Braised Lotus And Leek Duck Food

BRAISED LEEKS WITH SEL DE MER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Place the leeks into a baking dish and pour the wine over them. Dot the leeks with butter and sprinkle with sel de mer. Place uncovered in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until they are fork tender. Remove from the braising liquid and serve immediately.

GRILLED BRAISED LEEKS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to high. Cut each leek in half lengthwise and rinse thoroughly to remove all dirt and sand. Pat dry. Brush the cut side of each leek half with the bacon drippings and sprinkle with kosher salt. Grill over direct, high heat, cut side down, with lid closed, approximately 6 to 7 minutes or until grill marks appear. Remove the leeks to a sheet of aluminum foil and lay cut side up. Brush the leeks with balsamic vinegar. Reassemble the leek halves together, wrap tightly in foil, and set back on the grill away from direct heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Remove the leeks from the foil and serve immediately, as is or with crumbled bacon and goat cheese.

BRAISED DUCK WITH SPICED LENTILS AND LIME ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut the duck in quarters and remove the drumstick tips. Season with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, rub all over with the garlic and place a piece of cinnamon stick on each quarter. Let sit at room temperature 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Transfer the duck to an ovenproof frying pan along with the chicken or other fat. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, lift the duck from the fat and remove and discard the skin. Cover with a wet towel until serving time. To reserve, store the duck in the cooking fat and refrigerate up to a week.
• To reheat the duck, remove from the fat if necessary, and place on a rack in a tightly covered pan. Warm in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the lime onions, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Saute the onions, stirring frequently, until just wilted (but not browned). Toss with the lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and l/2 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm. The onions can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.
• To serve, spread a bed of lentils on each serving plate. Top with a piece of duck and smother with the warm onions. Serve immediately.

SEARED OYSTERS BRAISED LEEKS AND CHILI

Steps:

• Shuck all the oysters and remove from the shell. Do not discard the shell. Slice the leeks and wash them very well. In a small saute pan sweat leeks until tender and keep them warm.
• Slice all the peppers very thinly in small strips, cook them with olive oil until tender and add the sherry vinegar. Place the leeks in the bottom of the shell. Sear the oysters quickly in a very hot pan and put them on top of the leeks. Spoon the peppers on top of each oyster and serve.

FRENCH BRAISED LEEKS WITH DIJON VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Cut the root end off the leeks, as well as the dark green stem end, leaving just the white and light green portion. Split them lengthwise and remove the outer two layers. Wash thoroughly under running water, being careful to rinse between layers to remove any grit. Shake off the excess water.
• Rub the bottom of a large, heavy-bottomed skillet with the softened butter, then lay the leeks, cut side down, in the pan. They should fit snugly in one layer across the pan. Pour the wine and Chicken Stock over the leeks, sprinkle with salt and a little pepper, then cover with waxed paper or parchment (which will keep the tops of the leeks moist), and bring the liquid to a boil.
• Reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. Use a small spatula or tongs to turn the leeks once, halfway through the cooking process. When cooked, the leeks should be completely tender and not stringy. Turn them over once more, so the outer layers are facing up. To test doneness, I usually just peel off one or two outer layers, the last to get cooked, and sample them (if they are the least bit tough, cook for another 5 minutes).
• Remove pan from the heat and cool. If there are more than 2 tablespoons of juices left in the pan, remove the leeks to a serving platter and reduce the juices to 2 tablespoons. Reserve juices for the Dijon vinaigrette.
• Pour the dressing over the leeks and let sit for at least 10 minutes. These leeks are wonderful served warm or cold, but I like them best at room temperature.
• Dijon Vinaigrette
• Whisk together the shallot, mustard, vinegar, and pan juices in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in the olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.

BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH LEEKS AND GREEN OLIVES

Steps:

• Trim the excess fat from duck legs. Several hours ahead or the night before, season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F.
• In an ovenproof skillet just large enough to hold the duck legs comfortably, heat the olive oil. Add the leeks and carrot. Cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in additional salt, thyme, parsley sprigs, bay leaf, and olives. Cook for 3 more minutes. Place the duck legs in the skillet, skin side down. Add to the skillet white wine and chicken broth with lemon zest.
• The liquid should be about 1 inch deep; add more liquid if needed. Raise the heat, bring to a simmer, and immediately put the skillet in the oven. After 30 minutes, take the pan from the oven and turn the legs skin side up. If necessary, pour off and reserve some of the liquid so that all the duck skin is exposed. Turn the oven down to 325°F and continue cooking for 1 to 1 1/2 hours more. The duck is done when the skin is browned and the tip of a knife slips easily in and out of the meat.
• Set the duck legs aside and pour the braising juices and vegetables into a small bowl. Allow the liquid to settle, then skim off and discard the fat. The duck legs will render a surprising amount of fat. Taste for salt and correct the seasoning if needed. If it's too thin, reduce the braising liquid to concentrate it. Pour the liquid and vegetables back into the skillet with the duck legs on top. Just before serving, return to a simmer and reheat for a few minutes.
• Variations
• · Pitted olives can be substituted, but use fewer, about 1/2 cup, and don't add them to the braise until the last 15 minutes of cooking.
• · Substitute dry sherry for half the wine.
• · Substitute dried fruit such as prunes or figs for the olives. Use red wine instead of white and add a piece of bacon or pancetta to the braise. Omit the lemon zest.
• · Substitute chicken legs for the duck legs. Reduce the cooking time by 30 minutes.

BRAISED LEEKS WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Cut the ends and the dark green leaves of the leeks, and cut in half lengthwise. Place in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then run under the faucet to remove any sand that may be lingering in between the layers. Peel off thick outer layers and discard.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet that will accommodate all of the leeks in one layer. Place the leeks in the pan, cut side down, and cook, shaking the pan and moving them around with tongs, until they are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the leeks over and cook on the other side until they are lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Turn the leeks back over so that the cut side is down. Peel off the outer layers if they are papery, as they will not soften when the leeks are braised. Pour in the wine and stir to deglaze the bottom of the pan, then add enough water or stock to come just to the top of the leeks. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the leeks are thoroughly tender when pierced with a knife. Most of the liquid should have evaporated by this time. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.
• Transfer the leeks to an oiled ovenproof pan if your skillet cannot go under the broiler. Using tongs, turn the leeks so that the flat side is up. If there is still a lot of liquid in the pan, pour it off. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the leeks. Place under the hot broiler until the cheese has melted and is beginning to color. Remove from the heat and serve.