What: Torchon
Definition: Literally, kitchen towel; in the food world, a molded piece of foie gras poached in liquid while wrapped in cheesecloth (traditionally a towel, hence the name)
On the menu at: Kinship, Marcel's, Chez Billy Sud, Chez Billy, Boundary Road and 1789, among others (also on a recent episode of "Top Chef")
Further proof that everything sounds better in French: We say "kitchen towel," they say "torchon." And then, to boot, they name a dish made with one of the most luxurious ingredients of all -- foie gras -- after it.
Well played, France, well played.
Chef Eric Ziebold explained torchon as a "very classic preparation of foie gras," in which liver (such as goose, duck or chicken) is cleaned, marinated, rolled into a log inside cheesecloth, poached and left to set and cure. (Despite the name, cheesecloth is the preferred wrap nowadays, as it's more sanitary than a dish towel.) The whole process takes about three days.
Advertisement
At Kinship, Ziebold's spiffy new dining room near Mount Vernon Square, the chef has swapped in mushrooms for the foie gras -- and still maintained its elegant appearance and ultra-decadent, silky texture. (He served a foie gras torchon at his former post at the late CityZen.)
[Kinship review: The welcome return of a favorite chef]
Why mushrooms? Ziebold said he was inspired by the mushroom garnish served atop a chicken liver mousse at a butcher shop in Arcachon, the seaside locale in southwest France that is the hometown of his wife and business partner, Célia Laurent.
Plus, "There is a huge push for vegetarian dishes these days," Ziebold said. "It's a fun riff on something," he said of his torchon. "It's one that makes sense in my opinion," and hews close enough to the original to still be recognizable.
Advertisement
To make the dish, white mushrooms are sauteed and then pureed with caramelized garlic and onions. Also incorporated into the mix: butter, and a hefty amount of it. It helps bind the mixture together, in addition to contributing to its smooth texture and firm set.
Share this articleShareNext comes the really challenging part: rolling it into a log. This step is tricky enough that it sometimes requires multiple attempts to achieve perfection, in terms of shape and compactness (the better to eliminate air pockets). There's a real art to the process, Ziebold said, which is why the dish has landed in the "craft" section of his rather creatively divided menu (other categories: history, ingredients, indulgence).
Since the mushrooms are already cooked, there's no need to poach Ziebold's version. After an overnight set, it's ready to be eaten. Foie gras au torchon is typically served with brioche and something fruity, Ziebold said, and he saw no reason to mess with tradition. His torchon, cut into thick rounds, is served with toasted slices of the buttery bread made in-house, along with a huckleberry gastrique, or syrupy reduction, and a celery root salad with pickled mushrooms.
Advertisement
With everything put together, you get a mix of rich and buttery, from the torchon and bread, and bright and acidic, from the gastrique and salad. Proof of how well it all works: The torchon has become the second-best seller at Kinship, after the lobster french toast.
Torchon in the more standard foie gras iteration can be found at a variety of restaurants around Washington. A few other places have taken liberties, though. At Boundary Road, a foie gras torchon PB&J comes with orange marmalade. And coming soon to the menu at Masa 14 will be a dark chocolate macaron filled with a foie gras torchon cured with koji, a fungus better known as a kind of Japanese yeast.
But meatless torchon?
"I've never seen it anywhere," Ziebold said.
Related items:
What is vadouvan, and why is it showing up on so many menus?
Eric Ziebold launches Kinship near Mount Vernon Square
Métier is the name of Eric Ziebold's new luxury dining room
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZLumw9Jonqihnpx6sMHTZp6uoZSafLi8jmtnam5fZYBwfpFopJ6dpGLBsL7CoaanZaSdsm6vy5qqrLFdm7%2BmusKhZJ2ho516r63MnptmmZapsrN5wGaioqyTnbKvedOorp6kXw%3D%3D