SERVED IN pretty, hinged Mason jars, squat glass pots or ceramic ramekins, rillettes -- savory, toothsome meats or fish that have been braised or prepared as confit-- are multiplying on restaurant menus, a second wave in L.A.'s charcuterie renaissance.
"I love the shredded texture and the rich, creamy quality," says Suzanne Goin, chef-owner of the Los Angeles wine bar A.O.C., who presents her luscious pork rillettes on a rustic wooden board. Sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper, served with a stack of warm, grilled bread, pickled red onions, cornichons and a bit of frisee, the popular dish is at once a soul-satisfying appetizer and a painterly still life.
The dish that 19th century French novelist Honore de Balzac lovingly called "brown jam" is rustic fare, casually spread onto bread, spooned from small pots and shared with friends. Born of traditional peasant techniques, rillettes can be made of pork, game, poultry, fish or even vegetables that are braised with fat until tender and deeply flavored -- even caramelized -- then seasoned or spiced and packed into jars.
Don't look for a genteel layer of aspic or the beautiful mosaic of many terrines -- rillettes is simply a pot filled with flavor, meat condensed to its essence.
"There's been a change in the last 10 years," says David Myers, chef-owner of the West Hollywood brasserie Comme Ca. "Young people have traveled, they've been to small, nameless bistros somewhere in France." After they come home, "they want those experiences."
Myers serves smooth-as-butter pork rillettes pressed into a little ceramic bowl as part of his charcuterie plate, served on black slate with pickles, whole grain mustard, toasted baguette and a slice of house-made pork and duck terrine.
There are always three rillettes on the menu at Palate Food + Wine in Glendale, and even chefs who don't make their own are offering rillettes made by local specialty chefs including Bruno Herve-Commereuc, former chef at Angelique Cafe in downtown L.A. Rillettes are best in small quantities, great nosh food when matched with contrasting bites of warm bread ("I love how when you spread the rillettes on the warm, grilled toast it half melts into the bread," Goin says), a tart bite of pickle, the acidic punch of mustard. Spread some on toasted bread, pair it with a glass of wine, maybe a handful of cornichons and a bit of salad, and you have a perfect appetizer -- or a light, casual supper.
