Pecan Crusted Duck Confit and Wilted Spinach Salad

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/pecan-crusted-duck-confit-and-wilted-spinach-salad-recipe2/index.html

Duck Confit and Fried Egg Pizza

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/duck-confit-and-fried-egg-pizza-recipe/index.html

Duck confit is one of the most amazing and most prized preparations of duck and can be used so many ways.  Though you can buy it to add that special something to your practiced repertoire, making it yourself will demystify the delicacy that appears on menus across the country and tune you in to an age old technique.  Developed to preserve the hunt so-to-speak, duck and goose were salted and cooked slowly in their own fat, cooled in their own fat, and then packed in a crock (again covered in their own fat).   Even without refrigeration it could be sealed and preserved this way for an extended period.  These days, confit duck can be refrigerated for months (though I know most of you wouldn’t dare…)

I probably don’t have to tell you that Chef Emeril loves Confit Duck.  You see it span the menus of his restaurants as well as his recipes.  Check out the links above for ways of using Duck Confit (the Pecan Crusted Duck Confit with Wilted Spinach Salad or the Duck Confit and Fried Egg Recipe that is featured on the NOLA restaurant menu).  Or let your imagination run wild.  Click here for do-it-yourself Duck Confit  and see below.

This a shallow pan filled with duck legs and duck breasts plus salt and aromatics (black peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves. garlic, and clove) also, you see here, there is cut up pork shoulder for Confit Pork if you are making Cassoulet.

Now, here pictured, the duck is submerged in melted duck fat plus there is congealed duck fat on top (that I added from the fridge).  Once you finish cooking the duck and refrigerate, this is how the fat will look when cooled.  It will make a thick opaque preservative/insulating covering.

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees, sit this pan on a rimmed baking sheet (in case of fat bubbling over…), Cover it with a lid or heavy foil, and cook for several hours until tender.  Remove from the oven, let it cool in the fat, and then refrigerate.  When you are ready to serve the confit, remove the pieces from the pan, wipe away the fat, then brown in a pan on the stove (for the salad), or remove the skin, discard, and shred the confit duck meat (for the pizza).  If you are feeling more adventurous, make Cassoulet.  Tune in another day for that one…

It’s not uncommon for cooks and chefs to be obsessed with condiments. One of my cook friends who lives alone keeps nothing at all in her fridge except for a myriad of condiments, milk for coffee, and a bottle of wine. When I was working in NYC as a private chef and lived alone, that is what my fridge looked like, too. Now that I have a family, I actually do much more cooking at home than I ever did when I was single, so the contents of my fridge has become a bit more…rubenesque, if you will. There’s Lily’s personal cheese drawer as well as a continually rotating stock of proteins that we keep on hand for quick weeknight meals. There is a sourdough starter that takes up way too much room for its own good, but from where I stand is worth its weight in gold.  And of course we’re never without milk, juice, wine, or beer. But it’s our condiment collection that is…well, let’s just say it’s getting expansive. My husband and I have dueling mustard shelves. We have at least 7 different hot sauces at all times and so many pickled things, it’s not even funny. The thing is, though, you just never know when you’re going to need any particular one of them and, well, they’re part of the family. And now I’ve gone and done it — I’ve fallen in love with yet one more condiment that I know I will have trouble living without going forward. I have made the acquaintance of lemon confit.

This is all due to my recent attempt to use up all the Meyer lemons from the garden. I had already made a big batch of Moroccan-style preserved lemons, (one of my favorite things to throw into a dish of chicken braised with green olives!) and I really wanted to try something new and different with the remaining lemons.  They looked so pretty sitting on my kitchen counter, but I knew I should preserve their beautiful flavor so that we could enjoy them for days to come.

Though the concept of  lemon confit seemed quite similar to the preserved lemons, the small taste I had recently enjoyed on a sandwich at a restaurant had resonated with me in a unique way; I just couldn’t get them out of my mind.

And so I made my first batch of lemon confit, based on an amalgamation of a few different recipes I’d saved over the years. It’s so simple to prepare, you really don’t even need a recipe. It’s nothing more than thinly sliced lemons (rind and all) layered with salt, sugar, minced shallots, and garlic. You let it marinate in the fridge for a few days (in its own juices, which is where the “confit” part comes in), and then you strain off the juices, place the now very pliable lemon slices in nonreactive containers, and top them off with olive oil. That’s it! I am told it should keep in the fridge for about 1 1/2 months, but I doubt mine will last that long. I had two nice size jars a week ago and one is nearly already gone. I have put the slices on sandwiches with roast chicken breast, roasted red bell peppers, avocado and shaved red onion and, oh my. It was one of the quietest lunches my husband and I ever shared together. I also finely chopped a couple of the slices and used that as the basis of a lemon vinaigrette; it was delicious over simple salad greens with roasted beets and crumbled feta. I doubt I’ll have any trouble figuring out what to do with the remaining confit. The taste is so fresh, so subtle, and yet so in-your-face at the same time, it’s hard to describe. The texture is firm and yet velvety. If you love the bright flavor of lemons and the briny quality of olives and capers, I suspect you might like to try lemon confit, too.

In hindsight, I think slicing the lemons on a mandolin or an electric slicer, if available, would give you the best results. Slicing whole lemons by hand using a regular knife produces somewhat irregular slices, even though they are forgiving and still worked just fine.

The Chinese New Year party was a big hit. Most everything went off without a hitch.

I made about 100 dumplings, so this year should be full of abundance and prosperity. I have learned that making that many dumplings is quite an endeavor and cooking 100 dumplings is even a greater task. The first batch I steamed in a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper. My first mistake was that I didn’t spray the parchment with cooking spray and the dumplings all stuck to the paper. The next batch I boiled, they were good but tasted a little doughy. I noticed people were having trouble eating them in one or two bites, perhaps I over stuffed them. The next batch I boiled and pan-fried and that was definitely the best combination. Only a few got stuck in the pan, to become potstickers. Even though they were slightly imperfect in appearance, the dumplings were scrumptious when dunked in a tangy soy dipping sauce.

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We also made summer rolls using Korean sweet potato noodles which is typically reserved for the Korean dish Jap Chae. I love the chewy texture of these noodles and they worked every bit as well as the rice noodles. I used to be an old pro at rolling summer rolls but soon realized that I have grown out of practice. My rolls were not nearly as perfect as the ones I buy from Hong Kong Market or Pho Tau Bay. The fun thing was that several guests wanted to try their hand at rolling, so it became a group effort. Interactive dinners are so  fun, especially since everyone seems to gravitate to the kitchen anyway. Why not put people to work!

Dumplings and dim sum are a wonderful way to celebrate the New Year. They are not only a source of good luck, prosperity and abundance but also lots of laughter, togetherness and good cheer.

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Mise en Place

Steamed Pork Buns

Summer Rolls and Pork Buns

The Superbowl is just around the corner and the big question is “Are you going to have a big party, a little party or are you going to go to a party?” The Superbowl is one of the number one party events of the year.

Here are a few things to think about if you are going to a Superbowl party. Ask your host or hostess if you can bring anything. It is always nice to show up with a little extra somethin’ somethin’. Maybe you can bring extra beer or wine or how about an h’or d’oeuvre or appetizer. You could also show up ahead of time to help set up or stay a little later to clean up. Make sure you have a designated driver if you need one. Don’t be a sore loser or winner.

If you are hosting a Superbowl party, you should be sure the television is in a good location for everyone, if possible. Be an equal opportunity host, be sure to let all of your guests know that no matter which team wins there will be no hard feelings. Nothing like a house divided. Make sure there is enough food and drinks for the stragglers that show up for the second half. If you are having a potluck, let everyone know the theme of the party. Perhaps you can suggest specific dishes for people to bring. Have everything set up before your guests arrive. You don’t want to be running around like a chicken with your head cut off while trying to greet guests, take coats and make cocktails. And of course, have the phone number of a reliable taxi service on hand for anyone who gets out of hand.

Here is a quick list of fun h’or d’oeuvres and appetizers or desserts to bring to a party:

• Charlotte’s Hot Shrimp Dip
• Spinach and Artichoke Dip
• Hot Crab Dip
• Kicked Up Chicken Wings
• Andouille Stuffed Jalapenos
• Emeril’s Fudgy  Brownies
• Mocha Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you are having your own party:

• Emeril’s Fierce and Fresh Margaritas
• Grilled Shrimp with Mango Salsa and Guacamole
• Grilled Flank Steak with Cebolitas
• Rockfish Tacos
• Tomatilla Salsa
• Black Bean Relish
• Tres Leches Cake

Kale is by far one of the best super foods, its dark leafy greens are packed with antioxidants and an excellent source of vitamins such as A, K and C. It is full of chlorophyll and packed with fiber. It is absolutely one of my favorite greens. I was never really fond of cabbage, it has taken me a long time to acquire a taste for it. But I knew that it was on the top of the list of super foods and that at some point I would need to learn to love it. On the other hand, I have always loved collard greens and when I discovered lacinata kale it was love at first bite. I crave it. I have to have it at least once a week. I feel the same love for broccoli and beets.

I started growing kale about two years ago and it has become the shining star of my small garden. I have both lacinata kale and red Russian kale growing in raised beds. It grows so well I can hardly eat it fast enough. This year we had kale at Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas day and New Year’s day and I have used it here in the test kitchen several times and yet I still have more in the garden. It is thriving!

The great thing about kale is that it is so versatile. It can be eaten raw in salads and slaws, it can be used in soups and stews, (I always add it to my gumbo). I often just quickly saute it with garlic and onions. I also add it to my morning smoothies and juices.

I am a big fan of Martha Stewart’s Whole Living magazine and website and there are quite a few “green smoothies” which use kale. The  key is to blend, blend, blend. If you have children this may be a great way to sneak in some veggies. Combined with blueberries and bananas you cannot even taste the kale and your kids will never know. Personally, I love knowing that I can pack in the greens.

This is a recipe for one of my favorite morning smoothies.

Blue Green Breakfast Smoothie

1 cup coconut water or distilled water

1 banana, frozen and chopped

1 cup chopped kale, washed and stems removed

1/2 cup frozen blueberries

1/2 cup frozen blackberries or raspberries

2 teaspoons agave syrup or honey

2 teaspoons flax seed meal (optional)

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Add a little water to thin if necessary.

Yield: 2 smoothies

You also might enjoy

Kale and Chickpea Stew 

Quinoa Mix with Sauteed Kale

Green Machine Smoothie

Sesame-Kale Crisps 

January 23rd marks Chinese New Year and this is the year of the dragon. Last year was the year of the rabbit, quite a juxtaposition don’t you think. The Dragon is the major symbol of good fortune and is associated with new beginnings in Chinese astrology, so expect grand things this year.

I have celebrated New Year’s a few times in the past two months. I consider my birthday my personal New Year (back in December) and of course the traditional Western New Year and now I will also celebrate the Chinese New Year.

I am planning on hosting a party for this great event, serving all of the traditional foods for this holiday. Just like our black eyed peas and cabbage there are symbolic dishes attached to the New Year’s celebrations.

Menu + symbolism

Pork and Cabbage Dumplings  Cabbage=wealth

Shrimp and Crab Dumplings Dumplings=abundance  Shrimp=joy

Roasted Duck Spring Rolls  Spring Rolls= wealth  Noodles= long life

Spicy Tuna Lettuce Wraps with Bamboo Shoots  Lettuce =luck Bamboo shoots=health

Barbeque Pork Buns = deliciousness

Black Moss Seaweed=wealth

Mustard Greens = a source of cleansing for the New Year

Whole Roasted Fish with Kumquat Beurre Blanc= Whole fish symbolizes abundance from the beginning of the year to the end of the year and kumquats=happiness

Sticky Rice Dumplilngs Filled with Walnuts and Almonds Sticky rice= sweet, good life

You probably already know that my backyard garden is a frequent source of inspiration for me and today is no exception: I have kumquats on the brain because my little kumquat tree that has been in the ground only 3 years is in full fruiting glory! The tiny golden fruit are so pretty that it’s entirely possible I will not be able to remove them from the tree. So much pleasure can be found in the garden just watching things grow.

Interestingly enough, kumquats seem to be on a lot of people’s minds around our city right now. They are everywhere I turn! I’ve realized that this is in large part due to our local Asian population and the upcoming celebration of the Chinese New Year (technically referred to as the Lunar New Year and also known as the “Tet” within the Vietnamese culture.) It turns out that the kumquat is one of the most important symbolic foods of the Chinese New Year. It is said to bring prosperity, and according to some, each part of the kumquat tree (leaves, flowers, new growth and fruit) is symbolic of different members of the family (grandparents, parents, children). Venture into any Asian market right about now and you will likely find a small forest of impeccably manicured kumquat trees available for purchase. These are sure to be scooped up and transported to homes, where they are prominently displayed for guests to admire during this most festive holiday.

My friend and colleague here at the office, Stacey Meyer, has big plans for a Chinese New Year-inspired dinner party next week and tomorrow she will be posting a blog entitled The Year of the Dragon. If you check it out you will be able to read about her menu and some of the other symbolic foods that she’ll be serving her guests. I wonder how she will work kumquats into her dinner?

If I find that I am able to take the fruit off of my tree, I’m considering several different options to showcase my harvest. The first is a recipe from Farm to Fork for Emeril’s Whole Roasted Duck with Candied Kumquats that I remember loving when we tested it in our test kitchen. Definitely dinner party worthy. I’ve also been eyeing up a recipe for kumquats soaked in rum…sounds like a good excuse to have a little nip or two after dinner, maybe even served over a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. For you bakers out there, I’ve come across lots of recipes using chopped fresh kumquats in muffins and other quick breads, too.

Gong hei fat choy: Congratulations and prosper!

If you want to make a show stopper cake, this is it.  And the recipe comes from an unlikely place…  Emeril Lagasse’s Emeril at the Grill.  How did it end up there you ask?  Originally Chef must have been thinking about great cakes for a picnic or cook-out.  But then, as you know, nothing that’s Chef Emeril can be so limited.  This cake is phenomenal and belongs not only on your back yard bash, but at your most festive party.  Think Holiday, think Have the Boss over, think Ladies Club Bash, think  Birthday, think Wedding (a small one of course, this feeds 12 not 200), think…  I read that for one person this was a hit at her Memorial Day Celebration.  You get the picture.  Most recently I made this cake for the Emeril’s Homebase Office Party.  And of course, you guessed, it was a hit.  Being the critic I am about what I do (we cooks do that a lot!) I must tweak this recipe one teeny, tiny bit the next time around and I am going to tell you quietly what I’m going to do.  Lean in… put your ear up close because I am going to whisper this.  I am heavy handed — I should have sifted the flour before measuring.

Okay.  There.  I said it.  I think this will make the slightest, yet important difference.  When I think back on making the cake, I measured too quickly.  My colleagues will tell you that I move too fast for my own good.  If I had sifted the flour, then measured the 4 1/2 cups I am sure the cake would be even better.  You wonder why all the professional bakers WEIGH everything!  It narrows down the margin of error.

We still though, have a lot to talk about as I take you through the steps of making this cake.  I read from one person that a heck of a time was had making it.  It took ALL DAY LONG.  Even you can see the frustration jumping off of the screen…  Well, that stinks…but for you reading right now, let me quietly write something.  That’s what the novice does.  Cooking tip #1 - be sure to read recipes all the way through before beginning so that you can get a real sense of what you are about to do.  This is an important lesson. 

 Yes, the filling really needs to chill several hours before using.  So though the cake can be made in one day, the work can easily be divided over two, or even three, if you’re that guy.  The first day you toast coconut and make filling, and if you want, bake the layers and wrap tightly in plastic until tomorrow.  The second day you assemble and frost the cake. 

Many coconut cakes are white-white so you can just add the coconut right from the bag, lovely.  This recipe uses toasted.  If you stir the coconut several times during baking, you will have even, light brown coconut, pretty.  If you don’t stir the coconut, you will get dynamic variations of brown as pictured above.   It is correct anyway you choose. 

This is the filling with the coconut stirred in.  Cover it with plastic and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Assemble your cake!  Put 3/4 cup filling over two layers and stack.

Crumb coating.  The Professional’s trick.  You will lightly frost your cake to envelop the crumbs (for smooth finish), and refrigerate your cake for 10 minutes or so.

  Frost again.  Voila, see the difference.  Then garnish with toasted coconut.  You can do it just over top or cover the entire cake.  You choose.

Click for the recipe Coconut Layer Cake

Our Edible Alley is making steady progress. Every day our lettuces get a little bigger and our beets are actually going beyond the leafy greens stage. We have a few radishes, some baby kale and some of the herbs are carrying on. We have had such a mild winter so far which can be good and bad for the garden. Kale and Swiss chard prefer the cooler temperatures, as do the beets on the other hand the lettuces seem to be quite content with the mild weather. We are growing several varieties of heirloom lettuces Brune d’Hiver, Cracoviensus, and Petite Rouge, they are particularly tender, delicate and beautiful, I might add. I bought the seeds from one of my favorite seed companies, Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.

For the past few days I have been thinking about doing a little harvesting. I fear we are going to have a big freeze and lose our luscious lettuces without having had the pleasure of tasting them.  I love the fact that I can walk outside and trim a few delicate leaves for lunch. It just doesn’t get any fresher. I have several pots of the same lettuces growing on my balcony at home and I love to impress my friends by whipping a quick salad out of nowhere. This is the beauty of growing lettuces, they will grow just about anywhere. I have several varieties growing at home. It takes a little longer to start lettuces from seed but given time and the right temperatures they will thrive.

I’m on my way into the kitchen to scout out a few items to add to my greens, perhaps some toasted walnuts and dried cranberries or maybe shaved Parmesan and a poached egg, I can’t go wrong either way.

Now that the Saints are out of the running for the Super Bowl, we can jump head first into Mardi Gras. The season officially begins on the Feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day on January 6^th. The epiphany marks the end of the Christmas holiday season and the beginning of Mardi Gras.  We don’t waste much time here between holidays. It seems to be a never ending party.

One of the best things about Mardi Gras is the food, of course. I do love the parades, the music, the 610 Stompers and the Rolling Elvi and I love costuming. Really, I just love my pink wig and wearing a boa.

King cakes the quintessential Mardi Gras food started rolling out of bakery ovens in the wee hours on January 6^th. The first arrived in our office on January 9^th and at least once a week a king cake will appear in the break room kitchen until Mardi Gras day. My personal favorite comes from Cochon Butcher because it is not only delicious but also just the right size for me. It is meant to serve two but really it is more of a personal size king cake. All king cakes have a baby or a bean hidden inside but the Cochon king cake has a little pigpy peaking out. I love that little pig and I think I buy the cake more for the pig than anything else.

I found this amazing picture online from Rachel’s Photo Blog.

This little piggy went to Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras, for locals, means open house. Anyone who lives anywhere near the parade route will have their doors open for friends and family to stop in to refresh drinks, eat and relax before heading out into the madness again. In the kitchen there is almost always a pot of gumbo, red beans and rice, and fried chicken. This is standard Mardi Gras fare. But Mardi Gras is also a city wide potluck. Everyone is cooking something to bring somewhere. No one would dare to show up at your house without food and drink. You never end up with a set menu; your counter top may be filled with chips and dips, pulled pork, lasagna, fried chicken, or a filet of beef and of course king cakes of all shapes, sizes and flavors.

I may just go buy a king cake with a little piggy in it today just to get in the Mardi Gras mood. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

http://www.mardigrasparadeschedule.com/