Orange Spiced Duck Breast, Kale & Beet Maple Balsamic Salad, Roasted Carrot Puree, & Red Wine Demi  

 

Orange Spiced Duck Breast

INGREDIENTS

  •  (6-ounce) duck breasts

  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • Zest and juice of 1 orange

  • 4 cloves garlic, crushed

  • 1 shallot, peeled and quartered

  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme

  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns

  • 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

  • 1 cup chicken or duck stock

  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, sliced into 1/2-inch piece

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1.    Set the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker to 135°F (57°C). 

2.    Season the duck breasts with salt and place in a large zipper lock or vacuum seal bag with the orange zest, orange juice, garlic, shallot, thyme, and peppercorns. 

3.    Seal the bag using the water immersion technique or a vacuum sealer on the moist setting. Place in the water bath and set the timer for 3 1/2 hours.

4.    When the timer goes off, remove the bag from the water bath. Remove the duck from the bag, pat dry with paper towels, and score the top of the skin in a wide criss-cross pattern with a sharp knife — carefully, as not to pierce the meat. Reserve the cooking liquid. 

5.    Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 3 minutes. Add the duck, skin side down, and sear until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest, covered. 

6.    Remove the rendered duck fat and return pan to medium-high heat. Add the vinegar and bring to a rapid simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 

7.    Add the stock and the cooking liquid from the bag. Simmer until mixture has reduced to 1/4 cup. Whisk in the cold butter and remove the pan from the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

8.    Slice the duck breasts and serve with the orange sauce.

Kale and Roasted Beet Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing

INGREDIENTS

·     5-6 small roasted beets (red and/or golden)

·     1/2 cup pecans

·     1/3 cup real maple syrup, divided

·     Dash cayenne

·     1 bunch curly kale

·     2 tbsp balsamic vinegar (good quality)

·     1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

·     1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

·     1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese (optional - omit to keep vegan/pareve)

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1.    Peel your roasted beets, then slice them into wedges. Set aside.

2.    Place the pecans in a small skillet and toast over medium heat for 4-5 minutes till fragrant.

3.    Pour 1/4 cup maple syrup over the pecans and bring to a boil over medium. Sprinkle the pecans evenly with a dash of cayenne. Let the syrup boil for 1-2 minutes over medium, stirring frequently. till most of the liquid evaporates.

4.    Pour the pecans immediately onto a piece of parchment or wax paper. Spread them out with a spoon into a single layer. Let them cool and dry out.

5.    Meanwhile, clean your kale, pat dry, and cut the leaves from the tough stalks. Discard stalks. Cut the leaves into small pieces and place in a salad bowl. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt. Massage the kale with clean hands for 2-3 minutes till it wilts and loses its bitter flavor.

6.    In a small bowl, whisk together balsamic vinegar, 1 tbsp maple syrup, and lemon juice. Whisking briskly and constantly, drizzle the olive oil very slowly into the mixture till the dressing is emulsified and thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

7.    Add the roasted beet wedges and crumbled feta or goat cheese to the salad.

8.    Break apart the candied pecans into small pieces.

9.    Sprinkle the pecans over the top of the salad.

10.  Serve each portion of salad drizzled with a bit of dressing (about 1 tbsp per serving).

Roasted Carrot Purée

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots (about 8 large), cut into 1/2-inch slices

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

  • Salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon butter

  • 1 cup whole milk

  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1.    Heat the oven to 450°. In a roasting pan, combine the carrots with the oil, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the pepper. Roast the carrots, stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, about 20 minutes.

2.    In a food processor, puree the carrots with the butter, milk, lemon juice, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. If necessary, reheat the puree in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring.

Red Wine Demi

INGREDIENTS

·     5 tablespoons butter

·     1 large onion, coarsely chopped

·     1 carrot, skinned and coarsely chopped

·     1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped or crushed

·     2 cloves garlic, crushed or pressed

·     1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

·     1 teaspoon dried sage leaves, crushed

·     1 whole bay leaf

·     1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

·     2 tablespoons tomato paste

·     1 (750 ml bottle or 3 cups) dry red wine

·     2 cups or a 14 ounce can beef stock

·     1 teaspoon grape jelly

·     1 pinch of salt

 HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

1.    In a large frying pan melt 3 of the 5 tablespoons of the butter and add the onion, carrot, celery, rosemary, sage, bay leaf, and peppercorns. Cook over a high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes or until the onions begin to brown. That's why we use a non-stick pan, when you reduce liquid this much, it can really make a mess of other pans. By the way, the mix of 2 parts onion, to 1 part carrot, and 1 part celery is called a mirepoix (MEER-a-pwah), and is a foundation of French cooking and is common in soups, stuffings, and, of course, sauces.

2.    Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for about 3 minutes until it begins to darken. Add the wine and the beef stock. Boil for 30 minutes. Pour everything through a strainer into a saucepan, and squeeze the juices through the strainer with a ladle or whatever you used to stir the veggies.

3.    Boil over high heat until it is reduced to about 1 cup and keep an eye on things so they don't burn. Add the grape jelly and stir until it is thoroughly dissolved. Turn off the heat, taste and add salt if necessary. It will not be thick and goopy like ketchup, it will be more like egg nog in thickness. If you are not planning on using the sauce immediately or don't plan to use it all, you can store it in the fridge or freezer.

4.    When you need the sauce, warm it and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and when it is thoroughly melted, swirl it around with a spoon and serve immediately. Do not whisk in the butter, just swirl it. This is called "mounting it" with butter (yes, that's the correct technical term). If you feel decadent, add another tablespoon.

 

 

 

 

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