Frying Foie Gras and Waffles with St. Jack's Aaron Barnett

To celebrate Greasy Spoons Week, Eater asked four restaurants to embrace the classic diner experience and make a special Eater Greasy Spoons creation, available on their menus all this week.

St. Jack's Aaron Barnett and Graham Chaney [Avila, EPDX]

For his Eater Greasy Spoons blue-plate special, St. Jack's Aaron Barnett takes a greasy spoon staple — fried chicken and waffles — and ups the ante by tempura-battering and frying three ounces of foie gras in place of that boring chicken breast. To create his dish, officially on the specials board as "Fried foie gras and waffles with roasted apricot, bacon, maple candy, and cognac maple," Barnett roasts halved apricots in brown sugar, brandy, and white wine until just soft ("Not mushy. Mushy is disgusting"), then combines apricot/brandy caramel with an equal amount of Grade B maple syrup. "As a Canadian, I will always endorse the B," Barnett says.

Grid View

As the foie gras fries to a light golden brown, Barnett mans the waffle maker with a basic batter. To assemble the dish, a waffle (completed with bacon crumbles) makes up the bottom layer, followed by apricots, fried foie, maple syrup, and a "maple candy" created by reducing Grade B syrup and cooling on a sheet. The dish is on the St. Jack menu right now for $20, and will be available through the end of Greasy Spoons Week.
· All Previous St. Jack Coverage [Eater PDX]
· All Previous Greasy Spoons Week Coverage [Eater PDX]