Offal Good

You want Fries with that?

May 16, 2007 on 9:40 pm | In Recipes | Comments

Ever since I put fries on the menu, we get alot of guests that think they are French fries cooked in duck fat. Boy are they surprised when the server tells them they are duck testicles. After the initial shock a growing number of guests are ordering them, and really enjoying them.
duck fries in the bag

So lets start with the term “fries” also know as “prairie oysters”, “mountain oysters” and “swinging meat” they are all the same, it just depends on which animal. The idea of serving everything an animal has to offer is a big thing, but this is probably the hardest one to get folks to tuck into. The difference between duck fries and other animal fries is that the duck testicles are an internal not an external organ, they are also know as white kidneys. Duck fries are the newest menu item at Incanto rigtht now and here is a recipe.

Duck Fries with bacon and peas
serves 4
1 lb duck fries
4 strips sliced bacon
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup chicken stock
fresh sorrel

Rinse the duck fries and remove the excess membranes, set on a towel and pat dry. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Put the bacon in a cold saute pan and bring it to medium heat to render out some fat. Remove the bacon once it has some color and turn the heat up. Add the duck fries and saute until golden brown on both sides, add
the bacon then the butter and fresh peas. Deglaze the pan with a splash of lemon juice, then add chicken stock and let reduce until the sauce emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper, and serve on four warm plates. Finish with a large chiffonade of fresh sorrel, then serve.
duck fries with bacon and peas

Duck fries can be purchased at dartagnan

13 Comments

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I haven’t had duck fries (yet) but when I was in Jerusalem recently I had an amazing meal of turkey testicles, lamb brain and beef spine. My girlfriend took a picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12245430@N00/479439268/in/set-72157600162902635

We squeezed into this tiny restaurant that barely fit the chef, his bottle of vodka, his grill and a table that the four of us could fit around. The meats weren’t really prepared in any fancy way, just grilled with some vegetables (and probably some olive oil and perhaps a little garlic) but the flavors were amazing.

I’m looking forward to trying out the duck fries at Incanto.

Comment by Ian McKellar — May 17, 2007 #
Although I would be willing to eat these, your plating leaves something to be desired. It doesn’t help push the ‘eat me, i’m good’ message.

In other news, In high school, I got to play with a removed cancerous human testicle (not my own), so I wonder if the texture is the same.

Comment by Conrad — May 18, 2007 #
I had them at Incanto two weeks ago, and they were excellent! They reminded me of a finely-ground white veal sausage that I love from Switzerland “saucisse de veau”. When I tell people what I ate, the are pretty incredulous, though… I’m glad I have this link to prove it!

Comment by Perrin Meyer — May 18, 2007 #
Are you kidding me? Isn’t that false advertising?
duck fries sound yum tonight honey!

um….ma’am…they are duck balls.

why not call a spade a spade?

Comment by Steamy Kitchen — May 18, 2007 #
We thought about ordering the duck fries after being informed what they really are, but opted for the antipasto plate instead. We’ve both had turkey testicles and Rocky Mountain oysters before and would be interested to see how duck fries compare to those two meats.

Comment by Loren — May 21, 2007 #
We ate your duck fries (sans sorrel) and loved them. I went to the site that you list above and it appears that they no longer sell them. Is it possible that they only sell these to restaurants or as a special order?

Comment by Chubby — June 21, 2007 #
They are much bigger than I would expect them to be…

Comment by Garrett — July 6, 2007 #
Disgusting!

Comment by julie — July 26, 2007 #
A Repeat Treat…

I started my stay in San Francisco with a dinner at Incanto and ended it tonight with a dinner at Incanto again. Last time, the duck fries were not on the menu, but this time I had better luck. Delicious!……

Trackback by A Blog Around The Clock — August 1, 2007 #
casa mono serves them with their plate of duck hearts.

Comment by karen — January 16, 2008 #
This is the most disgusting thing i have heard in a while. People are becoming more and more debased. Just a sign of the times we live in I guess.

Comment by loulou — September 3, 2008 #
@ loulou:

It’s more debased to throw away and waste a perfectly good to eat, tasty, easy to prepare part of the animal. What do you think goes into the sausages and hot dogs you eat, sugar?

I live in the US and there is a butcher shop near my house, and I can get some of the more exotic offal practically free. That’s not being debased, it’s being thrifty and practical. It was nice, also, to be able to prepare haggis the old way. I had it on a business trip to Scotland and loved it, as do most people who try it there.

Comment by speedwell — October 5, 2008 #
I am a huge fan of offal. This site referenced D’Artagnan as the vendor to buy them from. When I searched the on-line D’Artagnan product line I could not find them. Finally, I called the company to inquire as to whether or not they offered them and was told that they did, but they were not offering them on-line because they were not sometbing that many people were interested in purchasing. I suggested that they offered them because more people were interested in purchasing them and if they didn’t want them, then they just wouldn’t order them. I ordered a five pound bag. I haven’t tried them yet, but I can’t wait until I do. I also ordered cockscombs from them. I am looking forward to having some great “OFFAL GOOD EATS”!

Comment by DEBBIE — November 21, 2008 #