Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Shredded Duck with Figs and Rosemary
.
You know that part of your yoga class....just at the end, when you are lying peacefully on the mat in corpse pose (do yoga pose translations rock or what.), eyes closed, breathing regulated, trying to empty your mind?
Yea. Well, my mind is pretty empty usually anyway. No need to take it to extremes. So, to prevent myself from getting any ditzier, I instead focus on lunch. Or dinner. Or whatever meal is next I should say.
And there on my mat, like a nursery-schooler gone mad, I start to ponder the contents of my fridge. And how soon I can peel myself up off of the floor and go eat.
All that bending and stretching builds a girls appetite!
I really do enjoy a post yoga snack...
And this is what I indulged in today.
Lucky me, right?
Wanna join the fun?
Well, to do so, let's just pretend that you heeded my call way back when, about trying your hand at making Duck Legs in this manner, when plump and juicy figs came back onto the scene...that would make following along with this post that much easier...since you would have said duck legs on hand, and would be ready for the next step.
It is the true spirit of Vinyasa indeed. Flow. Om.
And when you have your snack all made up, after about 1 minute of work, try it paired with some fine bread, a bottle of wine (should you be eating at a decent hour) or a bit of port...you cant beat it for taste. Its rich and sweet, heady and robust. A pefect foil to all that yoga business, I promise...
So try this my dears, and enjoy. (Can also be made with roast chicken. Mmm.)
2 duck legs, skinned and shredded, with fat
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
4 large, ripe figs or apricots diced
A nice pinch of pepper
Using a large knife, roughly chop all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your fancy. Serve room temp with bread or crackers.
Makes about a cup
_______________________________________
Earlier this month a federal judge upheld Chicago's ban on foie gras in restaurants. In dismissing the lawsuit by the Illinois Restaurant Association, U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning ruled that the city had a constitutional right to enact the ban. The Illinois Restaurant Association said it was considering an appeal. - AP
China has around 12 million cows producing 3 tons of milk each per year. The Chinese are estimated to consume about 18kg of dairy produce per capita. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has drawn up a new national standard on raw milk that will make testing for antibiotics in raw milk compulsory for dairy processors. Antibiotics are widely used by Chinese farmers in their dairy herds and there has been no regulation in place to restrict their use. A recent survey has shown that around 50 percent of milk products on the market contain antibiotic residues. In the U.S. and other countries, cows given antibiotics are typically withheld from the milk supply for some days and both farmers and dairy processors carry out routine testing for antibiotics, with serious penalties for those found to be selling milk containing residues.
You know that part of your yoga class....just at the end, when you are lying peacefully on the mat in corpse pose (do yoga pose translations rock or what.), eyes closed, breathing regulated, trying to empty your mind?Yea. Well, my mind is pretty empty usually anyway. No need to take it to extremes. So, to prevent myself from getting any ditzier, I instead focus on lunch. Or dinner. Or whatever meal is next I should say.
And there on my mat, like a nursery-schooler gone mad, I start to ponder the contents of my fridge. And how soon I can peel myself up off of the floor and go eat.
All that bending and stretching builds a girls appetite!
I really do enjoy a post yoga snack...
And this is what I indulged in today.
Lucky me, right?
Wanna join the fun?
Well, to do so, let's just pretend that you heeded my call way back when, about trying your hand at making Duck Legs in this manner, when plump and juicy figs came back onto the scene...that would make following along with this post that much easier...since you would have said duck legs on hand, and would be ready for the next step.
It is the true spirit of Vinyasa indeed. Flow. Om.
And when you have your snack all made up, after about 1 minute of work, try it paired with some fine bread, a bottle of wine (should you be eating at a decent hour) or a bit of port...you cant beat it for taste. Its rich and sweet, heady and robust. A pefect foil to all that yoga business, I promise...
So try this my dears, and enjoy. (Can also be made with roast chicken. Mmm.)
2 duck legs, skinned and shredded, with fat
1/2 teaspoon minced rosemary
4 large, ripe figs or apricots diced
A nice pinch of pepper
Using a large knife, roughly chop all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your fancy. Serve room temp with bread or crackers.
Makes about a cup
_______________________________________
Earlier this month a federal judge upheld Chicago's ban on foie gras in restaurants. In dismissing the lawsuit by the Illinois Restaurant Association, U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning ruled that the city had a constitutional right to enact the ban. The Illinois Restaurant Association said it was considering an appeal. - AP
China has around 12 million cows producing 3 tons of milk each per year. The Chinese are estimated to consume about 18kg of dairy produce per capita. The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture has drawn up a new national standard on raw milk that will make testing for antibiotics in raw milk compulsory for dairy processors. Antibiotics are widely used by Chinese farmers in their dairy herds and there has been no regulation in place to restrict their use. A recent survey has shown that around 50 percent of milk products on the market contain antibiotic residues. In the U.S. and other countries, cows given antibiotics are typically withheld from the milk supply for some days and both farmers and dairy processors carry out routine testing for antibiotics, with serious penalties for those found to be selling milk containing residues.
Labels: Appetizer, Duck, Gluten Free
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Thai-Style Duck Bites
.
You like to eat duck right?
And Thai food? You like Thai food too, right?
Oh yeah baby, you know you do...
And I do too.
Heck yea, I do.
And what else do we all love?
That's right...cocktail foods.
Small bites of salty-tangy-sweet-sour-puckery-blistering that make that Friday night-end-of-the-work-week bev just so much more enjoyable.
Or, at least, foods that makes it easy to have something resembling dinner while standing up at a function...
Which leads me to this. This which is (yet another) cocktail food you simply must try.
I fully admit that I didn't come up with this play on Tom Yum Goong soup, but once I heard of it, I did make it, and I did tweak it and I did eat it (and then eat some more, and well, you get the idea) and lo, it was tasty. Really tasty.
Rich, dense duck meat paired with fragrant Thai basil, cooling cucumber, sour lime zest and a touch of soy, it was hard to just eat one (which, I didnt. I ate more like, oh, twenty).
Trust me, its worth making. So try it yourself, and enjoy!
Meat from one duck (I bought a fully cooked Peking duck in Thai Town), shredded
Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald's was crucial for improving people's diets. Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, The Press Association reported. 'Have you got anywhere with McDonald's? Have you tried getting it banned? That's the key,' Charles was quoted as asking one of the center's nutritionists. – Associated Press
You like to eat duck right?And Thai food? You like Thai food too, right?
Oh yeah baby, you know you do...
And I do too.
Heck yea, I do.
And what else do we all love?
That's right...cocktail foods.
Small bites of salty-tangy-sweet-sour-puckery-blistering that make that Friday night-end-of-the-work-week bev just so much more enjoyable.
Or, at least, foods that makes it easy to have something resembling dinner while standing up at a function...
Which leads me to this. This which is (yet another) cocktail food you simply must try.
I fully admit that I didn't come up with this play on Tom Yum Goong soup, but once I heard of it, I did make it, and I did tweak it and I did eat it (and then eat some more, and well, you get the idea) and lo, it was tasty. Really tasty.
Rich, dense duck meat paired with fragrant Thai basil, cooling cucumber, sour lime zest and a touch of soy, it was hard to just eat one (which, I didnt. I ate more like, oh, twenty).
Trust me, its worth making. So try it yourself, and enjoy!
Meat from one duck (I bought a fully cooked Peking duck in Thai Town), shredded5 teaspoons soy sauce
Zest and juice of two small limes
2 kaffir lime leaves, minced (optional)
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 small bunch of Thai basil, chopped fine
Sugar as needed
2 or 3 English (hothouse) cucumbers to serve
In a medium bowl, stir together the soy, lime juice, lime zest, kaffir (if using) and ginger. Taste and add sugar if you want it less tart. Add the meat and toss to coat. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.
Meanwhile, slice the cucumbers into rounds, or - as I did - make them into cups, by using a melon baller to scoop out some of the seeds from a 1/2 inch piece that was cut flat on one side and at an angle on the other (see photo above).
Toss the basil with the duck and divide the mixture onto the cucumber rounds. There should be enough for about 40 servings.
Serve room temperature.
______________________________
Thai Basil is a major ingredient in many Thai dishes. It is also known as Sweet Basil and its aroma is reminiscent of anise or liquorice when fresh, cooked of fried. It is easily confused with Holy Basil which has a completely different aroma. - Wikipedia
As of a 2006 poll, there were 750 Thai restaurants in the UK - London had 37%, Home Counties, 22% and Scotland/Wales 6%. Comparatively there are 3500 Chinese restaurants and 50 Vietnamese.
Prince Charles suggested Tuesday on a visit to the United Arab Emirates that banning McDonald's was crucial for improving people's diets. Charles made the comments while visiting the Imperial College London Diabetes Center in Abu Dhabi for the launch of a public health campaign, The Press Association reported. 'Have you got anywhere with McDonald's? Have you tried getting it banned? That's the key,' Charles was quoted as asking one of the center's nutritionists. – Associated Press
Labels: Appetizer, Duck, Low-Carb
Friday, November 03, 2006
Duck Legs With Figs
.
Yikes!
I’d better post this recipe quick, before the last of the figs are gone from the market.
What? It’s snowing where you live? Eek! Bummer! But if that’s true, book mark this for next year, when the figs are bursting-ripe, it’s absolutely worth it.
It was 5:30 am last Sunday morning. Must have been daylight savings that had me up early and enjoying the sunshine that was brazenly peeking through my kitchen curtains.
Puttering around in an early morning haze (which, if I must be honest, tends not to wear off later in the day so much as thin out a bit) I kept gazing around. I was wondering what to do for the next five hours, when I was supposed to meet The Queen of the Valley for brunch.
Next thing I knew, I was cooking duck legs.
Sure, sure, it’s not the most conventional breakfast, but I was there, they were there, and a party ensued.
But it was in fact, practically dawn, and I wasn’t really hungry. Which normally would have meant I would have just put aside the dish until lunch...but fate intervened.
My phone ringing (actually, singing “What’s New Pussycat” if you must know) broke into the Arcadian moment. My darling savior of a friend, (for reasons too long to list) The Workaholic, was on the line. He had locked himself out of his (insanely clean, large, brightly lit and highly coveted) apartment on the way to grab the paper, and as luck would have it, I had a spare key and live a few blocks away. (Hey, I like to keep my boys close by!) In a flash he was over, (dressed in his PJ’s....awww) and got the unexpected gift of not only his keys, but a boxed lunch bonus. Duck legs done, photos taken, I certainly had plenty to spare.
Later, just as I sat down to eat, I got an email from The Workaholic (still at work) saying it was superb and the perfect luncheon for a boy on the go. I was pleased as punch to have been able to share.
This recipe is quite simple and full of fruity, rich, dense flavors. I served the duck with cannellini beans that had been cooked with a bit of rosemary, the hint of alpine spice, a great combination for the richness of the duck.
Try this, and enjoy
4 duck legs
½ small shallot, minced
16 figs, halved
Juice of one small tangerine
2 oz vermouth
1/2 cup fig or apricot conserves
salt and pepper to taste
In a heavy pan, saute the duck legs, skin side down until browned. Because duck is so fatty, you will have to periodically drain the fat out of the pan. Pour it into a clean glass jar and reserve for other uses (sauteing potatoes for instance. Mmm.) When the duck is golden, (depends, but should take about 10 minutes) on one side, turn and let finish cooking. (Another 4 minutes should do.) Remove from the pan, drain most of the rest of the fat, then add the shallot to the pan and let wilt a few moments before adding the figs, tangerine juice, vermouth and conserves. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. When the sauce has thickened slightly, pour over the duck legs and serve.
Serves four
____________________________
In the United States, on November 3, 1966, a law passed stating ingredients were required to be listed on food packages. It was the first truth in packaging law.
In 1991, Food & Wine magazine named Emeril Lagasse "One of America's Top Twenty-Five New Chefs."
" If current trends of overfishing and pollution continue, the populations of just about all seafood face collapse by 2048, a team of ecologists and economists warns in a report in Friday's issue of the journal Science." - AP
Yikes!I’d better post this recipe quick, before the last of the figs are gone from the market.
What? It’s snowing where you live? Eek! Bummer! But if that’s true, book mark this for next year, when the figs are bursting-ripe, it’s absolutely worth it.
It was 5:30 am last Sunday morning. Must have been daylight savings that had me up early and enjoying the sunshine that was brazenly peeking through my kitchen curtains.
Puttering around in an early morning haze (which, if I must be honest, tends not to wear off later in the day so much as thin out a bit) I kept gazing around. I was wondering what to do for the next five hours, when I was supposed to meet The Queen of the Valley for brunch.
Next thing I knew, I was cooking duck legs.
Sure, sure, it’s not the most conventional breakfast, but I was there, they were there, and a party ensued.
But it was in fact, practically dawn, and I wasn’t really hungry. Which normally would have meant I would have just put aside the dish until lunch...but fate intervened.
My phone ringing (actually, singing “What’s New Pussycat” if you must know) broke into the Arcadian moment. My darling savior of a friend, (for reasons too long to list) The Workaholic, was on the line. He had locked himself out of his (insanely clean, large, brightly lit and highly coveted) apartment on the way to grab the paper, and as luck would have it, I had a spare key and live a few blocks away. (Hey, I like to keep my boys close by!) In a flash he was over, (dressed in his PJ’s....awww) and got the unexpected gift of not only his keys, but a boxed lunch bonus. Duck legs done, photos taken, I certainly had plenty to spare.
Later, just as I sat down to eat, I got an email from The Workaholic (still at work) saying it was superb and the perfect luncheon for a boy on the go. I was pleased as punch to have been able to share.
This recipe is quite simple and full of fruity, rich, dense flavors. I served the duck with cannellini beans that had been cooked with a bit of rosemary, the hint of alpine spice, a great combination for the richness of the duck.
Try this, and enjoy
4 duck legs
½ small shallot, minced
16 figs, halved
Juice of one small tangerine
2 oz vermouth
1/2 cup fig or apricot conserves
salt and pepper to taste
In a heavy pan, saute the duck legs, skin side down until browned. Because duck is so fatty, you will have to periodically drain the fat out of the pan. Pour it into a clean glass jar and reserve for other uses (sauteing potatoes for instance. Mmm.) When the duck is golden, (depends, but should take about 10 minutes) on one side, turn and let finish cooking. (Another 4 minutes should do.) Remove from the pan, drain most of the rest of the fat, then add the shallot to the pan and let wilt a few moments before adding the figs, tangerine juice, vermouth and conserves. Stir to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper. When the sauce has thickened slightly, pour over the duck legs and serve.
Serves four
____________________________
In the United States, on November 3, 1966, a law passed stating ingredients were required to be listed on food packages. It was the first truth in packaging law.
In 1991, Food & Wine magazine named Emeril Lagasse "One of America's Top Twenty-Five New Chefs."
" If current trends of overfishing and pollution continue, the populations of just about all seafood face collapse by 2048, a team of ecologists and economists warns in a report in Friday's issue of the journal Science." - AP
Wednesday, September 29, 2004
Duck Legs with Tangerine
As I mentioned earlier, I made a picnic the other night, with these duck legs as the centerpiece. I keep thinking about how good this came out and wanted to share. Try and enjoy!
4 duck legs, trimmed of all of the skin but one large piece on top, which you score
1 small leek, white part only sliced thin
½ cup hot water or chicken stock if you have it
1 large tangerine, zest cut into long thing strips, juice reserved (Tangelo would be good too)
¼ cup whisky
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 350F.
In a large, heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat, sear the duck legs, frequently draining the accumulating fat. Add the leeks and tangerine zest when they are almost completely browned.
When the duck legs are quite browned, remove from the pan, and deglaze with the water, tangerine juice, some salt and the whisky. Stir to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Transfer the legs and sauce to an oven proof dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until the duck legs are cooked through.
Allow to cool slightly, and serve with a mixture of wild and brown rice with cranberries and pecans.
Serves two
_____________________________________________________
The duck goes perfectly with a smooth glass of Scotch. But why not try something new?
Why not buy some Single Malt Whisky from the beautiful Isles of Scotland? Check out these
websites and be transported. Just don't ask me the difference between Whisky and Whiskey.
Bowmore
Isle of Jura
Bruichladdich
Laphroaig
Ardbeg
Labels: Duck
