Rillettes conjure up a fantasy for me. When hunger calls in my dreams, rillettes appear. Their creation uncovers the special idiosyncrasies of lush enchanting lands where fruits and vegetables taste the way they are supposed to taste and meats, poultry and rabbit are raised, fed and killed humanely, which is reflected in the taste too. My dreams demand that its dishes of the sun be enriched with olive oil and fresh aromatic herbs. Maybe this place is much like the south of France, or maybe it’s more of a time caught in space, but it’s a place I can visit through my kitchen.
What are rillettes? Originally rillettes was pork that had been salted, cooked slowly in pork fat, shredded, then preserved in the same fat, and served at room temperature, usually spread on toast. It’s a common French dish, and I had a wonderful version in Quebec made with rabbit (pics of the restaurant below). It was possibly the best dish I’ve ever had. This isn’t hyperbole. It made me want to stop time and live in that moment forever. That kind of good. Today rillettes are often made with duck or rabbit and salmon, tuna or other fatty fish, or even mushrooms or broccoli. After seeing Ken and Jody’s version of rillettes on their beautiful blog. I had to try my hand at it.
My fantasy: When I set out to make these I imagined I would serve it with wine (lots of wine, rose or red)–and on a big wooden board or slate slab with pickled radishes, pickled carrots and onions, a chutney of sorts, olives, a small jar of mustard, long crusty bread, and cheese– drunken goat, mahon and brie to be precise. I would lay out some sort of beef or duck-based charcuterie. Maybe a rabbit or duck leg confit, smoked fish and nuts. Those are the essentials. There would still be room for my garden fresh blueberry, arugula, lavender, pepita salad–this is my fantasy after all. I’d be with a group of very close friends on a picnic blanket, or around my Spanish table in my dining room. Most of it would be homemade or from a trusted butcher. Everyone would be satisfied.
Reality: Rainy day on the beach with just A and me. No matter the rain. We bought a giant beach umbrella and what looked like a yoga mat, but not sure–all on sale at the drug store. I had packed a bag with three bottles of solid brown from my brother’s home brew and all of the above-named ingredients, minus the salad and I totally left the charcuterie on the counter at home! A Swiss army knife to cut the cheese and open the beer. Sand everywhere, light rain and no one to be seen, just the clear blue ocean and the seagulls. And we were both happy to be there gorging on rillettes.
Better than I imagined. Imagine that! How rare it is when reality lines up with how you envision the way things should be. A few details changed of course. Dreaming is important, necessary. You can learn from your dreams and use them as a guide or a haven. But it’s pretty cool to get lost in the nuances of reality. Not to say I won’t do this again and get all my peeps out to join me…with the charcuterie and salad next time! But this experience was a clear reminder that aside from passionate fantasies that might ruin the life you love–your dreams and your own expectations ought to be your lodestar, your light and your aspiration.
I could not have made these without Ken and Jody’s guidance. They pretty much walked me through this one personally after I got stuck on a step. Ken was nice enough to ignore my changes a.k.a. bastardizations and made suggestions where I couldn’t find the ingredients. When making the preserved lemons I consulted their recipe as well and used their idea to add them to the rillettes. They keep for a while too. While most people spread it on crusty bread, I took the spoon straight to the jar and ate these little by little for a couple of weeks straight.
Adapted from the amazing duo Ken and Jody over at the Garum Factory, a constant source of culinary learning and culture for me.
Ingredients:
- 3 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 ounces chorizo, cut into thin slices
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil (you may not use all of it)
- 1 cup onion cut into ¼-inch pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 1 cup dry rose or white wine
- 2 star anise
- 8 whole cloves
- 1 preserved lemon, cut into-¼ inch dice (See my recipe adapted again from Garum factory recipe, if you need it)
- 2 tablespoons chopped summer savory or thyme and/or fresh oregano, plus sprigs for garnish
Directions:
Toss the chicken thighs with the salt and sprinkle generously with freshly ground black pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Pat dry.
Put the sliced chorizo into a large dutch oven and render over medium heat. Transfer the chorizo to the slow cooker. Increase the heat to medium-high, add the thighs, skin-side down, and brown lightly. Turn the thighs and and cook on the other side for 30 seconds, just long enough to create a light sear. Transfer the chicken to a slow cooker, placing the thighs skin-side up.
Add the onion, garlic and ginger to the same dutch oven and cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine, the star anise, the cloves and ½ cup water. Bring to a boil for 30 seconds, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat.
Pour the contents of the dutch oven over the chicken thighs. Cover and cook on the low setting for 4 hours. After this the meat should easily come off the bone. Remove the cover, allow the chicken to cool in the liquid.
Remove the chicken from the pot. Strain the juices into a clear measuring cup – reserve the strainer with the bits of onion and chorizo. Siphon the fat off the juices. Put the juices in a pot over medium heat and reduce to a glaze. Reserve.
Pick through the things in the strainer and discard the star anise, cloves and any cartilage, or skin. Onions, chorizo and perhaps a smashed garlic clove or two should remain.
Separate the skin, bones and cartilage from the chicken meat. Put the meat into a large bowl and shred with a couple of forks or your fingers.
Add the onions, chorizo, etc. from the strainer to the shredded chicken, along with the reduced juices. Add the preserved lemon and herbs and toss gently. Put into terrines or jars and pack down. Pour several spoonfuls of olive oil over each jare and cool.
Top each jar with a sprig of summer savory, oregano or thyme. Cover and refrigerate.
Before serving, if the top looks dry, drizzle the rillettes with a little more oil. Accompany with pickles, Dijon mustard, or chutney, olives bread and wine!
Amazing, amazing post. Love the first couple of shots, and the last one of (presumably) you is adorable! I love rillettes and love that you added preserved lemon, it certainly would cut the richness which is a good thing when you’re eating rillettes! We have a french fella who sells prepared foods at the Pacific Palisades farmers market only on Sundays and before we went on vacation I bought a slab of rillette . . . it was soooo delicious, but also very expensive, and my husband for some reason thought I didn’t like it . . . and also had no idea how much it cost, and he ate the whole thing in one sitting! Alas, I got another slab last week and he accompanied me for the purchase, which nearly gave him a heart attack, so that he is only taking meager spoonfuls and so we have a bit left. Can’t wait to try this recipe as I have never made it myself!
Thank you so much, Sue. It is me. Your comments are so sweet. That is hilarious about the Frenchman and your husband eating it all in one sitting! So funny! I can see my husband doing the same thing. Ken and Jody’s blog is really amazing. I’ve been cooking a lot off of their blog. I’ve actually never bought a rillette not in a restaurant. I should sell these.Then I can retire and blog and photograph all day 🙂
Yeah, let me know how that goes. I’m 3 months into not working at a law office and can’t recommend it highly enough. However, check with me at the end of the year when we look at all our numbers. Sooner or later reality is going to set in. 🙂
So confused, I thought I commented a minute ago, oh well . . . . stunning photos I am so enamored. I also love the last photo of (presumably) you! Thank you also for the link to Jody Adams’ blog, she is a cook whom I have long admired and I am a bit surprised I have not run across her blog until now. The only problem is, I am coveting their theme. Anyhow, I love that you have included preserved lemon to cut the richness of this dish and once again, the photos are beautiful. !!
I love your fantasy about rillettes! It’s a lot like my fantasy, which is a lot like the south of Switzerland, haha. After visiting there this summer and eating the most delicious rillettes from little jars at a picnic table in a small town with a crusty baguette and fresh local cheese and a chilled bottle of wine….oh you lost me. Anyway, I’m normally a vegetarian, but rillettes are a different story. I was afraid of making them, but next time I get my hands on same farm-raised chicken… 🙂
That’s so cool Randle. I’m glad you got to go there! I love your fantasy too. I also love that you make an exception from vegetarianism for this wonderful little dream. xo 🙂
You ate it with a spoon! Ha ha – you make me think that you are living in the wrong country.
I have been lucky enough to stay in a village in the rillette producing region of Sarthe, France. You would absolutely love it – there were duck rillettes most days as a starter for dinner, followed by magret de canard. All the old men (most of whom are over 80) make their own calvados and swear it keeps them fit and healthy!
Excellent post 😉
Wow. Thanks, MD. I’m so jealous! Oh man, I’d love this region. A place where people eat duck breast and rillettes with their homemade liquor? Yes. Take me there. I KNOW I’m living in the wrong country. I think at heart I’m a Spaniard, but in love with French culinary history. There is something about letting it remain a fantasy too.
You’d love it – people do lots of home preserving. I visited friends of friends who had a huge basement with second kitchen and canning equipment. I was literally blown away. I got the old men to show me how they make the calvados – it’s made from cider with a pressure cooker. They don’t just do apple either, they have large selections of all kinds of fruits (eaux de vie). I was very lucky to have been given a litre of the calvados to bring home. The apple taste and smell is far superior to any industrial (shop bought) calvados. We drank wine with dinner and sipped the hard stuff as a digestive.
I think I’m a Spaniard at heart too (though I must have Spanish parents from another life), but I’m very fond of rural France too 😉
Amazing about the calvados and a canning kitchen. I love that these things exist even if it’s not my life…yet. I guess we’re kindred spirits of sorts. This seriously the stuff dreams are made of. What a cool experience.
Yes and I wish I’d grown up there 🙂
That day on the beach doesn’t sound too bad, anyway. At least you had this dish with you! I’ve never heard of rilletes before, but it looks and sounds delicious. Beautiful pictures!
Thanks, Chaya. You will love these. The day on the beach was damn near perfect. It was accidentally perfect because it started to rain, we had no place to stay and it all kind of just worked out…a tiny bit of planning and the rest took care of itself.
I’ve eaten quite a lot of rillette this summer in France, oh my I love it! Yours looks excellent. And yay you’ve got to use your preserved lemons on it. Beautiful photos, is that you in the last one?
Thanks, Sofia! It is me in Quebec. So funny. Mimi’s rant, kind of made me want to throw up a photo, but I’m camera shy. You must be eating so well in France. I hear you’re going to the west coast to see Sue! So cool. Enjoy all of your travels. I’ve really enjoyed following them 🙂
Haha I’m camera shy too, I so prefer to be behind the camera. Now we have a small idea of what you look like 🙂 Now I’m at my parents in the south of Spain, eating Andalucian seafood and Indonesian food! Yes I am, I have to go to work so in my bit of spare time we’ll meet up! Are you back then?
OMG that sounds lovely! You’re in my favorite place in the world. I’m back from vacay. It’s not the best pic of me, but I like that I was caught in a moment off guard.
Have you been? I’m in Cadiz at the moment. I’m working from home but in a minute I’ll disconnect and go to the beach 🙂 I think I like off guard photos best too 🙂
OH sounds lovely. We had our honeymoon in Madrid, Sevilla, Valencia, Barcelona and back. I always been in love with Spain and it’s difficult history.
I love cooking with preserved lemons and your recipe looks amazing. I have never dined on rillettes but the dish looks quite interesting. Glad you had a great day at the beach,despite the weather.
Thanks, Jovina. I think the weather was what made it so special because it cleared the beach in the middle of summer. 🙂 This was the first time I used the preserved lemons and I just loved them. What a unique and wonderful flavor!
I don’t believe I’ve ever seen chicken rillettes in France. And your addition of chorizo and preserved lemon is really quite intriguing. My butcher down the street makes the best pork rillettes on Earth (I am serious, I hated rillettes before discovering his, and can’t eat any other kind now that I’ve tasted his…) Pierre and I eat a whole slab in one go whenever we get it – but unlike Sue, ours costs practically nothing. [Just noticed I wrote a very similar comment on Jody and Ken’s post]. Anyway, this recipe sounds quite delicious, there are so many layers of flavor there! I’ve been thinking of you, I hope you are doing well!
Thanks so much, Darya. I’m doing much better. My back is almost back to normal! The rillettes were wonderful and your butcher’s sound absolutely amazing! There really is so much flavor there. I’ll have to come visit and try the ones you guys eat. Last night I tried my hand at ratatouille. It was beautiful, and I told Alex what you told me about all of your wonderful dumplings that you just have no time to photograph. That was me last night. I served it over “forbidden” rice, which is a deep purple. It’s a small form of torture not to be able to share such wonderful food! I’ll recreate it and post it. I’ve been thinking of you too. Deciding if I want to do vegetarian, French, Middle Eastern, must have dill….I want it to be perfect for you.
Oh ratatouille is so wonderful, isn’t it? I’d love to see your version of it. As to your suggestions, I love them all and it all sounds perfect to me. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself 🙂
It was so wonderful, but alex was mad because there was no meat. I made it with a salad that had some smoked salmon in it. He said, it’s like I’m the king and you built a and a moat and gave me the best horse, but there’s no castle. I told him that was a ridiculous metaphor, but that next time I’ll make it with lamb merguez. LOL!
Haha Pierre is just the same; even when he likes the meatless stuff I make, he always says something like “oh it’s delicious, it would be even better with some roast chicken, beef, sausage”…! As to merguez… I make merguez shakshuka yesterday and it was AMAZING ! 🙂
Omg yum!
Ok, so firstly these are stunning photos Amanda! Secondly, I’d never heard of rillettes, so thank you for sharing something new!
Thanks so much 🙂 They are a thing to behold. I’m learning so much about French cooking these days and these are one of my finds. Enjoy the good weather!
Oooh, keep sharing what you learn!!
OMG, first of all I have to say your photo’s are amazing!! The recipe sounds so delicious, everything about this post is perfection.
Aw thank you so much. You’re so sweet. I’m loving your blog these days too btw!
I hadn’t heard of rilletes before. Thanks for showing me such an amazing dish. I think I’ll share my dreams with you from now on… 😉
Spectacular!
Aw totally! Im glad I shared. Bring your pastries!
Great post Amanda,
Though, as I started to read, I had a vision of two of you sitting alone on the beach, in the rain, getting drunk, having left the food at home. A good thing I read on. Lovely post and lovely method. Ken and Jodie really do some very special stuff too, don’t they?
Best,
Conor
Thanks so much, Conor. Getting drunk on the beach is great. Doing it with rillettes is even better 🙂 They really do cook and eat well.
Oh my goodness Amanda, you really did it! 🙂 I remember Ken and Jody’s post and was awestruck with not only the idea of making rillettes but also what a beautifully romantic jar of goodness. I really enjoyed your narrative of your fantasy (romantic) and the reality of how you served it (even more romantic!). Beautiful photo’s. And so fun to see you in Quebec. I still need to make your preserved lemons…
Thank you, Seana. I became obsessed after their part and seeing their pics of France. The idea of certain French foods carry so much romance for me. You will love the flavor of the lemons. I just added them again to another chicken dish and they really transport you. I love your comments.
I’ll let you know when I make them. Hopefully this weekend. I am really looking forward to using them and changing up the flavors coming out of my kitchen. It is so easy to get stuck on certain spices and herbs and a makeover is always so refreshing. Thank you for your constant inspiration!
Oh I totally know about getting stuck. I still make the same salmon almost every Monday. I want to branch into pies and tarts like you have. We must switch!
Let do switch! I am in a little “slump” right now. I think it is due to the change in the seasons. I haven’t posted anything in over a week and I don’t even have anything worthy to post! 🙂 I love that you have salmon every Monday.
Yeah this time of year hard for me. I stay in denial. Read the David lebowitz book. It will make you laugh.
I have been wanting to make chicken rillettes for ages, and couldn’t find a good recipe. So thanks for posting this. I love the addition of chorizo an the preserved lemons. And your photos.
Thank you, Hilda. If I could do this you can! It really is step by step an easy process. So glad for your comment 😉
Oh damn, Amanda. I luuuuurve rilettes!. I need this in my belly!! 🙂
🙂 so good. Easy to make too. Paleo friendly! Do it! Xo
Oh it shall be done, my friend! 🙂
This post is a small slice of heaven. I need a jar of this yummy goodness. Can we trade a two books for one jar?
Ha you got it! Next time I make these I’m bringing them to you. 🙂 Thanks, M.
This looks so fancy. Really nice flavors, especially with the fresh citrus, spice and richness!
Thanks, Shanna. Would love to make it for you one day. Sending you love.
how lovely 🙂 Have been curious about rillettes, but outside of seeing them on charcuterie plates, I haven’t given them much thought. Can see how they’d be divine. Hurrah hurrah for whipping them up! And your post is also lovely because of what you’ve said. Your pique-nique sounds perfect. Your life is uniquely yours and I love how you celebrate that 😀
What a thoughtful comment, Liz. You’re always very thoughtful and supportive. I really appreciate that. Thank you. Honestly, rillettes are new to me too as my focus has always been local, Spanish or middle eastern. What a wonderful journey it had been to learn about so much more and to meet awesome people like you to share the journey with. 🙂
It’s a little disappointing when our fantasy scenarios don’t quite pan out how we expected even though they may be totally achievable (obviously I’m not talking being swept off my feet by Orlando Bloom and marrying him on a tropical island. That is too much fantasy 😉 ). But it sounds to me that the reality here turned out to be just as lovely – the two of you on a beach in the drizzle, v. romantic!
And these rillettes! They sound beautiful and the photos really are! I’ve never had rillettes but come across them often enough in France and have never really had any desire to try them, but the way you’ve presented them makes me want to drop everything and get to work replicating yours! Stunning.
Stich a thoughtful comment. I actually warn about the Orlando Bloom fantasies because those are the ones that if they come true could actually disrupt your life. Some dreams should remain dreams. Rillettes with Orlando Bloom might derail my relationship but it did cross my mind. I focus on the food fantasy 😉
If I could ‘Like’ this comment a hundred times I would! x
I’ve been meaning to make that (with rabbit probably – and I wish I’d done it with the rather mushy bunny I recently bought at Whole Foods which was hardly worth all the protests they’re getting over selling it) ever since Ken and Jody’s post. Such beautiful photos, Amanda. And thank goodness for reality being even better than one’s dreams. How rare, and how wonderful!
Thanks for your sweet comment. Wow you got a rabbit fob whole foods. I think the markets might have them. I was trebled to do it too. Next time I’ll do duck. Dreams can be so big sometimes that it does take effort to appreciate the now, but when they line up it is magical.
this kind of dish is kinda new to me, definitely tempting to try!!!
Oh you would rock this dish the way you cook. I could see you song some special ingredient that would enhance the original!
Haha! Amanda, you’re too generous. It was fun chatting with you–you more than did justice to our recipe and your photos are enchanting. Funny, the last night we were in France we found ourselves in a Paris café eating rabbit rillettes. They really are delicious. After reading the NYT article this week about the recent study regarding low-carb vs. low-fat (spoiler alert: the low-carb team wins) the first thought that came to my mind was, rillettes! We’ve clearly got to get up to Quebec. We love Montreal, which is also a great food city, but I really want to get to Quebec City. By the way, is that you in the last photo? For someone obsessed with baking and making things like rillettes you’re holding up rather well. 🙂 Ken
It was a great recipe. Thanks for the compliment. I read that article and it was hardly news to me. It is me! I work out a lot and play tons of tennis and bike. I also share a lot of my wares with coworkers 😉 I really do love your recipes and was so grateful for the help on this one.
I actually learned of the gateau basque when I took a basque cooking class at the I.c.e. on 23rd street earlier this year. We made all sorts of fish stews, txiperones, pil pil and the gateau for dessert.
Sounds like a great meal.
Ooh, this is a fabulous recipe! Got to try this pretty soon – I have never had chicken rillettes before and am intrigued how they taste with the preserved lemons. I can’t stop eating them… Love your pictures, Nicole.
Thanks, Nicole. Is a worthy recipe. The preserved lemons add so much flavor. I’d eat these every day if I could! Best, A
This looks fantastic, I’d never think of making rillettes from chicken
Thank you. They were so good! I want to make rilletes from everything now.
LOVE THIS WONDERFUL post Amanda – I was with you in that fantasy! Absolutely! What restaurant and where in Quebec? I might have to go and check it out. Printing this post out to try EVERYTHING. I meant to try those pickled radishes (and so much more) sooner. But between packing and moving and unpacking and finishing my book my life was too crazy for thoughtful time in the kitchen. However the manuscript has been submitted. I’ve moved. 75% unpacked. 25% mayhem. Time to get back in the kitchen in a meaningful way again.
Wow! Such incredible accomplishments! You should be so proud! Tell me more about this manuscript! Is it fiction? I vaguely recall you taking about it on your site but not in depth. I’m intrigued. The restaurat was le lapin sauté in Quebec City. The only thing that comes close to it here is a restaurant called Hearth here in nyc. Is love to try to make charcuterie and delve curve into breads. Darya from tortore is doing some cool picking and sent me in the right direction. It is hard to find time to do anything when you’re writing or playing music. I do hope that one day I get back into fiction. I just read the best John cheever story called The Enormous Radio. It was written in 1944 and is still so relevant and insightful. Anyway, tell me about your book. I look forward to your recipes and words.
cooking with wine is succha exotic technique.. thanks for sharing.. and the street images are so lovely too…
Thanks for your comment. Wine adds a nice flavor. I usually prefer drinking it 😉
Oh, I love the photos and the story. Very pleased to see that you had your day at the beach. You guys and the seagulls! 🙂 Rilettes is new to me and I do like the sound of it and find your addition of preserved lemons both inspiring and up my alley. And can’t leave w/out saying that absolutely enjoyed that little peak you gave us of yourself in the last shot. Moody and perfect and very: Amanda! 🙂
Thanks so much, Azita. I always love hearing from you. You’re always thoughtful and contemplative. I do think you’d like these a lot. They make a great appetizer and stir up fantasies 🙂
I’ve seen duck rillettes on the menu in one restaurant, but never tried it! I’m so glad your shared the recipe! How many jars did you make from 3 pounds of chicken? May be I will reduce it..
It made like 3 small jars. You should definitely order it or make it. This is something special. One of my favorite things I’ve made. I don’t think it’s too much, but you could do 2 lbs. It’s worth making a lot at once. You can give some away. It also lasts.
That’s lovely! You can find various types of rilletes from rabbit to wild boar here in France! We’re a cooking school in Paris and just began our own blog! I’d like to invite you to check us out 🙂 Bon appetit!
Omg. I’m so there. Thanks for your comment. What I wouldn’t do for those rillettes! It was one of my favorite recipes. That and the stuffed pumpkin. Wow. I’m so impressed. I just read Anne Willan’s book about starting a cooking school in France. What an undertaking, but how cool. I’ll follow your blog. Maybe I’ll enroll if I ever get to live my dream. If you ever need a guest post or someone to test a recipe I’m your gal!
You got it Amanda! Do let us know if you plan a trip to Paris 🙂