Puritan &
Company is Will Gilson’s brilliant new homage to classic New England cuisine.
His clever
touches on everything from clam chowder to Rhode Island-style stuffies range
from fresh and exciting to downright decadent.
We love the eye
for historic culinary detail: The smoked bluefish pate is served with homemade
hardtack; the aromatic Wellfleet clam chowder with homemade oyster crackers.
The lamb belly
is crusted in a Moxie glaze. Yes, the iconic Maine soda. The frisee and foie
gras salad is served with johnnycake, Gilson’s version of the Colonial-era corn
bread; and look next week for cod brandade served with brown bread and baked
beans out of a salt-cod box, meant to remind longtime New Englanders of Friday
night supper.
Oh, and for
decadence, try the wood-roasted Muscovy duck: gorgeous strips of rich breast
meat with perfectly crispy skin and a sinful layer of fat.
Puritan &
Company Stuffies
1/2 large
onion, chopped finely
8 oz. butter
2 c. flour
3 c. milk
1/2 c. chopped
quahogs 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese 1 T. thyme, chopped 1 T. parsley chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
2 c. flour
2 eggs
2 c. bread
crumbs
Cook onion in
butter until soft. Add 2 cups flour and whisk over low heat until mixture
resembles roux. Add milk and whisk over high heat, cooking until mixture
thickens to consistency of cookie dough. Add clams, cheese, thyme, parsley,
lemon zest and paprika, and mix well. Cool, then portion into 2-oz. balls. Freeze.
Heat oil in large, safe pot to 350 degrees. Remove frozen stuffies. Place 2
cups flour, eggs and bread crumbs in three separate dishes. Coat stuffies with
flour, then eggs, then bread crumbs, shaking off excess. Fry each stuffie 4 to
5 minutes. Makes 36 stuffies.
(Puritan &
Company, 1166
Cambridge St., -Inman Square, Cambridge, 617-615-6195, www.puritan-cam
bridge.com.)