Photo by snowpea&bokchoi
Some chefs celebrate Meatless Mondays. Philadelphia chef Jason Cichonski of Ela believes in a entirely different food focused day of the week — Foie Fridays. In solidarity with California chefs who are themselves gorging on fatted liver before the statewide ban kicks in on July 1st Cichonski and a number of Philly's finest are kicking off Foie Fridays, starting tomorrow June 1st.
Participating restaurants — follow #foiefridays on twitter for a ongoing updated list of who/what/where — are going to be serving one $10 foie gras dish every Friday in June, running up until the July 1 California ban. Here's what we've heard so far for tomorrow's inaugural day.
At Ela, Cichonski will be kicking things off with a foie gras ice cream accompanied by beer-poached peaches and smoked Balsamic vinegar. Joining Cichonski in exploring the sweeter side of foie gras will be
Eric Paraskevas of Terra who will be serving a foie gras ice cream bar and foie gras French toast will be making two appearances: Nicholas Farina of Verdad is accompanying his with dried blueberries, vanilla sauce and toasted hazelnuts while at Valanni, John Strain is serving his with a vanilla/apple gastrique.
For a foie sandwich check out the foie gras and ham Croque Madame from Scott Schroeder of South Philly Taproom or Jeremy Nolen of Brauhaus Schmitz's foie gras and pork sausage on rye crouton with potato-sauerkraut puree and pickled rhubarb.
Where there is foie, let there be torchons, like those from John Taus of The Corner which get a Philly twist with housemade scrapple, quail egg, and maple syrup or the foie gras torchon with pickled melon, balsamic chocolate reduction, and a toasted butter croute from Jen Zavala of Interstate Draft House. At Charcoal in Yardley, the torchon of foie comes with plum pâté de fruits and a pistachio cookie
For a terrine, head to La Calaca Feliz where Lucio Palazzo's terrine will be served warm on a poblano tortilla with pickled mango and salsa negra.
Le Virtu has a foie gras raviolini with charred radicchio, thyme butter and mosto cotto drizzle
And there will be lots of searing going on:
Pete Woolsey of Bistrot La Minette is serving up seared foie gras, rhubarb puree, watercress black pepper fleur de sel tuile.
Michael McNally of London Grill will have foie two ways: seared and pastrami-cured with compote.
Mark Tropea of Sonata Restaurant: Seared foie gras with brioche purée, cashew crumble, and black currant jam
Mitch Prensky of Supper: Seared foie gras with cornbread, pickled ramps and apple butter
Lemon Hill: Pan-seared foie gras, buttermilk biscuit, strawberry, and arugula
Ella's American Bistro: Seared foie, Shellbark Farms goat cheese ice cream, blackberries, lemon balm
And at Sbraga, Chef Kevin Sbraga will foie-ify any dish on his menu by adding a pan-seared hunk of foie gras.
Heard of any other great dishes being served tomorrow? Let us know where to go in the comments. And happy foie Friday!