JBug's Kitchen Antics

Duck Pizza with Brie, Onions and Apples

When we braise duck legs and thighs like we did for Christmas dinner, we always do a few extra because the leftovers are absoutely sublime. Made into a pizza, carnitas or added to a pot of risotto, there's no way on earth we think of the results as anything but delicious.

Last night's pizza started with homemade dough, made in a flash in the food processor and left to rise during the time it took to gather the rest of the pizza toppings together. A lovely thick bechamel sauce loaded with salt, pepper and nutmeg along with the chopped up rind from the brie started the pizza off on the right foot. Bechamel's a fabulous way to sauce a pizza and using the brie rind adds a ton of flavor too. Followed by sauteed onions cooked to a lovely golden color along with several cloves of garlic, slices of soft creamy triple cream brie, chopped moist tender duck and some of the apples and oranges fished from the leftover sauce, fourteen minutes after the pizza hit the oven it was out and ready to be enjoyed. 

Now, if the photo's haven't convinced you to give it a try, had you been able to hear us, you'd be convinced to make a pizza just like this one. Munching and groans of bliss kinda' took over the airwaves for every second of the 10 or so minutes it took us to inhale this beauty. Just sayin'. 

Duck Pizza with Brie, Onions and Apples (an original from JBug's Kitchen)

Crust:

1 cup water

1 package active dry yeast (Rapid Rise is fine)

2-1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Mix well. Add 1 cup four, olive oil and salt. Combine well until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade (about 20 seconds). If dough is very sticky add more flour; however dough should be very soft. Remove ball of dough from processor and place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. After dough has risen remove to a floured board and cut in half. Form into 2 balls and cover with bowl. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before shaping. Makes 2 – 12 inch pizzas – we used one and a half for our extra large pizza and froze the rest for future use.

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-1/2 cups whole milk

Salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg to taste

Rind from 6 ounce piece triple cream brie, chopped into small pieces 

Melt butter over medium heat in a small saucepan. Whisk in flour and cook mixture, whisking constantly for 1 minute. Whisk in milk and cook until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste, then whisk in brie rind. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, whisking often until brie partially melts into sauce. Sauce will be slightly lumpy. Set aside to cool.

For the pizza:

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper 

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add onions. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions have softened and start to brown. Add garlic and cook for additional 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and cool. 

3/4 cup chopped or slivered cooked duck (see recipe for Duck with Apples, Oranges & Cider)

8 ounce piece of triple cream brie sliced, (rind removed as above)

Apples and oranges from sauce, chopped into small pieces

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 500. Shape crust into 16 inch pizza. Top with Brie sauce, then sauteed onions, followed by brie slices, duck and chopped apples/oranges. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until crust is golden and topping bubbling. 

A year ago -  Chicken Thighs Braised In Wine

Two year's ago - Mushroom Risotto with Duck

 

Duck with Apples, Oranges and Cider

Duck is one of our very favorite things, particularly legs and thighs. Braised in the oven, they hit the plate all crispy skinned, moist and loaded with flavor.

We've braised duck legs in marsala wine with dried sour cherries, with port and dried cranberries, in red wine and even added dried figs and pancetta, but this time inspired by a recipe from the Cast Iron Cookbook by Joanna Pruess, we used hard apple cider as the braising liquid.

 

Flavoured with sauteed onions and garlic, the juice and rind of oranges and lemons and finished with wedges of apple and navel orange, the key to using this method is to saute the duck legs first until the skin is richly colored and the fat rendered before adding the flavoring ingredients and the liquid - cider in this case.

While I followed the recipe in some ways, I changed the preparation method by braising the duck uncovered in the oven, rather than on top of the stove. That way, you're sure to get crisp, perfectly colored skin and tender moist meat that's cooked evenly throughout. It's also a lot easier because you can forget about it and let it cook until a half hour out, when the apples and orange wedges are added. 

Served with mini steamed parsley and butter coated potatoes, we quite simply loved it. The citrusy tang of orange and lemon and the tart apples really cut through the richness of the duck and made for a fabulous divine extra special dinner on an extra special Christmas day.

Braised Duck Legs with Apples, Oranges and Cider (from JBug’s Kitchen inspired by Cast Iron Cookbook)

4 whole duck legs, thighs attached

Salt and course ground black pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cloves garlic

1 medium onion, finely chopped

Juice and rind of 1 large orange

Juice and rind of 1 lemon

2/3 cup calvados or other apple brandy, divided

2 - 10 ounce bottles hard apple cider (I used Woodchuck Amber)

2 tart apples, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges

1 large navel orange, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

Parsley

2 tablespoons Wondra instant blending flour

Salt and pepper as needed

Wash and dry duck legs well, trimming any excess fat away. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat heavy Dutch oven over medium high, add duck legs skin side down and brown in a single layer until skin is golden colored. Remove fat from pot as it accumulates and save for another use. Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, then transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 350.  Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from Dutch oven and return pot to heat. Add onion and cook until onion is golden brown. Add garlic, sautéing for 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup apple brandy, the juice of the orange and lemon and the cider. Return reserved duck legs and any accumulated juices to the pot, arranging duck in a single layer with skin side up. Bring pot to a high simmer, then place in oven, uncovered for 1-1/2 hours.

Add apple and orange pieces and return pot to the oven, uncovered to cook for another half hour. If mixture seems dry, add water as needed. Remove duck legs and place on a platter. Skim any additional accumulated fat from Dutch Oven – (I placed a layer of paper towels on top of the pot to blot up the fat, then very quickly and carefully removed it with tongs), leaving as much of the braising liquid as possible. Place pot over medium heat and whisk in instant blending flour, whisking until sauce is thickened. Add remaining 1/3 cup brandy along with zest from orange and lemon. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve duck legs over steamed potatoes or noodles. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4.  

 

 

 

 

Risotto with Pancetta and Duck

Risotto is the "go to" dish around here when we're looking to eat something that's purely delicious and rather elegant too. In my mind it gets a bad rap because of the 20 minutes or so that it takes to get on the plate but personally I think that's just a good excuse to stand at the stove and stir and drink a glass of wine at the same time. Just be sure to prep everything before you start cooking and you won't have to worry about a thing.

Using the same basic recipe, the great thing about risotto is that it can be made from darn near anything you have in your pantry or freezer. As you can see, last night's effort included some of our homemade pancetta along with duck and roasted garlic I'd saved in the freezer from the braised duck with sour cherries we had last Sunday night. I also threw in a handful of dried cranberries just because I thought it would be a good idea. 

Next time you're in the mood for some Italian soul food, conjure up a pot of blissfully creamy risotto and knock everyone's socks off. Here's some links to some of our other favorite versions to give you ideas:

Basil Risotto                                              Lemon Risotto

   

Bacon & Tomato                                    Mushroom with Duck

    

 

Basic Risotto

4 cups good quality, low salt chicken stock

4 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

Salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley

 

Heat broth in small saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Melt butter in large flat bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add onion and cook stirring until onion is transparent (approx 4-5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add Arborio rice and stir to coat well, approximately 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine has is almost all reduced.  Add a ladle full of broth (approx. ¾ cup) and cook, stirring until broth has been absorbed almost completely. Continue cooking and stirring, adding broth a bit at a time until the rice is tender but firm to the bite (approx. 15 minutes).

Taste for seasoning. Add cream and 1/2 cup parmesan. Stir to combine. Rice should have a moist, creamy consistency. Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan.

For RIsotto with Pancetta and Duck –

Cut 4 ounces of pancetta into small cubes and saute until brown. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Discard any accumulated fat and wipe pan out before commencing with basic risotto recipe. Add 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked duck approximately 3 minutes before serving, just to warm it through, along with cooked pancetta and 1/2 cup dried cranberries.  

A year ago - Pork & Squash Pot Pie with White Cheddar Crust

Two year's ago - Green Chile Chili

 

Braised Duck Legs with Marsala and Sour Cherries

When we're out for dinner and I see duck on the menu in a restaurant, often it's the breast meat rather than any other part of the bird. If you're lucky enough to see legs and thighs, it's usually done as a confit and while that's all well and good I'm kind of a sauce person myself. Cooking duck at home certainly solves that problem. 

Now while we've been known to roast or rotisserie an entire bird, my preference is to braise the legs and thighs. We've done it here before with great success and this particular recipe adapted from Gourmet Magazine makes for a super crispy outer skin and moist tender succulent meat every time with limited effort on your part. 

The recipe can be changed out a number of ways by varying the wine and selecting a different type of dried fruit. Last night's version included dry marsala rather than red wine and dried sour cherries rather than the mix of fruit we had last time. Combined with loads of whole garlic cloves and fresh thyme, it makes for a fabulous rich and flavorful dish. 

As you can see, we perched the tender legs on top of a bed of mashed potatoes and parsnip and served the whole thing with pan roasted brussel sprouts cooked in a touch of duck fat. It was kind of a prelude to autumn and heaven knows we're looking forward to that! Just so you know, there wasn't a lot of talkin' going on during dinner but there sure were two very happy people.

For other glorious duck combinations, hit the links and check out some of these beauties.  They may look a trifle similar, but believe me the taste is quite different.

Port & Cranberries     With Figs & Pancetta   Pinot Noir & Roasted Pears

Braised Duck Legs with Marsala and Dried Sour Cherries (adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

6 whole duck legs, thighs attached (approximately 4.5) pounds of meat

Salt and course ground black pepper

2/3 cup dry marsala wine

2 heads garlic, cloves separated, peeled and left whole

8 fresh thyme sprigs

1-1/4 cups dried sour cherries

5 cups chicken broth (or more as needed)

2 to 3 tablespoons marsala wine mixed with

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Salt and pepper as required

Wash and dry duck legs well, trimming any excess fat away. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat heavy Dutch oven over medium high, add duck legs skin side down and brown in a single layer until skin is golden colored. Remove fat from pot as it accumulates and save for another use. Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, then transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 350.  Remove fat from Dutch oven and return pot to heat. Add marsala and stir bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits. Cook until wine is reduced to syrup, and then add garlic, thyme and half of the dried cherries. Return reserved duck legs and any accumulated juices to the pot, arranging duck in a single layer with skin side up. Add chicken stock and bring pot to a simmer. Place pot in oven, uncovered and cook for 2 hours or until duck is very tender. Check liquid level during last half hour of cooking and add more as necessary – as long as the pot isn’t dry.

Remove duck legs and place on a platter. Skim any additional accumulated fat from Dutch Oven – (I placed a layer of paper towels on top of the pot to blot up the fat, then very quickly and carefully removed it with tongs), leaving as much of the braising liquid as possible.  Remove thyme branches from pot using tongs. Over low heat, add cornstarch/marsala mixture to the pot and cook until sauce is clear and glossy. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve duck legs over mashed potatoes, noodles or polenta topped with sauce.  Serves 4 to 6

A year ago - Country Terrine

Two year's ago -  Pork Katsu with Soba Noodles

Braised Duck Legs with Port and Cranberries

We're less than 8 weeks away from our annual trip north to the Oregon coast so I've been doing a little freezer diving lately. Last night's find happened to be two lovely duck legs with thighs intact which kinda' got the salivary glands in action. You all know how we love our duck!

A quick review of the pantry yielded an almost full bottle of tawny port along with some dried cranberries so I thought why not! Inspired by a previous recipe we'd used from Alice Waters, I simply sauteed some shallots and a carrot, added a little parsley, thyme, bay leaf and lots of black pepper, then added the duck to the pan along with some port and chicken stock and it hit the oven for 30 minutes. Flipped to skin side up, the legs were joined by dried cranberries and a good handful of diced pancetta along with a little more port and stock, then returned to the oven for another hour. 

The result incredibly delicious moist and tender bird with a pan sauce to beat all pan sauces, absolutely perfect for a bed of mashed potatoes. We'll be experimenting a little more often if it results in stellar food like this one. 

Well other than busy, I'm not too sure what kind of a day this is going to be but I'm convinced it's going to improve enormously. It started out with me running right smack into a big cactus which rather gives the word "prickly" a whole new meaning if you get my drift. It's a good thing I was wearing a hat but still I'll be picking spines out of my head for a good bit of the day. Yowza' - talk about a wake up call!

Braised Duck Legs with Port and Cranberries (from JBug's Kitchen inspired by Alice Waters)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large shallots, diced

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

6 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only

1 bay leaf

2 to 4 duck legs (drums and thighs attached)

Salt and coarse ground black pepper

1 cup dried cranberries

3/4 cup Tawny Port

3 ounces pancetta, chopped

1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or more as needed)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. In a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet heat olive oil until shimmering. Add shallots and carrot and sauté, stirring constantly until softened – about 4 minutes. Add thyme, parsley, bay leaf and cook, stirring an additional few minutes until vegetables are starting to brown. Meanwhile, trim excess fat from duck legs, wash and dry well. Season liberally with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Move vegetables to the edges of the pan and place duck legs, skin side down into pan. Add Port and chicken stock and heat until bubbling. (Liquid should be to a depth of 1 inch, so add more stock as needed). Place skillet into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and flip duck legs so they’re skin side up. Add the diced pancetta and cranberries. Check the liquid level and add more to maintain level to 1 inch. Return skillet to the oven, lower heat to 325 and cook for additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours until duck is tender and skin is dark brown and crisp. Skim accumulated fat from surface of pan and refrigerate for another use. Serve duck legs on a bed of mashed potatoes, and top with some pan sauce. Makes 2 to 4 servings. 

 

Duck Carnitas

There's something amazing about leftovers, especially when it is leftover braised duck legs. There's at least a b'zillion things you can do with it, assuming of course that you haven't gorged yourself on the original like we wanted to do on Sunday night. 

Thankfully we held ourselves back because I knew this week would be a challenge, so last night we simply warmed up our little red Coleman grill, replaced the grates with griddle pans and made short work of crisping up the meat for soft tacos. I merely chopped up the meat, sprinkled it with fresh lime juice and the Big Guy fried it up till it was perfect. I warmed flour tortillas on the other side of the grill and dinner was ready.

Thank Trader Joe's for the peach salsa that adorned our duck carnita tacos along with shredded cabbage, slivered sweet peppers and a touch of chopped green onions. Delicious!

For more inspiration in the leftover quack department, just hit the links for 

Duck and Mushroom Risotto   or my personal favorites  Duck PIzza with Caramelized Onions and Brie or with Figs, Pancetta and Brie

   

In case you're curious about what's happening around here - well, the AC guys finished at noon yesterday and it is absolutely amazing how quiet and efficient the new unit is. They did a fabulous job for a very reasonable price.  Today American Kitchen Cabinets arrives to start the kitchen reno and I can't wait to see the results!

A year ago - Turkey Casserole with Apple Raisin Slaw

Two year's ago - Mexican Cowboy Beans 

Red Wine Braised Duck Legs

We love duck in our house and personally, I'd rather have it that almost anything else. Rich, moist and incredibly delicious and very easy to make, this particular recipe from Gourmet magazine is about as good as it gets.

Browned in my favourite Dutch oven on medium high until golden colored on both sides, I scooped the fat out of the pan as it accumulated so I could save it for another use down the road - like maybe some oven roasted potatoes! After the duck was nicely browned, it was removed to a plate, and red wine reduced to a syrupy consistency then joined by 2 bulbs worth of skinned garlic cloves, fresh thyme and a mixture of dried fruit including sour cherries, raisins and apricots. The duck was returned to the pot and topped with chicken stock, then the whole thing braised in the oven, uncovered for 2 hours.

The result - incredibly moist, tender, flavorful meat and very crisp mahogany colored skin. I changed the recipe a might and contrary to the recipe's instructions, I saved all the garlic and fruit in the sauce and finished it with a glug of Applejack brandy, more dried fruit and a touch of cornstarch to give it a glossy finish. I mean why let that soft sweet buttery garlic go to waste? Served on top of some lemon pepper papparadelle, it was restaurant quality divine and all from the comforts of home. 

Speaking of home, Big Guy made it in one piece although I think his muscles are telling him he should have taken it a little easier. He ended up going 18 miles his first day with a 30 pound pack on his back and camped out by some water overnight to be kept awake by cramping legs and singing frogs. He called me at exactly 10:27 yesterday morning to say he'd limped through the last 4.5 miles was waiting at the park entrance for a ride home. He looked really rough, definitely dehydrated, super tanned and very proud of himself. What can I say except it's obvious to me that God definitely takes care of fools and idiots. Just sayin'. 

Red Wine Braised Duck Legs with Dried Fruit (adapted from Gourmet Magazine)

6 whole duck legs, thighs attached (approximately 4.5) pounds of meat

2/3 cup dry red wine

2 heads garlic, cloves separated, peeled and left whole

8 fresh thyme sprigs

1-1/4 cups mixed dried fruit (I used sour cherries, apricots and raisins)

5 cups chicken broth (or more as needed)

2 to 3 tablespoons Applejack brandy

1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons chicken stock

Salt and pepper as required

Buttered noodles

Wash and dry duck legs well, trimming any excess fat away. Season well with salt and pepper. Heat heavy Dutch oven over medium high, add duck legs skin side down and b rown in a single layer until skin is golden colored. Remove fat from pot as it accumulates and save for another use. Turn legs over and cook until browned on the other side, then transfer to a plate.

Preheat oven to 350. Remove fat from Dutch oven and return pot to heat. Add red wine and stir bottom of pot to loosen any browned bits. Cook until wine is reduced to a syrup, then add garlic, thyme and half of the dried fruit. Return reserved duck legs and any accumulated juices to the pot, arranging duck in a single layer with skin side up. Add chicken stock and bring pot to a simmer. Place pot in oven, uncovered and cook for 2 hours or until duck is very tender. Check liquid level during last half hour of cooking and add more as necessary – as long as the pot isn’t dry.

Remove duck legs and place on a platter. Skim any additional accumulated fat from Dutch Oven – (I placed a layer of paper towels on top of the pot to blot up the fat, then very quickly and carefully removed it with tongs), leaving as much of the braising liquid as possible.  Remove thyme branches from pot using tongs. Over low heat, add remaining dried fruit, brandy and cornstarch slurry to the pot and cook until sauce is clear and glossy. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Serve duck legs over noodles topped with sauce.  Serves 4 to 6

A year ago - Fudge Crinkle Cookies 

Two year's ago - Pork Chops with Balsamic Reduction

Duck Pizza with Figs, Pancetta and Brie

One of the major pluses of cooking for two is that a lot of recipes are made for 4 servings which means that fabulous dinner of braised duck we had night before last got a reworking for dinner as the most incredible pizza ever made.

Now we've made duck pizza before but honestly I'm thinking it was just a prelude to an even better version this time. A perfectly thin and incredibly crisp crust is the basis as always, but last night's seemed thinner and crisper and absolutely more delicious than any before which makes not one bit of sense because it is the same recipe we always use.

A creamy sauce made from heavy cream and the white rinds of the brie is reduced and tops the crust, followed by leftover braised duck, pancetta pieces, juices and all and some of the figs all sliced up nice and evenly. Topped with golden brown onions jazzed up with some dry sherry and guilded with slices of brie, it all hit the pizza stone in a 500 oven for exactly 12 minutes.

Garnished with some pomegranate arils that cut some of the richness of the other ingredients just perfectly it was amazing, particularly served with a rather incredible bottle of 2006 Sagrantino di Montefalco we sprung $9.99 for at Trader Joes - which to be honest is an absolute fortune for us cheap under $6.00 a bottle winos. Heaven in a glass to go with heaven on a plate.

The bonus - I lifted barely a finger to help and I even tried to keep my "advice" to a minimum. It was the Big Guy's labor of love. Lucky, eh?

Duck Pizza with Figs, Pancetta, Grilled Onions and Brie from JBug’s Kitchen Antics inspired by Emeril Lagasse

Crust:

1 cup water

1 package active dry yeast (Rapid Rise is fine)

2-1/2 to 3 cups all purpose flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

In bowl of food processor with metal blade combine 1-1/2 cups flour with warm water and yeast. Mix well. Add 1 cup four, olive oil and salt. Combine well until dough forms into one ball and rides on top of the metal blade (about 20 seconds). If dough is very sticky add more flour; however dough should be very soft. Remove ball of dough from processor and place in lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm place to rise for 1 hour. After dough has risen remove to a floured board and cut in half. Form into 2 balls and cover with bowl. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before shaping. Makes 2 – 12 inch pizzas

 Sauce:

2/3 cup heavy cream

Rind from 8 ounce piece triple cream brie cut into small pieces

Combine rind and cream in a small pot. Heat over medium heat, whisking from time to time to dissolve cheese into cream. Bring to a simmer and cook until cream has reduced and sauce is thick – about 10 minutes. Watch carefully so you don’t reduce it too much!

 

For the pizza:

1 yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons medium dry sherry

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat. Add butter and when melted, add onions. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions have caramelized and turned a rich amber color (about 30 minutes). Remove from heat and add port. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

1-1/2 cups chopped or slivered cooked duck leftover from Braised Duck

2 ounces of diced pancetta with juices leftover from Braised Duck

6 precooked leftover figs from Braised Duck, thinly sliced

8 ounce piece of triple cream brie sliced, (rind removed as above)

Pomegranate arils

Salt and coarse ground black pepper to taste

Place pizza stone in oven and preheat oven to 500. Shape crust into 12 inch pizza. Top with half of Brie sauce, and half of the duck, pancetta, figs and brie. Transfer to pizza stone and bake for 12 minutes. Garnish with pomegranate arils. Repeat for second pizza.

A year ago - Pomegranate Gelato   Two year's ago - Shaker Lemon Pie

 

Braised Duck with Figs and Pancetta in Marsala Wine

What more can I say that the title hasn't already covered except the title does absolutely no justice to the end result and that's no exaggeration. Talk about a delicious end of the year dinner!

Last night's recipe's from Alice Waters and her book "The Art of Simple Food" and it's the epitome of one pot cooking. Alice's original version marries white wine with green olives and lemon and she suggests some changes which I ran with in this case, adding a couple of touches of my own course. Picture a cast iron skillet loaded with leeks and carrots just on the verge of caramelization, joined in the pan by meaty little duck legs and thighs, kissed by homemade pancetta and surrounded by black mission figs drowning in marsala wine and chicken stock - mmm. Kinda' says all that needs to be said doesn't it. Two hours later filled with delightful cooking odors and dinner was done. No fuss, no muss, simple, darned delicious gourmet food.

Served on a bed of fluffy mashed potatoes, the duck has an incredibly crisp and crunchy skin with moist, tender and flavorful meat and the figs add just the right amount of sweetness. As for the pancetta - well if you haven't started making your own yet, you'd best just get with the program because you don't know what you're missing. I rest my case.

Braised Duck Legs with Figs, Pancetta and Marsala Wine (adapted from Alice Waters)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 leeks chopped – white and pale green parts only & well rinsed

1 carrot, chopped

6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only

6 sprigs fresh parsley, leaves only

1 bay leaf

4 duck legs (drums and thighs attached)

1 cup black mission figs

2/3 cup dry Marsala wine

2 ounces pancetta, chopped

1-1/2 cups chicken broth (or more as needed)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. In a large cast iron or other oven proof skillet heat olive oil until shimmering. Add leeks and carrot and sauté, stirring constantly until softened – about 4 minutes. Add thyme, parsley, bay leaf and cook, stirring an additional few minutes until vegetables are starting to brown. Meanwhile, trim excess fat from duck legs, wash and dry well. Season liberally with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper. Move vegetables to the edges of the pan and place duck legs, skin side down into pan. Add Marsala wine and chicken stock and heat until bubbling. (Liquid should be to a depth of 1 inch, so add more stock as needed). Place skillet into the oven and roast for 30 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and flip duck legs so they’re skin side up. Add the diced pancetta and figs. Check the liquid level and add more to maintain level to 1 inch. Return skillet to the oven, lower heat to 325 and cook for additional 1-1/2 to 2 hours until duck is tender and skin is dark brown and crisp. Skim accumulated fat from surface of pan and refrigerate for another use. Serve duck legs on a bed of mashed potatoes (or polenta), and top with some pan juices. Makes 4 servings. 

A year ago - Calamari with Tomatoes 

Two years ago - Puffy Parmesan Cauliflower

Pinot Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions

When I think of autumn I think of geese flying south calling out their coordinates for all the world to hear as they travel on. I think of a nip in the morning air, frost on the pumpkins, and the smell of rotting leaves. I think of Mother harvesting her garden and jars of pickles, jams and preserves lined up on the counter and the freezer and root cellar being filled for the long winter ahead. Needless to say I'm working from memory here since autumn in Tucson is more like summer where I come from. Do you sense a whine?

My Big Guy knows how homesick I get this time of year so he cooked up an autumn dinner last night to beat all. Duck legs marinated in a lovely fruity Pinot Noir, then sauteed to a deep rich brown and braised in the marinade liquid until richly colored and extremely tender. He strained the pinot flavored braising liquid to make a deep garnet colored sauce redolent of juniper and cloves and jazzed up the duck with roasted caramelized onions and pears (as if it needed jazzing). Plated beside a creamy two potato gratin, dinner was without question, absolutely unbelievably superb!

 

And you know what? That's not ALL the Big Guy did this weekend. He smoked 15 pounds of side and back bacon, sliced it up all "purdy" and wrapped it to fill our freezer with the food of the Gods; he also rolled, tied and sent about 3 pounds of cured side pork to the wine fridge for another round of pancetta; made a Sunday morning breakfast including some of his maple smoked bacon to rival the best restaurant's fare, mixed up a couple of spicy bloody mary's and to top it all off, he put together our new shiny red gas grill.

So I bet you're wondering what I did to contribute to the household aren't ya? Ah, that would be not much! What a GREAT weekend!

By the way, you don't have to cook duck to enjoy this side dish of sweet roasted onions and pears. It would be fabulous next to a roast pork loin or nestled beside roast turkey or goose on your holiday table. It is that special!

Pinot Noir Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions (adapted from Gourmet via epicurious.com) 

3 or 4 large duck legs

1 750 mil bottle Pinot Noir

Bouquet Garni of 10 juniper berries, 3 whole cloves, and orange zest from half an orange and 1 bay leaf all tied in a cheesecloth bag

1 stick cinnamon

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large carrot in quarter inch dice

1 large onion, in quarter inch dice

1 large celery rib in quarter inch dice

Salt as required

2 parsley sprigs plus 1 tablespoon minced parsley

Beurre manie’ made from 2 tablespoons softened butter and 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Trim excess fat from duck legs. Place duck legs, wine and bouquet garni and cinnamon stick in a large bowl. Cover and chill for 2 hours.

Transfer duck legs to a plate and pat dry with paper towels. Discard cinnamon stick but reserve marinade and bouquet garni. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high until very hot. Add vegetable oil and when shimmering add duck legs skin side down and cook until well browned and crisp – about 20 minutes. Turn and born on other side – about 2 minutes, then remove to a plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pot. Return pot to the heat and add vegetables along with a sprinkle of salt. Sauté until tender and lightly browned – about 15 minutes.

Return duck legs to pot, skin side up. Add parsley and reserved marinade along with bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours or until duck legs are very tender. When cooked, transfer duck to a plate and keep warm. Strain liquid through a sieve and let stand for a few minutes. Skim off excess fat if desired. Return liquid to pot and cook to reduce to 2 cups of liquid. Add beurre manie’ a little at a time whisking after each addition. Boil for 2 minutes. Serve duck legs with sauce spooned over them. Garnish with parsley. Serve with roasted pears and onions.

Roasted Onions & Pears

1 pound small onions, peeled

2 ripe Bosc pears

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400. Melt butter in cast iron skillet large enough to hold ingredients in a single layer. Add onions and bake for 30 minutes. Peel and core pears, adding pear halves cut side down and bake additional 20 minutes. Stir together lemon juice, honey and salt and add to onions and pears. Toss to coat. Download Pinot Noir Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears and Onions

A year ago - Fried Catfish with Hushpuppies

Mushroom Risotto with Duck

I don't know about you but I get a little tired of all the rich excesses of the holiday season and crave some uncomplicated food every once in a while. Of course that said, I'd probably give away my left arm for a piece of that Cranberry Cheesecake right now. Ha. Christmas Eve we cooked a lovely duck on the rotisserie because the last one was darned tasty so last night's dinner made use of some of the leftovers.

The big guy makes magic with arborio rice and whipped up a batch of creamy risotto filled with onion, garlic, crimini mushrooms and duck of course. He added a little white wine for zing and a glug of cream just because, then spiced it with coarse ground pepper and a touch of sea salt and did all of this while I languished in front of the television watching an NCIS re-run.  He even brought me a glass of wine and cleaned up the kitchen after dinner. Hey, it's my birthday week and I'm milking it for everything I'm worth! Am I lucky or what?  Download Basic Risotto

Basic Risotto

4 cups good quality, low salt chicken stock

4 Tablespoons butter

1 onion, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup white wine

Salt & pepper

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup to 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Chopped fresh parsley

Heat broth in small saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

Melt butter in large flat bottomed saucepan over medium heat. When butter foams, add onion and cook stirring until onion is transparent (approx 4-5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add Arborio rice and stir to coat well, approximately 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring, until wine has is almost all reduced.  Add a ladle full of broth (approx. ¾ cup) and cook, stirring until broth has been absorbed almost completely. Continue cooking and stirring, adding broth a bit at a time until the rice is tender but firm to the bite (approx. 15 minutes).

Taste for seasoning. Add cream and 1/2 cup parmesan. Stir to combine. Rice should have a moist, creamy consistency. Serve sprinkled with additional parmesan.

For Mushroom Risotto with Duck –

Half way through rice’s cooking period, add 2 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms and continue cooking Arborio as above. Add 1-1/2 cups chopped cooked duck approximately 3 minutes before serving, just to warm it through.  Serves 4 to 6.

Pasta with Duck and Cranberries

This was supposed to be black pepper fettuccine with duck and cranberries but nobody told me that if I used coarse ground black pepper, I wouldn't be able to extrude the pasta through all the little holes in the pasta maker. Yup - guess I had a small brain fluff there, didn't I.

No matter, I just used storebought linguine and ramped up some different flavors on this one. The pasta sauce included sauteed onion, garlic, mushrooms, a touch of triple sec, heavy cream, a hint of nutmeg, a ton of black pepper and a garnish of orange zest. Oh and we can't forget the duck! This was the final package of leftover duck from that 6 pound bird the big guy cooked on the rotisserie a while ago and we have enjoyed every single solitary morsel of it, starting with the breasts for the first dinner, a little thigh meat for a fabulous duck pizza and the rest of the "bits" on last night's pasta.

The verdict - while tasty, I found it a bit too sweet and should have exchanged the triple sec for brandy or marsala; however, as far as inventions go it wasn't such a bad thing. Didn't hold a candle to the pizza though!

Pasta with Duck and Cranberries (from JBug’s Kitchen)

 

1/4 cup butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-1/2 cups chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup triple sec optional

Salt & pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1-1/4 cups heavy cream

1-1/2 cups slivered cooked duck

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Orange zest for garnish

Parmesan cheese for garnish

1/2 pound pasta, cooked to al dente stage

Melt butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until onion is soft, stirring often. Add mushrooms and sauté until any liquid given up by the mushrooms has evaporated and mushrooms are golden. Add triple sec to deglaze pan, cooking until all signs of liquor have disappeared. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in nutmeg. Add heavy cream, bring to a boil and cook until cream has reduced and sauce is slightly thickened (1 - 2 minutes). Add duck and heat until duck is warmed through. Add cooked pasta and cranberries - toss to coat. Season with additional salt and pepper as required. Garnish with orange zest and parmesan cheese.  Serves 4. Download Pasta with Duck and Cranberries

Duck with Pomegranate Chile Sauce

Thanksgiving is but a whisper away which means Christmas is just around the corner. Yikes. I don't know about you, but I've been wondering what the heck I'm going to cook for Christmas dinner now that I have our Thanksgiving menu all sewed up. Well, the big guy may have come up with the perfect solution.

Saturday he took a "dead duck" and gave it the hot water treatment - pricked the skin, hung it up and poured several pots of hot water over the bird to loosen the skin and dissolve some of the fat underneath it. After it hung over the sink to drip dry, it spent the night in the refrigerator, uncovered, on cooling racks over a sheet pan so air could circulate and dry the bird further. If it seems like a lot of trouble to you, it's worth it because the end result will be wonderfully crisp skin. Really, what in the world can be better than that?

 Late yesterday afternoon the bird was stuffed with fresh oranges and placed on the Weber rotisserie over charcoal and a hunk of alder wood for an hour and a half to get happy. The big guy babied his duck and basted it during the last 20 minutes or so with an unbelievable glaze, recipe courtesy of none other than last December's Bon Appetit.

Made from our home grown pomegranates, the sauce included reduced pomegranate juice, chicken stock, dried chiles and a little adobo sauce from canned chipotles. Further reduced to a syrup consistency, the end result was a beautifully colored, perfectly moist bird, with a crisp skin and just the right touch of sweetness from the pomegranates and heat from the chiles. The ultimate palate pleaser!

Served with our favorite fruit and nut filled wild rice salad, Download Fruity Wild Rice Salad wouldn't you agree it looks like Christmas on a plate?

 

Duck with Pomegranate Chile Sauce (adapted Bon Appetit, December 2009)

Sauce:

1/3 cup sugar

½ cup water

2 cups pomegranate juice

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 large dried New Mexico chiles

1 large dried Pasilla (Ancho)

1-1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotles

1-1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

Coarse salt and fresh ground black pepper

Stir sugar and water together in a large heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.  Increase heat and boil until syrup is a deep amber color – about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth and chiles. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1-1/2 cups (about 25 minutes). Set aside to cool. Puree in blender until smooth. Whisk in adobo sauce, vinegar and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.  If you’d like a thicker sauce return sauce to a pot and cook over medium high heat until it is of the desired consistency. Cover and chill – rewarm before using.

Duck:

One 6 pound duck, defrosted

1 large orange, cut in quarters

Salt & pepper

Fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish

Remove any excess fat from inside duck and discard giblets. Prick skin of duck being careful not to cut into the flesh. Hang duck up over kitchen sink, and pour a quart of boiling water over the outside on all sides. Repeat boiling water process 3 times. Let duck hang for 30 minutes to drip dry, then place on cooling racks over a sheet pan and refrigerate uncovered overnight.

Next day salt and pepper inside of duck and stuff with orange sections. Place on rotisserie and roast until internal temperature reaches 165. Approximately 20 minutes before duck has finished cooking, brush several times with sauce. Remove from heat and let rest 15 minutes before carving.  Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds and more sauce on the side. Download Duck with Pomegranate Chile Sauce

 

Peanut Noodle Salad With Duck

Remember that fabulous POM Wonderful duck the big guy cooked last week? Well, the leftovers were frozen and lived to quack another day in this fabulous asian flavored soba noodle salad.

It was pretty darn hot yesterday, in fact we broke a temperature record (again), so the menu I had planned for dinner went right out the window. What I really wanted to do with the left over duck was make a pizza, with brie, mushrooms, fresh herbs, and some roasted red peppers, but the idea of heating a pizza stone in a 500 oven had absolutely no appeal, though for sure I know the pizza dough would have risen in record time given the heat of the kitchen!

 
  
This particular recipe happens to be a favorite and makes good use of almost any leftover protein - shrimp, chicken, pork, whatever you happen to have on hand. Download Peanut Soba Noodle Salad With Duck It's also a great way to get some fresh veggies into the big guy, though I had every intention of adding some peas to the julienned carrots, zucchini and green pepper, I forgot. If you remember, he's not a green pea fan.  As for the noodles, I used Soba noodles which are a Japanese noodle made from buckwheat and wheat. We love them and can usually find them at our local Asian market, but if you can't just substitute vermicelli or spaghetti instead.  The noodles are dressed with a peanut butter, hoisin sauce, fresh lime juice and Sriracha mixture that has a bit of a kick to it and is best made in advance. Quite often I'll thin it with a little hot water and for sure if it's been refrigerated, you'll have to warm it a bit in the microwave before dressing your noodles. Course, against my better judgment I dressed mine in advance and then refrigerated the whole salad, but honestly it is best if you dress and toss the salad at the last minute just before you serve it so the consistency remains smooth and creamy.  

Hey, I'd be a much better cook if I'd learn to follow my own advice. Along with some egg rolls courtesy of Trader Joe's, dinner was ready in a red hot minute.   

POM Wonderful Glazed Duck

OK, so I know this blog is about every day food, but every once in a while ya' just gotta' stretch your abilities a little. We've cooked duck before several times (bb - that is before blogging) usually in the oven; however, due to the fat content of the bird it can make an absolute royal mess of your oven, never mind smoke you right out of your own house. There's nothing more embarrassing to this cook than having to deal with the racket caused by the smoke detector - I mean what must the neighbors think? Enter the big guy, his outside kitchen and the Weber rotisserie.  Last night he cooked a canard to beat all canards - by the way it was a lovely little 5.75 pound duck from CANADA, so it had to be great, right? Believe me it was! Please bear with me as I brag. 

As you know the big guy swears by charcoal and he has a total of 3 barbecues in his backyard kitchen - one that I call the beast (a 500 pound monster that's great for big jobs), a double barrel that he uses to grill, barbecue low and slow and/or smoke, and a Weber kettle with a rotisserie attachment. That's the one he used last night and here are the pictures to prove it.

   
 
The duck preparation started the night before when it got cleaned, skin pricked and doused with hot water, then dried overnight uncovered in the refrigerator. Before placing it on the rotisserie, the big guy stuffed the duck with 4 small white onions, fresh rosemary and two fresh lemon halves, after he'd rubbed the outside with the lemon. He then cooked it on the rotisserie for an hour and a half, brushing it with glaze during the last half hour.

   
By the way, the picture above right is a very contented Georgie keeping her eyes on the duck from a distance. Can you believe this is the same feral cat that adopted us in February? Shows what food and lots of love from her BF Max can do for an animal, doesn't it?

This beautiful duck was finished with a glaze made from 3 cups of POM Wonderful along with 1/2 cup of white sugar, boiled together for 30 minutes under a watchful eye so it didn't burn. The result - a moist, succulent, mahogany colored bird with a slightly tart finish.

 

We had our bird along with some pan roasted Brussels sprouts topped with bacon and mixed wild and basmati rice courtesy of Trader Joe's.  The duck was flavorful and cooked perfectly to our tastes - we ate the breasts last night and the big guy took some for lunch today. The rest is in the freezer to go on a pizza or in pasta - can't wait for that I'll tell ya. Stay tuned!