For Purim this year, Asher went as a soccer player and Elie as a spring chick. We went to the Chabad Purim party where they had a Mexican theme. All the kids had a great time running around, playing together, breaking the pinata and making things at the craft table.
And let's not forget about the hamantaschen! A Purim party isn't complete without it!
We had a whole duck sitting in our freezer for a few months. I had never worked with duck so I wasn't quite sure how to tackle it but wanted to get the most out of the whole bird. I did some research, compiling bits of information from several different sources. It was quite easy but took some planning because I didn't know what to expect and there were several steps involved.
Like I said, I really wanted to get the most out of the whole bird. I cut the duck into parts, and cooked each one so they were at their best. I roasted the legs until crisp, cooked the boneless duck breast in a skillet until medium-rare, turned the carcass into a classic demi-glace sauce, rendered the excess skin and fat and made gizzard confit.
Below was how I prepped the duck and the following posts are the preparations of the separate components:
Make Ahead: Cut up the ducks, make the stock and sauce, and render the fat the day before serving. The thighs can be steamed up to 1 1/2 hours before roasting.
1. Prepare the ducks and stock the day before serving. Using a large heavy knife, cut off the wings and reserve. Reserve the giblets (but not the livers, which you can save for another use or discard). Chop the necks and wings into 2 to 3-inch pieces. Set the wings, and necks aside for the stock. Pull out the clumps of fat inside the duck body cavity on either side of the tail, cover, and refrigerate. Wrap the giblets up in saran wrap and refrigerate for the confit.
2. Using a sharp, thin knife, cut off the leg quarters (thigh and drumstick together) at the thigh joints. Trim off away excess skin from the perimeters of the duck pieces and reserve the skin pieces.
3. Make an incision down each side of the breast bone. With the knife tip pointing towards the rib bones, cut away the breast meat (with the skin still attached), pulling the meat away from the ribs as you cut. Cut off the breast section at the wing joint and the bottom of the rib cage. Pull the skin off the duck breasts and reserve. You will have two boneless breasts and two leg quaraters. Season the duck with the salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
4. To make the stock, using a heavy cleaver, chop the duck carcasses into manageable pieces to fit your stock pot, and use with the neck, and wings. Roast at 450 on a bed of celery, onions, and carrots for about 45 minutes. Add entire contents into stock pot, cover with water, bring to a boil then simmer for five hours, skimming any scum on the surface. Strain the carcass and vegetables from stock and discard. Refrigerate to remove layer of fat.
5. To make the sauce, place the duck stock in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until the stock is reduced to about 1 quart, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Transfer to a medium saucepan and boil until dark brown and thick enough to coat a wooden spoon (about 1 1/2 cups), about 30 minutes. (The sauce can be prepared up to 1 day ahead, cooled, covered, and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.)
6. To render the duck fat, cut the reserved skin into thin strips and coarsely chop the reserved fat from the body cavity. Render according to the instructions in my post below.
Fit a large pot with a collapsible aluminum steamer rack and fill the pot with enough water to almost reach the rack. Add the duck legs and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to medium-low. Steam them for 45 minutes. Remove the duck from the pot and transfer to a roasting pan. (The duck quarters can be prepared up to this point 1 1/2 hours before roasting, set aside at room temperature.)
Position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Roast the steamed duck, turning occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
Place duck breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Discard plastic wrap. Using sharp knife, score skin in 3/4-inch diamond pattern (do not cut into flesh). DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter, duck fat, or the Earth Balance in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for small breasts and 8 minutes longer for large breast for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add broth, cherries, Port, and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter or Earth Balance. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Thinly slice duck. Fan slices out on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.
Rinse the gizzards and pat dry. Cut or pull away any extraneous fat or membranes.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the gizzards with the salt, shallots, garlic, peppercorns, and herbs. Cover with plastic wrap and let cure in the refrigerator overnight, or up to 12 hours.
The following day, rinse the gizzards and place them into a small pot. (I used my miniature crock pot used for dips.) Pour the fat over the gizzards (be sure you have enough fat to cover the gizzards) and place the pot over low heat. Slowly heat the fat, over the course of forty minutes, to a temperature of 225°F. The fat should be barely simmering; do not raise the heat, or else the gizzards will be tough when cooked through. Cook slowly for 2 to 3 hours, until the gizzards are extremely tender. Alternatively, place the gizzards in an ovenproof bowl or casserole dish, and cook in the oven at 225°F for 2 to 3 hours. Alternatively, cook the gizzards in a slow cooker, partially covered, for approximately 6 hours on low temperature.
Remove the gizzards from the fat. Use at once, or store in glass canning jars, with enough fat to completely submerge the gizzards. If necessary, add more fat, lard, or olive oil to cover. Refrigerate until you are ready to use. The gizzards will keep up to 2 weeks in the fat in the refrigerator, or freeze in plastic tubs or bags.
To use: Bring the jar of gizzards to room temperature. Steam the jar to soften the fat and then remove the gizzards, reserving the fat for use in cooking.
Make the Confit of Duck Gizzards with a Salad of Mixed Greens
Thinly slice the gizzards and set aside.
Rinse and dry the greens; then tear into bite-size pieces.
Place the gizzards in a medium skillet with a few teaspoons of the duck fat. Gently cook over low heat until hot, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Skin and fat from 1 whole duck, avoid tail and neck
areas
1. Cut skin and fat into medium pieces and put into a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Add 1⁄2 cup water and simmer over medium heat until water evaporates and skin pieces are crisp and have released all their fat, about 1 hour.
2. Strain clear golden fat through a sieve. Store duck fat in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.
The weather has really warmed up this week; we thought we'd jump at the opportunity for Elie to take the swing set for a little spin. He loved it and wouldn't stop with the giggles while on the swing!
Brussel sprouts are one of those vegetables I use frozen. They seem less bitter and sulfuric to me. Frozen veggies usually have the same, if not more nutritional value than fresh because they are picked at the height of their season and flash frozen. Roast brussels sprouts:
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 450°F.
Toss Brussels sprouts with oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, then spread out in 1 layer in 2 large shallow baking pans (17 by 12 inches). Roast, stirring occasionally and switching position of pans halfway through roasting, until tender and browned, 25 to 35 minutes.
Fry shallots while brussels sprouts roast:
Heat oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until temperature measures 250°F (see cooks' note, below), then fry shallots in 3 batches, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per batch (watch closely, as shallots can burn easily). Quickly transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, spreading in a single layer. (Shallots will crisp as they cool.) Pour off oil from skillet (do not clean).
Sauté mushrooms and assemble dish:
Heat 5 tablespoons butter in skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 7 minutes.
Add wine, thyme, salt, and pepper and boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to a glaze, about 2 minutes. Add water (1/2 cup) and remaining tablespoon butter and simmer, swirling skillet, until butter is melted. Transfer to a serving dish and stir in Brussels sprouts. Sprinkle with some of shallots and serve with remaining shallots on the side.
The combination of flavors in this dish are dynamite! This is from my favorite cooking magazine, Fine Cooking. Serves 8-10
3 oz. (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets about 3/4 inch wide
1/2 cup toasted, skinned, chopped hazelnuts
8 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced crosswise
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter until light brown and bubbly. Add the cauliflower, hazelnuts, and sage. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned and crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes more.
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pear slices and parsley. Gently toss to combine and warm the pears. Season to taste with more salt. Serve hot or at room temperature.
I have been obsessed with this soup over the past few months. Boy, the flavor combinations going on are amazing and definitely not what I would think to put together. I got it off of one of my favorite food blogs, 101 Cookbooks. I substituted the noodles for wild rice and topped it with a poached egg... Mmmmm!2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 long red chili OR green serrano, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper8 1/2 cups / 2 liters good-tasting vegetable stock/broth
100g / 3.5 oz yellow split peas or brown lentils
1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed if using canned
2 cups / 350g cooked borlotti beansfine grain sea salt
120 g thin egg noodles, fresh or dried (I used 2 cups cooked wild rice)
3 1/2 oz / 100g fresh spinach leaves, finely shredded
1/2 cup finely shredded cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
juice of one limeToppings:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion, thinly sliced
100 ml sour cream or creme fraiche
50g / scant 2 ounces of toasted, chopped walnuts
Heat the oil in a large, thick-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and the chile and cook until they soften, a few minutes. Add the spices and cook for another thirty seconds, just long enough for them to toast a bit, then stir in the stock. Bring to a boil and add the split peas/lentils to the pot. Cook until they are just tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the cooked chickpeas and borlotti beans. Once the beans have heated throughout, season with salt to taste.
In the meantime, you can prepare the toppings. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat along with a couple big pinches of salt. Cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, 8 - 10+ minutes. Set aside.
Just before you're ready to eat, add the noodles to the simmering soup and cook until al dente. Stir in the spinach, and cilantro and dill. Add a big squeeze of lime to the pot or serve wedges along with each bowl of soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Serve right away, each bowl topped with a big spoonful of caramelized onions, some creme fraiche, and a sprinkling of walnuts.
Serves about 4.
It's so nice to have a place to take the boys in the dead of winter when we are feeling all cooped up in the house. Asher LOVES the Children's Museum. The only thing I dread is the tantrum he throws when we have to leave!
