Duck 3 ways

Roast duck

Poke holes in duck skin to allow fat to render

Steam duck 40 mins

Butcher duck, salt and pepper pieces, place skin down

Roast 425 for 25 mins then remove breasts

Cook other pieces another 25 mins

Cover in glaze roast another 4 mins

Glaze

1 C OJ

2 Tbs lemon juice

2 Tbs honey

Boil then simmer 25 mins then cool

Duck liver pâté

Render 3oz duck fat

Sauté shallots (2) in fat, add 1 clove garlic

Add 3oz of liver cut into 1 in pieces cook for 2 mins med high heat

Add salt pepper and herbs de Provence

Blend add 1Tbs cognac

Consider pushing through mesh strainer to improve texture.

Barbecue Chicken and Arugula Pizza

Makes 4 ~9 inch pizzas.

Pizza Dough (From Mario Batali)

- 3 1/4 cups of flour

- 2 tsp yeast

- 1 tbsp salt

- 1 tbsp sugar

- 1 cup warm water

- 1/4 cup white wine

- 2 tbsp olive oil

Toppings

- 1 can San Marzano tomatoes

- minced garlic, shallot

- sliced BBQ chicken

- bocconcini mozzarella

- arugula

Dressing

- olive oil

- lemon juice

- lemon zest

- shallot

- honey

- soy sauce

- salt, pepper

Directions

1. Prepare dough - combine all ingredients and mix with hands until dough pulls away from bowl. Knead for 5 minutes. Oil clean bowl, add dough and turn to coat. Cover with cloth and set aside for 1 hour to rise. Punch down.

2. Prepare toppings - thinly slice chicken and mozzarella. Strain tomatoes. Sautee garlic and shallot in olive oil, then add tomatoes. Heat to simmer and reduce sauce.

3. Prepare rounds - divide dough into 4 pieces and shape into 9 inch rounds. Heat grill to high. Place rounds on grill for ~2 minutes first side until lightly brown. Flip over for ~30 seconds then place on pan to cool.

4. Make pizza - spread thin layer of sauce on rounds. Top with chicken and mozzarella. Put grill on low. Heat until cheese melted. Combine ingredients for dressing. Dress arugula and use to top pizza.

No Knead Bread

The easiest crusty bread recipe ever!

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 ½cups water
¼teaspoon yeast
1 ¼teaspoon salt
olive oil (for coating)
extra flour, wheat bran or cornmeal

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add water and, using a wooden spoon,
spatula or your hand, mix until wet and sticky, about 30 to 60
seconds. Place the dough in another bowl lightly coated with olive
oil. Cover and let rest for 12 hours at room temperature.
2. Remove the dough and fold once or twice. Let the dough rest for 15
minutes. Next, shape into a ball. Generously coat a cotton towel with
flour, wheat bran or cornmeal; place the dough seam side down on the
towel and dust with flour. Cover with a cotton towel and let rise one
to two hours at room temperature, until more than doubled in size.
3. Preheat a six- to eight-quart pot, at 450 to 500 degrees, at least
30 minutes prior to baking. Once the dough has more than doubled in
volume, remove the pot from the oven and place the dough in the pot,
seam side up. Cover with the lid and bake 30 minutes. Remove the lid
and bake 15 to 30 minutes uncovered, until the loaf is nicely browned.

Fresh Pea Soup with Mint and Lemon

Very refreshing cold on a hot summer day (but looks a little like baby food)

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
- 1 chopped med/large onion
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 5 cups freshly shelled peas (~8lbs unshelled), or 20-oz frozen peas
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- sour cream
- salt, pepper

Directions:
1. Saute leeks and onions in butter until soft/browned
2. Add stock and peas, boil for 5 minutes then take off heat, season with salt/pepper
3. Blend soup in batches with mint and lemon juice/zest
4. Serve with dollop of sour cream
5. Serve hot or cold

Strawberry Mirror Mini Cakes

You can find the recipe for Strawberry Mirror Cake all over the internet, but I first found it here. I am now imagining putting mirrors on ALL my cakes.

Matcha Green Tea Mousse Cake

I told Kristal that she should make something like this awesome looking cake for Kim's birthday. I was surprised when she actually said she would, and she did! I think we upped the ante for any future birthday cakes with this one.

Nem Nuong - Vietnamese Pork Kebabs

Ingredients
Nem Nuong
1 pound ground pork
1 inch ground ginger
1 tsp five spice powder
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tbs water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoons roasted rice powder
1/2 tablespoon oil
10 wooden skewers (soaked in water for 20 minutes)

Sides
lettuce
mint
cilantro
basil
shredded carrot and cucumber
vermicelli
rice/rice paper (optional)

Fish Sauce
1/8 cup fish sauce
1/2 cup warm water
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 lime juice
1 clove minced garlic
1 red chili

Method
1. Mix all ingredients well and let sit for 2 hours. Soak wooden skewers (or chopsticks, since we were out of skewers - I think they might even have worked better).
2. Rub oil into palms so that meat doesn't stick when forming skewers.
3. Grill on high heat
4. Mix fish sauce ingredients in a jar. Shake to dissolve sugar
6. Serve with vermicelli and veggies with fish sauce. Alternatively can be served over rice, or wrapped in rice paper (but it got a little messy)