high heat. 

7. Sear the pork cubes on all sides for 1 minute until browned.

8. Lower the heat to medium and carefully ladle the warm beer mixture over the pork.

9. Simmer the pork for 45 minutes, adding more beer mixture as it reduces. Repeat until it evaporates.

10. The pork is done when it is tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick gravy.

11. To assemble: Divide the rice and cabbage between 4 bowls. Spoon the hot pork over each rice bowl. Garnish with scallion sauce and freshly cut scallion.

Scallion Sauce

Fatty pork can sometimes be overwhelming for the palate. The vinegar in this scallion sauce can help cut it and balance the flavors.

Things you'll need:
4 scallions, minced 2 teaspoons soy sauce 1 teaspoon cider vinegar	½ teaspoon salt ¼ cup olive oil

1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Let marinate for 10 minutes before serving.

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Let me know if you try these recipes out!

If you'd like a discount on Local Roots subscriptions, enter the code RANDWICHES at checkout.