Cornmeal Matafan Stuffed With Shredded Duck Food

SZECHUAN BEEF TENDERLOIN STUFFED WITH PEKING DUCK

Steps:

• For the edamame:
• Add soybeans in their pods to a pot and cover with water. Boil until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove soybeans from their pods and add to a pot (reserving about 1/2 cup for texture in a separate bowl) along with chicken stock. Set aside until needed, at which time you will heat and then puree just before serving.;
• For the rice:
• Rinse rice in strainer under cold water. Add rice, 3 3/4 cups cold water and salt to a saucepot. Cover and let soak for a half hour. Remove lid, then turn heat to medium and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes without removing the lid. Transfer to a mixing bowl, stir in tarragon, vinegar, and cover with a clean damp kitchen towel and keep at room temperature.;
• For the stuffing:
• Remove the meat from the Peking duck, reserving the skin and bones in a saute pan. Finely shred enough duck meat to make 6 tablespoons shredded duck, and place in a mixing bowl. Stir in scallions, hoisin sauce, and ginger soy syrup and set aside at room temperature until needed.;
• For the filet mignon:
• Cut a slit in the top center of each steak to hold the stuffing. With a spice grinder, with a mortar and pestle (if you are strong and persistent), or with a coffee grinder dedicated to grinding spices, pulverize the wasabi peas, peppercorns, and salt, together. Stuff the steaks with even amounts of the duck mixture and tie up with butcher's string to help them keep their shape through the searing process. Coat each filet with the wasabi/peppercorn mixture and set aside briefly.
• Return to the edamame and heat the beans and chicken stock over medium-high heat until the chicken stock is reduced by half. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• For the sauce:
• To the pan of duck skin and bones, add enough water to cover and the demi-glace. Cook until the liquid is reduced by half and strain through a chinois. Discard the skin and bones. Season the reduction with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and keep warm by nesting the bowl in another bowl of hot water.;
• To cook the filet mignon:
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat in a saute pan with oven safe handles (reserving the other tablespoon of oil). When the oil begins to shimmer add the steaks to the pan, stuffed side down first, and sear, leaving undisturbed for the first 2 minutes or so to let the caramelization process begin to allow the stuffing to integrate into the meat and to prevent tearing the beef. Add the reserved grapeseed oil and flip the steaks, searing the other side in the same way, leaving undisturbed for about 2 or 3 minutes. Transfer to the oven to finish to an internal temperature of 125 degrees F as measured with an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness. Remove from oven and let carryover cook to about 132 degrees F for medium-rare, or cook to your liking.
• When you have placed the filet mignon in the oven, puree the edamame with an immersion blender and toss in the reserved whole beans for texture. Cover and keep warm.
• Remove steaks from oven, if done, and let rest as indicated above.
• For the rice:
• Using a 3-inch circle cutter, form the sushi rice into "cakes." Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and lightly fry the rice circles until golden brown on each side. Leave each side undisturbed for the first 2 to 3 minutes to prevent the "cakes" from breaking apart.
• For the carrots, heat the canola oil in a saute pan and deep-fry carrots.
• Spoon some edamame puree in the left center of serving plate and some duck essence (sauce) on the right center of plate. Place a sauteed circle of rice in the center topped with a stuffed steak and 2 fried carrots on the very top.
• In a pan lightly coated with oil, combine garlic, ginger, and scallions over medium heat, season with salt and pepper, and let sweat. Deglaze pan with soy sauce, honey and lime juice. Let reduce by 30 to 40 percent until the mixture becomes a syrup, about 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and transfer to a bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
• Yield: about 2 cups or 32 servings of 1 tablespoon each.

CORNMEAL MATAFAN STUFFED WITH SHREDDED DUCK

Steps:

• To make the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the duck breast in a roasting pan and roast until medium-rare, about 25 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the meat. Set aside.
• In a medium-size skillet over low heat, cook the sausage for 3 minutes, stirring constantly and breaking it up with a fork.
• Add the shredded duck, crushed juniper berries, salt and pepper and continue to cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper. Stir in the parsley, set aside and keep warm.
• To make the crepe, combine the cornmeal and the flour in a bowl. Add the buttermilk and the egg yolks and whisk until smooth. Add the salt and melted butter and continue whisking for 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, use a whisk to beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Use a rubber spatula to fold the egg whites into the batter.
• Heat a 10-inch, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon butter. When the butter is melted, ladle 3/4 cup of the batter into the pan and use a spatula to spread it into a 7-inch circle. Cook until browned on the bottom, about 1 1/2 minutes. Flip the pancake over with a spatula and cook until browned on the other side and cooked through, about 1 minute longer. Remove to a warmed plate.
• Repeat with the remaining batter, adding 1/2 teaspoon butter between each one. Place about 1/4 cup of the duck mixture in the center of each pancake, roll up loosely and serve immediately with a green salad.

MEXICAN STUFFED CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Brown ground beef with a little onion and garlic powder, if desired. Drain well & set aside.
• Mix cornmeal, canned corn, sugar, onion, 2 cups shredded cheese, oil, eggs, milk, and Rotel.
• Pour half of cornmeal mixture into a 13 x 9 pan sprayed with Pam.
• Sprinkle browned ground beef on top of cornmeal mixture, and top with thinly sliced Velveeta, if desired. (Adding Velveeta will make a really cheesy casserole.).
• Top with remaining cornmeal mixture.
• Sprinkle remaining 1 cup cheese on top.
• Bake at 350 for one hour.

SHREDDED ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325. Remove giblets and neck from duck cavity, and discard or reserve for another use. Cut off excess fat from duck cavity. Place duck on a rack in a deep roasting pan, breast-side up, and season with salt and pepper. Then slide the pan into the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 2 hours.
• Remove duck from oven, and use the point of a sharp knife to prick the skin of the bird, all over the breasts and thighs. Return bird to oven, and cook for 1 to 2 more hours, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thigh measures around 155 degrees.
• Increase oven temperature to 450, and cook until the duck is golden and crisp, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Carefully remove the roasting pan from the oven, and transfer the duck to a cutting board. (Let the fat in the pan cool, then store it, covered, in the refrigerator. It is an excellent medium for roasting potatoes.) Allow the duck to rest for a few minutes, then shred it, using two forks to pull the meat apart. Add your favorite barbecue sauce, to taste, or your favorite hoisin sauce, to taste. Keep warm.