Change is the only constant at Bona Terra in Sharpsburg
At Bona Terra in Sharpsburg, diners could come several times a week and never eat the same thing twice, because they never know what will be on the ever-changin menu.
Not even Chef Douglass Dick knows what will be on the menu at Bona Terra -- at least, until after he does his daily shopping rounds throughout the city and local farmers' markets. Then he looks at all of his ingredients on hand, creates dishes on instinct, and prints up his menu for the day.
"I'm kind of a visual chef," says Dick, who incorporates Spanish, French and Asian influences into his cuisine. "I look at what I have, something pops into my mind, and I make it up as I go."
One thing customers of Bona Terra -- which means "good earth" in Latin -- always can expect is the freshest and often organic food, produced mostly in Western Pennsylvania, Dick says. Even the lettuce in the salads looks, tastes and smells better and fresher, because it was picked that day.
"The customers really know the difference. They can tell," says Dick, whose background includes working on an Alaskan fishing trip and in the produce business.
He cites the environmental and economic advantages of buying locally grown food. It doesn't have to be trucked across the country by gas-powered vehicles, and the sales benefit local businesses.
Bona Terra, which opened in the late summer of 2003, was named one of the nation's 100 top farm-to-table restaurants in the October issue of Gourmet magazine. Dick says he was thrilled by the honor, and always had hoped for a national write-up during his career as a chef.
Although some of Bona Terra's menu changes daily, many favorites last a long time. Reliable best-sellers are dishes that include duck, beef tenderloin or scallops.
The shades of dusty yellow and burnt orange give the 46-seat dining room a warm, autumn-like feeling. Framed paintings of edibles like pears and wine bottles add to the effect. Although Bona Terra offers fine dining, the atmosphere remains casual and laid-back.
Dick, who has never spent any money on advertising, has accumulated a large, loyal clientele by word-of-mouth. Often, when customers come to Bona Terra for one of their regular dinners, they run into people they know. The restaurant is popular among Pittsburgh-area foodies.
"They almost try to keep it their own little secret so that they can get in," he says.
Bona Terra, 908 Main St., Sharpsburg, is open 5:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. The restaurant is BYOB. Reservations are highly recommended. Details: 412-781-8210.
Pan-seared Duck Breast with Spice Poached Pears and Pomegranate Reduction Sauce
You can make the pear portion days ahead of time, if you want, and use it as a stand-alone recipe. Pick pears that are less ripe.
For the pears:
• 2 mid-size Bosc or D'Anjou pears, green or red
• 2 cups spring water
• 2 cups white wine, dry or sweet
• 1 vanilla bean
• 2 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 cinnamon stick
For the pomegranate sauce:
• 1 large, ripe pomegranate
• 1/2 cup sweet white wine
• 1 cup chicken or duck stock
• 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
For the duck and assembly:
• 2 duck breasts (6 to 8 ounces each)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
To prepare the pears: Peel the skin from the pears, and cut them in half lengthwise, keeping the stem on. Remove the cores. Place the water, white wine, and all other ingredients in a 4-quart stock pan, and bring to a light simmer over medium heat; do not boil. When the sugar is dissolved, place the pears in the liquid and poach over low heat (photo 1), until the pears are fork tender; this will take about a half-hour. Cool the pears in the liquid, then strain and store in an airtight container until ready to eat.
To prepare the pomegranate sauce: Remove the seeds from the pomegranate, and eliminate all of the white pith. Place the seeds in a 2-quart, stainless-steel saucepan over medium-high heat, and add the sweet white wine and chicken or duck stock, and season with kosher salt and white pepper. Reduce over low heat until the sauce thickens and slowly bubbles. The volume should be cut about in half. Taste the sauce, and add more sugar if necessary (photo 2). Remove from the heat and stir in the butter as it melts. Strain the seeds from the sauce (photo 3), and reserve the sauce while keeping it warm. If desired, you can set aside the pomegranate seeds and use them as a garnish.
To prepare the duck: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Score the skin side of the duck with a large knife, making shallow slices that barely cut into the meat. Season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat an oven-friendly saute pan over medium heat, and add the canola oil. Cook the duck breasts, skin side down (photo 4), until the skin is sizzling and bubbly. Turn the heat down to low and continue to cook until the skin is crispy and golden brown. Flip the breasts and brown the bottom.
Place the pan in the oven for about 4 minutes for medium-rare meat; longer if you want the meat more well done. Pull the pan from the oven, remove the breasts and let them rest for 3 to 5 minutes, so the flavor can distribute evenly.
Slice the duck breasts at an angle into 5 pieces each (photo 5), and fan them out on a large plate. Chop the pears, and top the duck with the pear pieces. Drizzle the meat and plate with the pomegranate reduction sauce.
Makes 2 servings.
