Barbecue Duck Fried Rice

Back a few years ago it was all the rage to take a supermarket roasted chicken and find a multitude of ways to turn it into a tasty meal. I don't know who came up with that idea but how can you make a tasteless, over-salted bird into something you actually want to serve to guests.

I say, move over supermarket roast chicken, and instead head right down to Chinatown. I haven't had a barbecue duck that wasn't absolutely delicious. With its crispy skin and five spice flavours it is one of my favourite meats to pick up when I am in the city.

Of course, you can make a meal of it but for a change and to make it stretch a little farther try this easy fried rice. It's simple with only a few ingredients and can be a meal in itself.

If the skin loses its crispness just put the meat, skin side down, in a cast iron skillet or wok and re-crisp. Leave the fat in the pan and use it in the stir fry. Be sure to make the rice ahead of time so it can cool. Warm rice does not brown in the pan.

Barbecue Duck Fried Rice

1 Chinese style barbecue duck
3 teaspoons sesame oil
2 eggs, beaten
6 green onions, shredded
1 cup snow peas, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 orange, segmented
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 cups cooked and cooled Jasmine rice
1 tablespoon light soy sauce

Remove the duck meat from the bones keeping the skin in tact. Save the bones to make stock.

Using a wok or cast iron skillet re-crisp the duck skin, if necessary. Set aside. If you are not crisping the skin put the duck meat in a pan to heat it before adding to the fried rice.

Add sesame oil to pan and heat until almost smoking. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet or wok and move it around so it coats the bottom. Cook only until done making a very thin omelet. When fully cooked remove it to a cutting board and cut into thin strips. Set aside.

Stir fry green onions, snow peas and garlic for one minute. Add cold rice and heat through. Add chopped omelet, orange segments and zest. Stir fry for one minute. Add soy sauce and duck meat.  Serve immediately.

Community Supported Foraging is not for the Faint of Heart

Boreal Pestle    Clavariadelphus borealis

Every month this summer I received a box of foraged foods. August was particularly heavy with wild mushrooms. Some varieties were new to me. These are all from the boreal forests of Saskatchewan.

The boreal pestle had a sweetness to them. They didn't appeal to me so I dried them and will make a tea this winter. It will be a slightly sweet tea rich in protein and nutrients.

I understand where my food comes from and how it doesn't look like it came from a grocery store. However, I am still squeamish about worms. Some mushrooms are more loved than others by these little white worms or perhaps they are maggots. Elisabeth, my forager, said I should just dry them. "You would be surprised how much protein is in dried mushrooms." That is certainly food for thought. Well, I didn't think on it very long. Into the composter they went. Can't stomach little white worms.

The little white worms had a mind of their own, if that makes any sense at all. I have a composting pail in my kitchen. The morning after putting the wormy mushrooms into the pail, with a lid that simply sits upon it, they had attempted their escape. Little white worms laid dead and dried in a radius around my pail. I cannot imagine the energy expended to crawl up and out and down onto the countertop. A very quick wipe with a wet dishcloth was necessary and done with an attempt not to think about it too much.

Pig's Ear Gomphus clavatus

The Pig's Ear are richly flavourful. I sauteed them and put them in the freezer. I had such a variety of mushrooms that I couldn't possibly eat them all fresh.

Bellybutton Hedgehog  Dentinum repandum

These bellybuttons sauteed nicely. Very versatile.

Comb Tooth  Hericium ramosum

Combtooth was another mushroom that I dried. Not quite sure yet how I will use it. Perhaps a tea or in a ragout.

Rainbow of Beets and Chevre Salad

Lovely heirloom beets grilled over charcoal. Cool a bit and peel. Roughly chop. Arrange on a plate. Garnish with chevre and edible flowers. Drizzle with camelina oil and a little bit of balsamic vinegar or birch syrup. Shower with coarse sea salt. Serve.

Making Tomato Powder at Home

I have had a busy summer and now ready to share what I have been up to. I have been intrigued with tomato powder and decided it was time to attempt to make some. These two bottles represent the dried tomato skins from about 20 pounds. You can imagine how the flavour is condensed.

My plan is to use this flavour rich tomato powder in soups and stews to add flavour. I plan to make fresh pasta that will have this added. That should offer me a red coloured pasta with flavour. Won't that be fun!

I peeled 20 pounds of roma tomatoes for salsa making and decided to use these skins for tomato powder.

I laid out the tomato skins on racks to dry. They took so much time. Much more time that I imagined. The skins would stick together and every day I would toss them up to separate. After about 10 days I thought they were ready for grinding.

I did grind them in my Vitamix but the mixture still had moisture. I laid out this first grind on a baking sheet and dried it again. This time for 3 or 4 days. Then I put it back in my blender and the result was exactly as I had hoped. It was fine and dry. It was ready to bottle and save.

Farmers' Market Vendor Trivia by the Numbers

For anyone who watches Dragon's Den or Shark Tank you know how obsessed Kevin O'Leary is with SKU's, Stock Keeping Unit numbers. If you have only one SKU to sell you are less likely to have your product placed in a big store chain.

Today out of interest I thought I would count how many SKU's I purchase to fit out my farmers' market menu.

Keep in mind that these numbers DO NOT include such items as my printer and ink cartridges, housecleaning, travel to purchase ingredients and arrive at the market, my cooking utensils and baking sheets, my bread oven and commercial mixer, the tubs to hold bread dough or all my measuring utensils and spatulas. This does not include any display items and tablecloths, paper and signage. No handwipes. No miscellaneous baking ingredients. This is my basic 'go to' that I need week in and week out.

And by the way, our market this season is a total of 16 weeks.

Here it is.

Packaging - 21
This includes all final packaging, labelling, securing, coverings and support for the food.

Flavours - 18
Here I have to list them. I am so thrilled to have such diversity and most are natural, organic and local. Saffron, rose petals, almond, vanilla, saskatoon, peach, BC and sour cherry, white chocolate, cinnamon, rhubarb, strawberry, honey, herbs & spices, garlic, tomato, raspberry and passion fruit.

Flours and baking -31
This includes my 10 varieties of flours, mostly organic and local. It includes additions to my breads such as local organic lentils, cracked grains and Canadian sea salt.

If my adding is correct that amounts to 70 SKU's or ordering and purchasing 70 unique products for my one little market table. Maintaining my stock and not over purchasing is integral. Failure in both reduces my profit.

So perhaps now you understand better why, although I do appreciate and consider all suggestions, there are very few I can act upon. Changes to my menu, such as adding gluten-free selections, creates a proportionate number of new products that I must keep in stock. Maintaining stock impacts my bottom line.

Preserving the Harvest for a Brighter Winter Season

I have been eating pretty high on the hog since I picked up my CSA box from Meadowlark Farms and a CSF (Community Supported Foraging) box from Prairie Infusions.

A rainbow of beets, carrots and beans deserve more than to be devoured hungrily. As much as I know I would enjoy that I want to partake of their beauty for a bit longer. Preserving the bounty has been my agenda these past few days.

I have been learning how to use fermentation as a preservation method. My lovely red, yellow and orange carrots are in a sea salt brine. I have added fresh ginger to one jar and a Thai chili in the other. Did you know that you can add carrot tops for added complexity and flavour?

Hank Shaw of Hunter Angler Gatherer Cook fame is my reliable source of recipes using wild and foraged foods. I made his pickled chanterelles. I can hardly wait to open this jar. I look forward to fishing out the mushrooms and anointing them with camelina oil to serve with a charcuterie platter or salad.

Once you have a brine figured out you can pretty well ferment any vegetable. I have a giardiniera going in my gallon crock. I put together a medley of yellow beans, onions, zucchini, green tomatoes, carrots and hot and sweet peppers.

Pickled Chanterelle Mushrooms   from Hunter Angler Gardener Cook

I followed this recipe to a T. Dry saute chanterelles first. Clean and put them into a hot dry frying pan. Small mushrooms whole and larger ones cut into large pieces.

1 lb. chanterelles
2 c. white wine vinegar
1/2 c. water
1/3 c. sugar
2 tbsp. sea salt
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. black peppercorns

Clean mushrooms and cut into pieces, if necessary.

Dry saute in a large pan. When they give up their water sprinkle with one tablespoon of salt and the thyme. Add remainder of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer for five minutes. Turn off heat.

Remove mushrooms with a slotted spoon and pack into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Be sure each jar has a bay leaf and some peppercorns.

Add cooking liquid to cover the mushrooms. Wipe rims of jars and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 20 minute

Fermented Giardiniera

2 c. thinly sliced carrots
2 c. sliced red bell peppers
1 1/2 c. thinly sliced onions
3 c. coarsely chopped zucchini
a few thickly sliced green roma tomatoes
3 peeled and sliced garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
sprig of fresh thyme
3 tbsp. unrefined salt such as kosher or sea salt
6 c. filtered water

Prepare brine by dissolving the salt in water.

Mix all the ingredients except the brine in a large crock or jar.

Fill jar with the brine, leaving 1½ -2 inches of headroom—the space at the top, between the rim of the jar and the top of the vegetables. Weight the vegetables so they are completely submerged in the brine.

Cover the top of the vessel with a lid, coffee filter, paper towel, cheese cloth, or tea towel to keep bugs out.

Be sure to secure towels with a very tight rubber band or the ring from the canning jars. 

Place the jar out of direct light.

Ferment at room temperature 4 days before checking the flavor. If you prefer the flavor more sour, continue fermenting. Any foam that accumulates on the top of the brine can be skimmed off.

Transfer the jars to the refrigerator when the flavour is to your taste.