Cooking Recipes Articel

For this recipe
I use either muscovy duck
a brazilian breed which is known for its incredible flavor and lean profile
or wild-hunted duck. Other breeds
such as moulard or pekin
will do fine
but be aware that the principal difference among these types of duck is the fat cap underneath the skin. With any breed of duck
to cook it properly
you want to render the fat from under the skin of the breast at a cooking temperature and time that will allow the skin to brown perfectly
once all the excess fat is rendered away. For all breeds
lightly score the duck breast
skin side
so that the skin is pierced (freeing the fat to render away)
without going into the flesh of the breast. To do this
you will need a sharp knife. Score the breast at 45 deg. angles
so you end up with a diamond pattern on the skin side of the breast.

To prep the duck for cooking
score it and season it with salt and pepper on both sides. Allow the duck to rest for 30 minutes. When you are ready to serve
do not add butter or oil to your pan - just set the duck
skin side down
in the pan and cook over low to moderate heat. As the fat renders away
pour it off. You want to adjust your heat
and your time in cooking the skin side
so that most of the fat is rendered about the time your skin is browned nicely.

For 6

6 hen breasts
or 3 drake breasts (of moulard or muscovy)
each portion being app. 8 ounces
uncooked.

Corn Crepes

Corn Crepes
4 cups corn kernels (about 4 ears)
salt
white pepper
1 ฝ cups flour
4 eggs
1 ฝ cups milk
3 tbsp melted butter
nutmeg (couple of pinches)
4 tbsp minced chives
Olive Oil

Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add corn
salt and pepper and cover
cooking about 3-4 minutes and tossing through a couple of times. Process in food processor and cool. Once cool
add flour
eggs
milk
butter and nutmeg. Blend until smooth. Fold in minced chives. Refrigerate at least 3 hours. Prepare crepes with olive oil in non-stick per s.o.p. Cool and set aside. At service
take 3 crepes and reheat gently. Fold into triangles.

Sage-Sour Cherry Sauce

2 cups pinot noir or good burgundy
1/3 c shallot
minced
1 cup sliced
dried tart cherries
2 cups duck demi-glace
4
cups (thin) duck stock
or 2 cups demi-glace (more than gourmet will work o.k.)
1 tsp minced sage
pinch of minced thyme
1/3 tsp balsamic vinegar
salt
pepper

Simmer wine with shallots
cherries and duck sauce until reduced back to 2 cups. At service
bring 2 ounces of sauce (with cherries) to simmer and toss in sage
thyme and balsamic vinegar together and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

At Service

Pre-heat oven to 375F.

Fleur de Sel (top layer
harvested sea salt
if you have it)

Sear duck as above. Once skin is browned and fat is rendered
kiss
flesh side approximately 1 minute and place in oven. Remove from oven when duck breast still has a good deal of easy "spring" to the touch - you do not want to go beyond medium (I prefer medium rare). Remove the duck from the cooking/roasting pan and cover loosely with foil
shiny side out. Meanwhile
reheat crepes in a pan with a touch of olive oil
fold in triangles
and place in overlapping mound at center of plate. You also want to saute some coarsely chopped rainbow chard
which adds some caramelized sugar
bitterness
and color to the plate (use organic if possible - it will contain more natural sugars). Thinly slice duck and arrange on either side of crepes; drizzle with warmed sauce (including cherries)
and place a few crystals of fleur de sel over the meat (if you have it).