Cave B "Duck Challenge" These recipes are brought to you in three parts, growing progressively more challenging. We start with the seared duck breast on bistro salad, which pairs well with the 23 Merlot and really isn't too difficult to pull off. First, we're gonna need a duck, about 3 ½ to 4 pounds, rinsed and patted dry. Bone out the breast (you can start with just the duck breast.but it's a lot more fun to buy the whole duck, do a little butchery, build some skills and enjoy some great wine in the process. Here is a you tube link on how to bone out a duck breast.) Lightly score the skin on the breasts every ¼ inch lengthwise down the whole length of the breast, now repeat it going across the breast so that you have scored the skin in a hatch (diamond) pattern. Now season them:
Set them aside and let them marinate. Clean wash and dry one head of frisee lettuce. Set aside in a bowl. Now it's time to sear the duck breast! Using a sautee pan, on medium high-ish heat, with a glass of wine in one hand put a good hard sear on the duck breast - skin side down. Resist the urge to turn it over, let it cook, enjoy the Merlot, enjoy some more and let the fat melt away. When the skin is nicely browned and the fat is mostly melted away then give it a turn and throw a quick one minute sear on the meat side. Set aside to rest, we will finish it in the oven. Next, we use our house bacon, you can use regular bacon, or if you can find slab bacon - use it, if you can make your own bacon then you get to advance to "GO". Dice the bacon of choice to ¼ by ¼ inch and add it to a hot pan. Render the bacon and add:
Toss, toss, toss or stir with a wooden spoon, then deglaze with Sherry Vinegar - about 2 oz. Pour this over the frisee in a bowl and give it a toss let it sit and mingle for a second and then start plating. Throw the duck breast in the oven preheated to 400° F for 5-7 minutes for medium rare, set the frisee salad, remove breast from the oven slice and set. Open a bottle and let's eat!
O.K. you intermediate folks. You're not scared, you've been burned before, or know someone who was. You watch the Food Network, you still think Iron Chef is real (just like WWF). So, let's make some duck stock. Remove the legs from the carcass and set aside. Roast off the duck carcass in the oven at 350°, until it starts to brown, then add your Mire Poix (carrots, onion and celery) and return to the oven until everything is nice and caramelized and well browned. Deglaze the pan with some 23 Merlot (extra style points for being able to do this one handed while sipping your glass) then scrape all the tasty bits into a stock pot with:
That were all nicely roasted off in the oven. Then add:
Cover with cool water, bring to a boil and turn it down to a simmer on low for 2-3 hours. Strain the duck stock and then return it to the stove and reduce it down until you have about a cup of duck glace.
O.K. - now for the "Master Class". We are going to do duck confit stuffed with cherries. This dish is a slam dunk when done well and is worth revisiting until you have it nailed. Go find the duck legs that we removed earlier and trace the inside edge of the thigh and drumstick with the boning knife - while leaving the skin intact. Cut the meat back from the bone and pull the leg bone out by turning the leg inside out. It sounds goofy but that's how it's done. Trim the tendons off the end of the leg meat, scrape the bone clean, remove and discard the thigh bone, return the drum stick to its original location. Congratulations! It's that easy. Reward yourself with some wine. Now, season the inside of the leg with:
I hate to even mention this next part because so many will over do it that you are better off stopping now, skip the next three ingredients, tell people you did it, but leave it out. It needs to be one of those "I'm happy, but I don't know why" kinda things. Just a hint, a mere whisper of:
Now gather up the edges and tuck them underneath and form a ball (soon to be a magically delicious ball of duck confit with cherries inside). If you are the wise culinarian with a cabinet full of 3" diameter tall ring molds go ahead and place the duck leg in the ring mold. If not then we have a solution - place them in a muffin pan and fire them in the oven at 250° for 30 minutes just long enough for them to set up and hold their shape. Then place in a deep baking dish and cover with duck fat. Double wrap the pan with plastic wrap, then once in foil and bake at 250° for 3 hours. You can make the confit ahead because it gets finished and crisped in the oven. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes, until nicely browned and piping hot throughout. Pour another glass of wine. Remember the duck glace? You're gonna need it. Rehydrate a dozen or so dried cherries in 23 Merlot. Put them in a small sauce pan with about a ½ a cup of 23 Merlot. Reduce the wine by about 2/3 and then add the duck glace and let it simmer on low. Plate the confit and finish with a drizzle of the glace and cherries. Send in a picture of your duck to receive a Chef Bear's Cocoa Nib BBQ Spice Rub recipe that loves to be paired with the 23 Cabernet (TastingRoom@CaveB.com). If you get stuck on any portion of this, fear not, Hilary did too. |
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