FINE COOKING -- September, 2000 -- Two of the newest additions to the impressive repertoire of stock reductions from More than Gourmet (makers of Demi-Glace Gold) are Glace de Canard Gold (duck stock reduction) and Glace de Fruits de Mer Gold (fish and shellfish stock reduction). Both live up to the company's reputation for producing first-quality stock concentrates that are convenient pantry staples for the home cook. Like their other products, these two new reductions are made with natural, whole ingredients--the same that you or a restaurant chef would use to make stock from scratch--and without the numbing amounts of sodium, preservatives, or fillers used in other commercially available stock concentrates.
With one whiff of the seafood reduction, I was transported back to my days as an apprentice in Paris, where it was my job to kneel in front of a huge mortar and pestle and pound lobster bodies to extract all the flavorful juices. The chef then made exquisite sauces, bisques, and seafood stews with the fruits of my labor, while I cleaned fragments of shells from the walls, from the floor, and from behind my ears. Now, with one little spoonful of Glace de Fruits de Mer, I get that same rich, sweet, distinct shellfish flavor without all the hassle. My favorite use for the seafood reduction is to simply whisk a bit into some heavy cream and reduce it to make a sublime sauce for delicate fish, pasta, or shellfish, When reconstituted, the stock has the unmistakable reddish, somewhat cloudy, almost gritty character of a true homemade shellfish stack. It's a wonderful base for delicious seafood stews and soups.
Absent from the Glace de Canard is the strong, musky flavor sometimes associated with duck stock. Instead, this version is appealingly light and round in flavor with sweet hints of tomato and bell pepper. Its savory, complex character and lovely, lip-smacking viscosity make it a great secret weapon for doctoring simple pan sauces or gravies for roasted poultry, red meats, pork and, of course, duck or other fowl.
The two reductions are available in 1.5-ounce plastic puck-shaped cups (that reconstitute to four cups of stock), or in 16-ounce tubs with resealable lids. The Glace de Fruits de Mer Gold is pricey--$7.94 for 1.5 ounces, $58.50 for 16 ounces-but considering how far a little of this goes compared to how much you'd spend to make your own, it's worth it. The Glace de Canard Gold is $6.50 for l.5 ounces and $45.50 for 16 ounces. Call More than Gourmet at 800-860-9385 for more information on the whole line of products.
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