Eric Ziebold
CityZen | Washington DC
In Iowa, CityZen chef Eric Ziebold grew up with
a mother who followed culinary trends like embracing the microwave
and cooking without salt and under the confines of grueling training
for his high school wrestling team. His restaurant career began
in his early teens, working an after-school job at Café
Maude’s with mentor chef Matt Nichols. It was there in
the Midwest that Ziebold learned the fundamentals of cooking, in
a calm environment, free of the stereotypical kitchen yelling. Ziebold’s
calling was clear. He dropped out and left for the Culinary Institute
of America, externing at Spago as chef de partie where
Nichols was then the executive chef. In 1996, Ziebold joined Thomas
Keller at The French Laundry, where he climbed to the chef
de cuisine position within three years. Ziebold stayed a total of
eight years, during which he assisted Keller with the opening of
Per Se in New York. He returned to DC in 2004 to showcase
his particular style of Modern American. As executive chef at CityZen,
Ziebold’s creations include a Foie Gras Shabu Shabu, in which
foie gras is poached tableside in a French influenced, Asian-inspired
dish.
Hudson Valley Foie Gras Shabu
Shabu with Truffle, Bartlett Pear, Candied Hazelnuts and Watercress
Purée
Chef Eric Ziebold of CityZen – Washington, D.C.
Adapted by StarChefs.com
Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients:
Poached Pears:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 Bartlett pear, peeled, cored and quartered
Candied Hazelnuts:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 12 hazelnuts
- Oil, for frying
Watercress Puree:
- 1 bunch watercress
- Salt
Truffle Stock:
- Périgord truffles, to taste
- 1 liter mushroom stock
To Assemble and Serve:
- 4 ¼-inch Hudson Valley foie gras slices
Method:
For the Poached Pears:
Heat the water, wine and sugar until dissolved, then add the pears.
Keep the syrup at 150ºF and poach the pears until tender. Remove
the pears from the liquid and allow to cool. Slice the pear in half
lengthwise and dice into ½ inch pieces, yielding 16 pieces.
For the Candied Hazelnuts:
Sift the powdered sugar into a medium-sized stainless steel bowl
and evenly coat it. Drop the hazelnuts into a pot of boiling water
and remove immediately. Drain them very well but do not dry. Immediately
toss them in the powdered sugar, stirring to coat evenly. Deep fry
at 350ºF until golden brown. Spread the hazelnuts out on a
baking sheet to cool.
For the Watercress Puree:
Blanch the watercress in a large pot of boiling, salted water until
tender. Shock in an ice bath and squeeze most of the water out.
Purée in a high-speed blender and pass through a chinois.
Season with salt if necessary.
Truffle Stock:
Scrub the Périgord truffles to remove any dirt, then cover
with mushroom stock and simmer until tender.
To Assemble and Serve:
Bring the truffle stock to a boil, turn off the heat and add the
foie gras. Paint two stripes of watercress purée in the bottom
of a bowl and top with pear and hazelnut pieces. After the foie
gras has cooked for 30 to 40 seconds, remove and place in the bowl.
Ladle 50 milliliters of stock over the foie gras.
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