Fast Food




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
 1 t. paprika
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.)