Duck Breast with Cherry Chutney

Duck Breast with Cherry Chutney

 Yield: 10 servings

ӫӫ 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
ӫӫ ½ cup chopped onion (1 small)
ӫӫ 3 garlic cloves, crushed
ӫӫ 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
ӫӫ ½ teaspoon black pepper
ӫӫ ½ teaspoon ground cumin
ӫӫ Scant ¼ teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
ӫӫ ¾ teaspoon salt
ӫӫ ½ cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (½ medium)

ӫӫ1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped
ӫӫ¼ cup dry red wine
ӫӫ1 ½ to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
ӫӫ2 tablespoons sugar
ӫӫ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
ӫӫ1 can (3 cups) Bing cherries, quartered *Oregon brand
ӫӫ½ cup Golden Raisins
ӫӫ10 (6 oz.) boneless duck breasts with skin
ӫӫ2 tablespoons water
ӫӫ1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or chives

 

Method for chutney and glaze

1. Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, garlic, and shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, black pepper, cumin, hot pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in wine, vinegar (to taste), and sugar and simmer approx 5 minutes. Stir in mustard, 1 1/2 cups cherries, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly and reserve all but ¼ cup of the mix to the side. Place1/4 cup mix in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Reserve for glazing duck. To finish the chutney, add the remaining 1 ½ cups of cherries, tarragon, chives and all the golden raisins. Can be prepared one day ahead.
2. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife and season duck all over with salt and pepper.
3. Heat water in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over low heat until hot, then add duck, skin side down. Cook duck, uncovered, over low heat, without turning, until most of fat is rendered(melted) and skin is golden brown, about 25 minutes.
4. Transfer duck to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Brush duck all over with cherry glaze and return to skillet, skin side up.
5. Roast duck in oven until thermometer registers 135°F, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
6. Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut duck into slices. Serve with cherry chutney and molasses whipped sweet potato.

Seafood Stew

Seafood Stew

ӫӫ 6 (1 Lb) Maine lobsters
ӫӫ 20 medium size Sea scallops
ӫӫ 36 Large shrimp, peel, cleaned and tail removed, aprox. 2 lbs.
ӫӫ 10 (1 oz) pieces of black cod
ӫӫ ½ cup small dice carrots
ӫӫ ½ cup small dice celery
ӫӫ ½ cup small dice leek
ӫӫ ½ cup small dice Idaho potato
ӫӫ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
ӫӫ 1 teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper
ӫӫ ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
ӫӫ 1 quart heavy cream
ӫӫ 1 cup dry vermouth (can be made without)
ӫӫ 10 (5 inch) puff pastry rounds

 

Equipment
ӫӫ 10 (3 ½ inch) terrines/ramekins or serving dish of your choice

Directions
1. Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil; poach lobsters, then shrimp, then black cod and last scallops. After seafood is cooked, remove from water; reserve water and bring to boil.
2. Cook all vegetables in liquid that was used for the seafood, remove vegetables when tender. Allow the liquid to continue to boil until only 1qt of liquid remains. This will be the base for the sauce.
3. Bring seafood liquid back to a boil and add the vermouth and heavy cream and reduce by half, season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. You have reached your desired thickness when the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon. Set aside to cool.
4. Cut Maine lobster, shrimp and scallops into bite size pieces.
5. Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.
6. Fold seafood and vegetables into cool sauce, being careful not to mix too much as this will break up the seafood. Scoop mixture into terrines or oven proof baking dish of your choice.
7. Cover terrines with puff pastry rounds, brush them with egg wash and bake them until golden brown about 8-10 minutes, allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. You can cook this 2-3 hours ahead of time and keep warm at 150 F degrees.
*All seafood can be substituted with other favorite options of your choice and availability.

Almond Biscuits[Chinese Recipe]

Almond Biscuits

2 1/2 cups all−purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond essence
blanched almonds for decoration
beaten egg for glazing

1. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cream the margarine (or butter) and sugar together until light, white and fluffy. Beat in the egg and almond essence. Stir in the sifted dry ingredients to make a stiff
dough.
2. Form the mixture into balls about 1 − 1.5 inch diameter and place these on a greased baking tray. Place half an almond (split lengthways) on each ball and press to flatten slightly. Brush with beaten egg.
3. Bake in a moderate oven (350 deg F / 180 deg C) for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack. This quantity makes about 45 biscuits.

Bean Sprout Salad[Chinese Recipe]

Bean Sprout Salad

2 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 pound Fresh bean sprouts thoroughly washed and drained
3 Garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 md Scallions −− trimmed & minced
1 − 1" cube ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoon Oriental sesame oil
1/3 cup Soy sauce
2 tablespoon Cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 teaspoon Light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Spicy sesame oil

PREHEAT OVEN TO 300F. Toast the sesame seeds by spreading them over the bottom of a pie tin. Roast for 12−to−16 minutes, stirring often, until they are golden. The seeds can be toasted in advance and stored
in an airtight container.

Place the bean sprouts in a large heatproof bowl and set it aside. In a medium−size skillet set over moderately low heat, stir−fry the garlic, scallions and ginger in the oil for 2 to 3 minutes, until they are limp. Add all the remaining ingredients, increase the heat to moderate, then boil the mixture, uncovered, for 1 minute to slightly reduce the liquid. Pour the boiling dressing over the bean sprouts, toss well, then cover the bowl and chill the salad for several hours. Toss again before serving.

Cantonese Roast Duck[Chinese Recipe]

Cantonese Roast Duck

1 duck, about 5 pounds, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon salt
1 scallion
3 slices fresh ginger

Glaze:
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Few sprigs fresh cilantro, for garnish

1. Thaw the duck, if frozen. Remove any excess fat, and rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the entire surface of the duck, inside and out, with the salt. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, or, overnight.
2. Put the scallion in the cavity and lay the slices of ginger on top of the duck. Add at least 2 inches of water to a large flameproof roasting pan with a lid and put the pan on the stove. Place a large rack in the roasting pan and bring the water to a boil. Choose an oval casserole large enough to hold the duck and small enough to fit into the roasting pan. Place the duck in the casserole and then put the casserole on the rack. Cover and steam for 1 hour, checking the water level from time to time and adding more boiling water if necessary. Save the duck broth to use in soups or stir fry dishes. When done, remove the duck from the casserole and place it on a rack to dry.

3. Combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. With a pastry brush, paint the hot glaze over the surface of the duck. Allow duck to dry for 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 375F. Roast the duck, breast side down, for 20 minutes. Turn over and continue to roast for 40 more minutes.

5. Transfer duck to a chopping board and allow to cool slightly. Using a cleaver, disjoint and cut the duck through the bone into bite size pieces. Arrange the pieces on a serving platter, garnish with cilantro and serve.