By Flavor & The Menu
May 5, 2020

GALDOPHOTO

Michael Lanzerotte

It can be hard to define New American cuisine, but some dishes personify it perfectly. Executive Chef Michael Lanzerotte’s Duck Confit Pierogi is one such dish, balancing comfort with refinement, casual with elegance and classic with modern. That combination is a proven success at Saint Lou’s Assembly, a “meat-and-three” neighborhood restaurant. “The dish has been a huge hit. Diners love it,” Lanzerotte says. “It’s a great way to start the meal and it pairs nicely with our cocktails.”

Housemade pierogi are filled with star anise-cured duck confit and roasted celery root. They’re deep fried and laid over a parsnip purée, then topped with Chioggia beet chips, pickled local blueberries and finished with a blackcurrant gastrique. “The dish plays with so many textures and flavors. It’s fried, crispy, salty and sweet,” says Lanzerotte. “Duck breast is an option for a ‘meat-and-three’ selection from our menu, then we use other parts like the thighs—and bones for stock—to create the pierogi filling.”