But about last night! I forgot the soup so we had to ditch the pumpkins soup shots (having another gather on Wednesday to bid our friends goodbye so will have them then!) but nobody noticed! Everyone arrived around 4 and we snacked and talked until 5:30 or so. Then I gave everyone a job and we cooked. And we ate and we drank! The food was wonderful and the company the best! And we had all of this fun with the sound of the crashing waves in the distance. Too cold to hang outside but we did manage a midnight walk in the pitch black! Here are some of the recipes for the dishes I cooked last night.
A Special Menu to Celebrate My Montana Friends!
December 13th, 2009
With Cocktails and Conversation
Ricotta, Gruyere and Prosciutto Filo Triangles
First Course
Beet and Spinach Salad with Warm Pancetta Vinaigrette,
Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts
Entrée
Duck Two Ways, Confit and Seared Breast with Port Poached Pears
In a Port Wine Sauce
*
Yukon Gold Potatoes fried in Duck Fat
*
Wilted Swiss Chard and Turnip Greens with Turnips
Dessert
Ginger Bread with Poached Persimmons and Whipped Cream
Beet and Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Vinaigrette, Goat Cheese and Hazelnuts
Talk about a great combination of flavors; sweet beets, salty bacon, creamy goat cheese and crunchy hazelnuts! My idea of heaven on a plate!
Serves 6
The Salad
2 small or 4 large beets
8 cups spinach or combination of spinach and radicchio
½ cup crumbled goat cheese
½ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped
The Vinaigrette
- 5 ounces bacon, cut into ¼ inch batons
1/3 cup good quality olive oil
1/3 cup hazelnut oil (if not available use all olive oil)
¼ cup good quality balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and trim beets then wrap each beet individually in aluminum foil. Roast the beets until a knife slides through, about 40 to 60 minutes depending on the size. Once cool enough to handle, slip off the skins and cut in half inch dice. Place in a bowl and set aside with the spinach/radicchio, goat cheese and hazelnuts.
Cook the bacon in a small sauté pan over medium heat in a bit of the olive oil until the bacon has rendered its fat and is slightly crisp. Add the remaining olive oil, the hazelnut oil, vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk lightly to incorporate and continue to heat the oils lightly. Toss the beets with a bit of the dressing and then the spinach, making sure you place all of the bacon on the spinach. You may not need all the dressing. You can serve on individual plates or on a platter by placing the lettuce first, top with the beets then add the crumbled goat cheese and the hazelnuts.
Pan Seared Duck Breast with Port Poached Pears
This easy entrée must become one of your entertaining stables. It is unusual and absolutely delicious. You can use chicken stock in place of the duck, just make sure it is true stock, not canned chicken broth. You can find stock in the freezer section of your well stocked super markets.Serves 6
For the duck
- 3 large duck breasts or 6 small
- 8 cups body temperature water
- ½ cup salt
- ¼ cup sugar
For the pears
2 to 3 cups port wine
3 large bosc pears or any other firm pear, peeled cut in half with the core removed
For the salad
3 tablespoons olive or almond oil
6 cups arugula
½ cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 7 minutes
Salt and pepper to taste
For the sauce
1 cup port from the pears
- 2 cups duck or chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter (optional)
For the potatoes
6 medium Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and cut in ½ inch cubes
- Left over duck fat from the cooking the breasts
Mix the water, salt and sugar and whisk until completely incorporated. Score the fat on the duck breasts in a diamond shape being careful not to cut through the skin. Place the duck breasts in the brine and refrigerate for one hour.
While the ducks are brining, place the prepared pears in a small saucepan and cover with port wine. Bring to a simmer, turn the heat down to a low simmer and poach for about a half hour or until tender. Let cool in the liquid. Once cooled fan the pears by cutting 1/3 inch sliced into the pear keeping the slices intact at the neck of the pear. This can be done a day ahead just bring the pears to room temperature for the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Remove the duck breast from the brine and dry well. Heat a skillet just large enough to hold the breast to a low heat and add duck breasts. No need to add oil, as the duck cooks, it will release the fat which will sear the skin. Cook the duck breast, again over a low heat (to slowly render the fat and cook the meat) for around 20-25 minutes or until the skin is lightly browned. Turn the breast over and cook for an additional 5 minutes and then place on a baking pan (this can all be done ahead of time but bring the duck back to room temperature before continuing). Cook in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and let rest in on a plate covered with foil for at least 10 minutes.
While the duck is in the oven (or set aside if you are doing this ahead), place the fat into the pan you plan to cook the potatoes. Reheat the duck pan and add the port wine to deglaze. Boil the wine until reduce to around 2/3 cup. Add stock and continue to reduce until the sauce is syrupy and has flavor. Again, this can be done ahead of time, just reheated when you are ready to finish the serve the dinner. Just before serving, reheat the sauce and add butter to create a shiny more finished sauce.
While the duck is resting, heat the duck fat over high heat and add potatoes. Salt well and let potatoes cook, undisturbed until a nice crust is formed. Turn potatoes over and continue on the other side until well browned. Again, season well with salt and a bit of pepper. All of this cannot be done ahead of time, or you will lose the crisp of the potato.
Dress the salad with the almond oil and season with salt and pepper (no need for a vinaigrette, the meat juice and sauce will properly season the greens). Toss in the almonds. After the duck has rested, slice the breasts in ¼ inch slices. Place the salad on the plates and top with the duck breast on the side of the salad. Place a pear half onto the duck and dress with the warm sauce. Scatter around the fried potatoes and serve!
Gingerbread with Poached Persimmons
Gingerbread
· 1 ½ cups boiling water
· 1 cup molasses
· 1 teaspoon baking soda
· 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
· 1 cup firmly packed, light brown sugar
· 1 large egg
· 2 teaspoons ground ginger
· 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
· Pinch of ground cloves
· 2 1/2 cups flour
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Persimmons
6 persimmons
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan.
Bring the water to a boil in a small pot and remove it from the heat. Stir in the molasses and the baking soda. Set aside to cool to lukewarm.
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
Sift together the ginger, cinnamon, cloves, flour and baking powder. Add the salt. On low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the cooled molasses mixture to the butter mixture in 3 additions, stirring well after each addition. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
Poached Persimmons
Peel and quarter persimmons. Take the hard center out of the quarters and then cut each quarter in half or thirds, depending on the size of the persimmonIn a saucepan, add the wine, orange juice, sugar, ginger and cinnamon; bring to a boil. Add persimmons, reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove persimmons from liquid and reduce to develop flavor, about 5-7 more minutes. Add poaching liquid back into the cook persimmons and cool. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
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