Chef Paul Wahlberg

Chef/Co-Owner, Wahlburgers and Alma Nove

A household name around the Boston area, the last name Wahlberg is synonymous with stardom.

Hailing from Dorchester, Mass., the tight-knit family has yielded not only actor Mark and musician/actor Donnie, but also Paul – their big brother who has chosen the kitchen as his stage on which to shine.

Chef Paul’s cooking was influenced by the Sunday suppers he shared at home with family and friends and his time in the kitchen with his mother, Alma. At 16, he began working as a caterer and, after high school graduation, he spent time cooking in Boston kitchens such as The Charles Hotel and The Four Seasons. He soon landed at Bridgeman’s in Hull, Mass., where he served as Executive Chef for nine years. With this experience under his chef’s hat, he embarked on his first solo venture by opening Alma Nove. A nod to his mother and her nine children, this restaurant on Hingham's waterfront is where he serves up scrumptious Italian/Mediterranean cuisine.

Shortly after opening Alma Nove, Chef Paul opened his first of many Wahlburgers, which gained popularity through its juicy burgers and continued that fanfare with its own A&E reality show.

In this episode, Chef Paul shows us how to create his butternut pear bisque with lobster cream and a flavorful duck confit on sliced figs with gorgonzola dolce.

Butternut Pear Bisque with Lobster Sauce

Ingredients – Bisque                                                 Ingredients – Lobster Cream 

2lbs.  Butternut Squash peeled & diced                1 Carrot diced                 

3  Pears – peeled                                                    1 Onion diced

1  Med. Onion Diced                                                3 Stalks of Celery diced               

2 cup     Lobster Cream                                           5 Lobster bodies

4 cups   Chicken Stock                                            6 Plum Tomatoes

4 tbs      Olive Oil                                                     2 Cloves of Garlic

                                                                                 1 ½ qt. Heavy Cream

Lobster Cream Instruction: Sauté carrots, onions & celery until tender.  Add crushed lobster bodies & garlic.  Sauté for 4 minutes.  Add tomatoes & white wine.  Reduce white wine until evaporated.  Add cream and simmer for 20 minutes on medium heat.  Puree shells and all in blender and pass through a fine strainer and reserve.

Bisque Instructions: Sauté oil and let it caramelize, add the squash and pears and let them sweat down a little bit.  Add chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes.  (While that’s cooking, start the garnish).  After the soup has been simmering, add heavy cream and lobster Cream.  Let it simmer for a little bit longer.

Garnish: Sauté a little bit of chopped butternut, pears, onions and salt in olive oil. Add a little to float in each cup or bowl of bisque when serving.

Duck Confit

Duck Confit Ingredients: ( or opt to purchase your favorite Duck Confit)                                        

6 Duck Legs
2 tbs. Salt
¼ tbs. Crushed Black Peppercorns           
1 qt. Duck Fat or Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
6 Cloves of Garlic
2 Springs of Fresh Thyme
2 Bay Leaves                                                

Duck Confit Instructions: Salt duck and refrigerate overnight. Rinse Duck legs and place in a small heavy gauge pot. Add peppercorn, garlic, thyme and bay leaves.  Completely cover with fat (or EVOO) and simmer at 200 degrees for 4 hours until tender. 

*Duck completely covered in fat can be chilled and stored up to 5 months.

In a bowl, stir the Mascarpone cheese into the Gorgonzola Dolce to combine.  Top toasted crostini with duck confit, cheese, dates, garnish with greens and serve.