Leg of Duck with Squash Risotto

After making the duck breasts for my cooking class  I had legs left over.  Rather than make my usual confit of duck leg, I braised them.

Braising is a cooking method that employs both searing and slow cooking.  I seared my legs in a hot pan with a little duck fat.  Then I added aromatics, like parsnips, onion, celery and some duck stock.  I returned the legs to the pan and slow cooked it for about an hour until they were very tender.

Then I made a classic risotto and added oven roasted spaghetti squash.  I also added a whole clove and a couple of whole allspice berries to add some earthiness and sweetness to the risotto.

This is a delicious and nutritious meal.

Mozzarella Martini with Fresh Tomato Consommé

  

I am sure my friend Scott will look at this and say, "What's the point?  There is no gin!"  This was a palate cleanser that I served at our Italian Tasting Menu night.  One could probably add a touch of vodka or gin to make a real drink.  It was very refreshing and a light bite between richly flavoured courses.

Mozzarella Martini with Fresh Tomato Consommé

3 to 4 pounds vine-ripened tomatoes, coarsely chopped

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 mozarella cheese bocconcini, each 1 inch in diameter

4 grape tomatoes

basil flavoured olive oil, optional

4 fresh basil leaves

Chill the martini glasses in the freezer or refrigerator an hour ahead of serving.  For the most stunning presentation, make sure the glasses are heavily frosted, so the freezer works best.

Salt and pepper the coarsely chopped tomatoes in a cheesecloth lined sieve suspended over a bowl and refrigerate for several hours.  As the tomatoes release their juice, it wall fall into the bowl, giving you an almost gin-clear liquid with lots of flavour.  Reserve the tomato pulp for another use.

Skewer a grape tomato, basil leaf and bocconcini on a short wooden pick.  Pour tomato consommé into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the skewered salad.

Judging the Chili Cook-Off

Yes, Monday was the day to judge the chili contest.  I have never judged any food before and was really looking forward to this event.  I was sure there wouldn't be anything too weird that I couldn't handle. 

 These are two of my fellow judges - a radio personality and the fire chief.  The little miss is keeping the mayor's chair warm until he arrives.  Isn't she adorable!

The contestants are ready.  The chili is hot!  Great play on words, eh?   We are set!

There are ten teams.  We are given 2 ounce samples of each.  I should have done the calculation right then and there but I showed up hungry.  The first one was 'good', the second was 'great'.  Why wouldn't it be?  It was garnished with cheddar and sour cream.  I worked my way through the remainder of the first 5 samples.

The second set of 5 had 2 that really didn't appeal to me.  Thank heaven.  Because I ate the remaining 3 - 2oz servings.  Then when it was all over, I just had to have another 2 oz of my favourite.

Now I am drinking San Pelligrino by the bottle and have this heavy feeling in my stomach with a little heartburn.  I don't eat a lot of meat and what did I eat?  About 16 ounces of various chilis.  That equals two cups!  Somehow it doesn't look like that much when you are eating it out of little 2 ounce plastic cups.  (Note to self - next time, eat before I judge food.)

 The recipes were all so different.  The Phillippine style chili was interesting in a good way.  One team used chunks of beef rather than ground meat and I really liked that, too.  Some were dry and others more saucy.

You can see that the voting ballot is easy to use!  There was a winner in both the traditional and in the creative categories.

Maritime Fish Cakes

The Daring Cooks have done it again!  Another interesting challenge.  This time it is 'patties' or 'croquettes'.  I have been experimenting with a number of recipes for fish cakes.  I really like this one.  I had salt cod on hand.

The Daring Cooks’ February 2012 challenge was hosted by Audax & Lis and they chose to present Patties for their ease of construction, ingredients and deliciousness! We were given several recipes, and learned the different types of binders and cooking methods to produce our own tasty patties!

Fish Cakes

2 lb salt cod
1 lb potatoes
1 stalk celery, finey diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

Soak salt cod in cold water for 48 hours and change the water a couple of times.  Boil the peeled potatoes in water until tender.  Gently mash potatoes.  Cool.

Drain salt cod and rip into pieces.  Boil in water for 5 minutes.  Drain.  Shred and chop the cod into small pieces.

Saute celery and onion in olive oil until tender.

Mash the potatoes, add celery and onion and shredded cod.  Do not overwork.  Form into cakes.  Fry in hot oil.  Serve with chow chow.  The cakes can be frozen after forming into patties and cooked later.

Pumpkin Butter Sour Cream Coffee Cake

I had 4 cooking classes last week so have not been blogging.  It was a fun week though!  Teens 'n Moms made Layered Taco Salad in a Homemade Tortilla Bowl and a Sukiyaki.  Both relatively easy one dish meals that they can repeat at home.

Then it was a Men's Class and we cooked 'en papillote'.  Men are very calm and straight forward in the kitchen.  We tested the Mozarella and Basil Tomato Martinis that would be served at the next class.

Then I had two nights with a Taste Tour to Italy.  That was more of a tasting menu with about a dozen dishes ranging from Cinghiale Sugo (Wild boar stew) and Risotto Milanese, Duck Breast with Pomegranate Chile Sauce, Sweet Potato Gnocchi, caponata, pannacotta and lots more.  Needless to say, I have spent the day cleaning in my kitchen!  And probably will spend tomorrow finishing the job.

Tonight I am off to be a judge in a Chili Cook Off.  I am hoping I can take some pictures.

I have sour cream left over from another gig and pumpkin butter in my pantry.  So they went together in this little coffee cake that I am taking to the office for my friends there.  Click here for my recipe for pumpkin butter.

Pumpkin Butter Sour Cream Coffee Cake

½ cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
1 cup pumpkin butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped dried fruits

Filling:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 ½ tsp cinnamon

3 Tbs butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9×9” pan by lightly greasing it.
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and the sugar until fluffy.

Add the sour cream, pumpkin butter, eggs and vanilla to the bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.
Gently add the dry ingredients to the cake batter.


Mix into a smooth batter.
In a separate bowl, combine the dry filling ingredients while the butter is melting.
Pour the butter in and stir until you get a crumbly mixture.


Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan.
Sprinkle half of the filling over the batter.
Repeat the process with the other half of the batter and filling.


Bake on the middle rack in your oven for 50-60 minutes until the middle has baked all the way through and a skewer comes out clean.
Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. (keeps well for several days)

Bao Nyguen Art

This is one of my favourite pieces of art.  I bought this pencil sketch when I was on a tour of Viet Nam.  This artist is one of the country's best..