Chinese Jerk Spice Duck Breast With Cauliflower Puree Food

SEA BASS WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER PUREE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a small saucepan, reduce the heavy cream by half over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• In a medium saute pan, cook the cauliflower, garlic and onion in 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. If the cauliflower starts to brown, deglaze the pan with a splash of white wine or water. Remove from the heat and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Blend together the cream, cauliflower mixture, mascarpone, sherry vinegar and salt and white pepper to taste in a blender.
• Heat a cast-iron skillet with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil over high heat until very hot. Sear the sea bass, skin-side down, for 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake until opaque, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a large Dutch oven about halfway with oil and bring to 375 degrees F. Fry the leek tops until dark and crispy.
• Divide the cauliflower puree among 4 plates, then top each with a piece of sea bass. Garnish with the fried leek tops, lemon peel, radish slices, chives and parsley and serve immediately.

SAUTEED DUCK BREAST WITH WILD MUSHROOMS AND CARROT-CAULIFLOWER PUREE

Steps:

• Clean and trim the mushrooms, then halve or quarter them lengthwise to accentuate the natural shapes of the different mushrooms.
• Score the duck skin in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking, then add the mushrooms, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are golden and any liquid they give off evaporates, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the broth, butter, lemon juice and parsley and cook, swirling the skillet, until the butter melts and the liquid forms a sauce. Keep warm.
• Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot, then add the duck skin-side down. Cook until the fat begins to render from the skin, about 2 minutes, and then reduce the heat to medium. Pour any excess fat from the pan as needed while cooking the duck (use a large spatula to hold the duck in place). Continue to cook the duck, uncovered, without turning, until the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Turn the duck over and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 135 degrees F for medium rare, about 1 minute more. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
• Slice each duck breast into 5 to 6 pieces diagonally. Divide the Carrot-Cauliflower Puree among 4 plates, then top with the sliced duck breasts. Spoon the mushrooms and sauce around the plates and serve.
• 3/4 pound carrots, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 pound cauliflower florets, trimmed and cut into small pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Put the carrots and cauliflower in a heavy medium saucepan with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cover and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.
• Transfer the vegetables to a food processor. Add the heavy cream and process until very smooth. Return the puree to the saucepan, reheat over medium heat and season with salt and pepper. (The puree can be made up to a day ahead and reheated.)

SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH PLUM WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Marinate the duck breast with 5 spice powder, ginger root, scallions, salt, pepper and sesame oil for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Heat skillet on moderately high heat, do not add any oil. Sear duck breast skin side down, brown both sides. Transfer duck to oven proof plate and cook the duck in the oven for 10 minutes for medium rare. Pour off grease form the skillet, add plum wine, add duck stock season with salt and pepper and reduce the sauce to 1 cup. Then incorporate the butter to the sauce and set aside and keep warm. Remove duck from oven let it set for 5 minutes before slicing.

HONEY-ROASTED DUCK WITH CREAMED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Dry the duck with kitchen paper and liberally season all over with coarse salt. Put the thyme and bay leaves inside the cavity, then place the duck on a rack over a roasting tray.
• Cook for 10 mins or until the skin begins to turn golden, then reduce the heat to 180C/fan 160C/ gas 4. Cook for a further 45 mins, basting the bird with honey every 5 mins or so for the final 20 mins of cooking. Your bird will now be roasted to medium - cook 10 mins more, if you like your duck well done. Set aside to rest, uncovered, for 10 mins.
• Meanwhile, make the creamed cauliflower. In a pan, cook the caulifl ower and shallots in the butter over a low heat for 20 mins until softened and any liquid has evaporated. Spoon into a liquidiser with the cream and whizz to a purée. Season and keep warm.
• For the garlic crisps, thinly slice the garlic cloves using a really sharp knife or a mandolin. Place the slices in a pan along with the milk and slowly bring to the boil.
• Remove from the heat and strain the garlic slices, discarding the milk (or save it for mashed potato). Leave the garlic to drain on kitchen paper. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with the oil and heat. Fry the slices, a couple at a time, until golden and crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon.
• To serve, carve the duck and serve alongside the creamed caulifl ower and sprigs of watercress, sprinkled with the crisp garlic slices.