When I told my friend Barb about the whole Palata oil thing and how that is no longer available, etc. (subject of my February 9, 2011 post), she asked if I had inquired about the composition of Palata. I had not.
Another email was very promptly answered by Conway Foods with the information that Palata was comprised of 68% soybean oil, 20% corn oil and 12% olive oil. What? So that means the primary ingredient in Hoelzel is actually supermarket vegetable oil. No wonder it is so difficult to replicate. Despite the listed recipe ingredients - listed in the Three Rivers Cookbook, on the internet, and in the recipe from the chef himself -- there is hardly any olive oil in it at all. I naively thought perhaps it had to do with the nationality of the olive oil used. I certainly assumed there was more than a splash of olive oil. Wrong!
So much for the accuracy of published recipes, or the assumption that fine dining establishments use fine ingredients.
I think this will be my last posting on Hoelzel dressing. I also think I am not going to try to replicate the Duquesne Club recipe. It tastes pretty good using olive oil.
Showing posts with label Hoelzel Dressing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hoelzel Dressing. Show all posts
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Follow up
On January 4, I posted about making The Duquesne Club's Hoelzel dressing using Spanish, Italian and Greek olive oils.
I wrote to Keith Coughenour, Executive Chef at the Duquesne Club inquiring about what kind of olive oil the Club used. Chef Coughenor responded that they use product called Palata from Conway Foods, which he said is a combination of olive, soy and vegetable oil. He said this is a very mild oil, "almost neutral, thus allowing the vinegars to enhance and to a degree contrast the sweetness of the crabmeat." He noted that they use Heinz tarragon and cider vinegars. He emphasized using fresh ground pepper.
He also kindly provided the recipe used by the Duquesne Club, as set forth below. I know, the last ingredient listed belies the foregoing, but, what can I tell you, this is direct from the chef. And please read what follows the recipe for the "rest of the story":
Hoelzel Dressing
Yields 1 quart
1 c. tarragon vinegar
1 c. cider vinegar
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. coarse ground black peppercorn
2 c. olive oil
Combine well. Refrigerate.
Although I assumed it was only available commercially, I started looking for Palata. It wasn't showing up on any internet search, nor on the Conway Foods website. So I wrote to Conway Foods to see if I had the right product name, etc. Conway advised that due to low demand they have discontinued Palata and that the final shipments of the product were made in December, 2010. I hope the Duquesne Club made a very large order. Some of the diners may soon notice a subtle change in their favorite appetizer. Perhaps I should make available my consulting services on the subject.
I wrote to Keith Coughenour, Executive Chef at the Duquesne Club inquiring about what kind of olive oil the Club used. Chef Coughenor responded that they use product called Palata from Conway Foods, which he said is a combination of olive, soy and vegetable oil. He said this is a very mild oil, "almost neutral, thus allowing the vinegars to enhance and to a degree contrast the sweetness of the crabmeat." He noted that they use Heinz tarragon and cider vinegars. He emphasized using fresh ground pepper.
He also kindly provided the recipe used by the Duquesne Club, as set forth below. I know, the last ingredient listed belies the foregoing, but, what can I tell you, this is direct from the chef. And please read what follows the recipe for the "rest of the story":
Hoelzel Dressing
Yields 1 quart
1 c. tarragon vinegar
1 c. cider vinegar
1 T. kosher salt
1 T. coarse ground black peppercorn
2 c. olive oil
Combine well. Refrigerate.
Although I assumed it was only available commercially, I started looking for Palata. It wasn't showing up on any internet search, nor on the Conway Foods website. So I wrote to Conway Foods to see if I had the right product name, etc. Conway advised that due to low demand they have discontinued Palata and that the final shipments of the product were made in December, 2010. I hope the Duquesne Club made a very large order. Some of the diners may soon notice a subtle change in their favorite appetizer. Perhaps I should make available my consulting services on the subject.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Hoelzel Dressing
Last week my friend Dan challenged me to replicate the Duquesne Club's Hoelzel Dressing. He said he has had it made by others and, "it was not the same".
There are several Hoelzel recipes on the internet, similar but not the same as the version I used that came directly from the Duquesne Club and which appears in the Three Rivers Cookbook I.
The recipe is very simple: two parts olive oil to one part tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper. With such a simple formula, I wondered about Dan's comment. But then it occurred to me that with such a simple recipe, even a minor change in any of the ingredients could yield a very different result. So, this weekend I made three batches of Hoelzel: one with Italian olive oil (Partanna brand), one with Greek (Salonika) and one with Spanish (Zoe). For the vinegar, in all cases I used Roland brand White Wine Vinegar with Tarragon Sprig, and fresh ground pepper and sea salt.
Up to this point I have been using Italian (first Bertolli and then Colavita brands) and recently Zoe. But I had not been looking for differences among them. Now that I was, the Greek oil was definitely more green in color than the other two, but that was the only apparent difference. I was thinking that perhaps I had just made three dressings that would taste very much the same. I was wrong.
My daughter Rebecca had four college friends visiting, kids I had never met before and I am sure they came away thinking what an odd mother Rebecca has. But they were good sports about it and at least feigned some interest, or at least curiosity (about Rebecca's weird mom, perhaps??)
With no lump crab meat handy, we tried the three variations with bread and I think the consensus was more or less the following: All three varieties were very tart, but very good. The Greek variety had the most flavor; the Spanish the least. I think the Italian variety was the favorite, although I was partial to the Greek. Sorry, Spain.
A note to all my distant followers: The Duquesne Club is a very well known, exclusive city club in downtown Pittsburgh. Part of the history of Pittsburgh business and industry. Beautiful building and dining rooms, very old, very wood, very white male (although there are women members and minority members, too). Outstanding food; exquisite service. The dressing was developed in the 1940's and is named after member, John Hoelzel, who suggested it. It is traditionally served over lump crabmeat as an appetizer and I believe also available as a salad dressing.
I have written to the Executive Chef, Keith Coughenour, to try to identify the type of oil used. Of course, I suppose it is possible that a particular type of tarragon vinegar is the difference, but I doubt it. I will follow up with his reply.
There are several Hoelzel recipes on the internet, similar but not the same as the version I used that came directly from the Duquesne Club and which appears in the Three Rivers Cookbook I.
The recipe is very simple: two parts olive oil to one part tarragon vinegar, salt and pepper. With such a simple formula, I wondered about Dan's comment. But then it occurred to me that with such a simple recipe, even a minor change in any of the ingredients could yield a very different result. So, this weekend I made three batches of Hoelzel: one with Italian olive oil (Partanna brand), one with Greek (Salonika) and one with Spanish (Zoe). For the vinegar, in all cases I used Roland brand White Wine Vinegar with Tarragon Sprig, and fresh ground pepper and sea salt.
Up to this point I have been using Italian (first Bertolli and then Colavita brands) and recently Zoe. But I had not been looking for differences among them. Now that I was, the Greek oil was definitely more green in color than the other two, but that was the only apparent difference. I was thinking that perhaps I had just made three dressings that would taste very much the same. I was wrong.
My daughter Rebecca had four college friends visiting, kids I had never met before and I am sure they came away thinking what an odd mother Rebecca has. But they were good sports about it and at least feigned some interest, or at least curiosity (about Rebecca's weird mom, perhaps??)
With no lump crab meat handy, we tried the three variations with bread and I think the consensus was more or less the following: All three varieties were very tart, but very good. The Greek variety had the most flavor; the Spanish the least. I think the Italian variety was the favorite, although I was partial to the Greek. Sorry, Spain.
A note to all my distant followers: The Duquesne Club is a very well known, exclusive city club in downtown Pittsburgh. Part of the history of Pittsburgh business and industry. Beautiful building and dining rooms, very old, very wood, very white male (although there are women members and minority members, too). Outstanding food; exquisite service. The dressing was developed in the 1940's and is named after member, John Hoelzel, who suggested it. It is traditionally served over lump crabmeat as an appetizer and I believe also available as a salad dressing.
I have written to the Executive Chef, Keith Coughenour, to try to identify the type of oil used. Of course, I suppose it is possible that a particular type of tarragon vinegar is the difference, but I doubt it. I will follow up with his reply.
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