Creme De Cassis Sauce Food

CREME DE CASSIS (CURRANT LIQUEUR)

Steps:

• You will also need: 2 Quart mason jars.
• Phase one:.
• Remove currants from stems and wash.
• Fill two quart jars with currants three-quarters of the way to the top.
• Pour eau de vie or vodka over the currants until the jars are nearly full.
• Seal jars and let sit.
• Note: currents are usually available at the end of July; they should sit in the jars until early December.
• Phase Two:.
• In early December (or in 4 to 6 months), empty the contents of the two jars into a sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil.
• Strain the juice.
• Measure the quantity of juice.
• For every quart of juice, add one quart of sugar and one cup of eau de vie or vodka.
• Combine in a saucepan, bring to a boil, and simmer briefly till sugar is dissolved and mixture is syrupy (about ten minutes).
• Pour into sterilized jars or bottles.
• Seal.
• Note: It is ready to drink at this stage, but it only gets better as it sits.

PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CASSIS COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the duck skin side up. Using a sharp knife, score 4 (1/4-inch-deep) cuts across the skin at a 45 degree angle. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.
• Heat a well-seasoned skillet or nonstick pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. If you are unfamiliar with duck breasts, don't be put off by their unusual look. The fat-to-meat proportions reverse themselves when cooked, as much of the fat is rendered and the meat expands.
• Remove pan from heat (save the drippings) and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to a cooking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 6 minutes.
• Carefully discard all but 2 tablespoons of duck drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and add shallot. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, or until shallot begins to turn golden. Add Cassis to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up the browned bits left by the duck. Add jam, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon of black pepper, and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove duck from the oven and slice each breast at a 45 degree angle into 1/4-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plates and spoon Cassis compote overtop. Serve immediately.

CASSIS A L'EAU

Steps:

• Fill 3 glasses with ice cubes. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons crème de cassis in each glass and add water.

STRAWBERRIES WITH CASSIS SYRUP

Steps:

• Stem and wash the strawberries and drain.
• In a small saucepan combine creme de cassis, sugar and water.
• Cook over medium heat until mixture is reduced to about half a cup. Chill.
• Serve the berries in individual bowls and pour the syrup over them.

CREPES WITH RASPBERRY-CASSIS SAUCE

Steps:

• To make crepe batter, place milk, eggs, salt and sugar in blender. Turn on and, with the motor running, add flours, then melted butter and blend at high speed for 1 minute, until well mixed and smooth. Transfer to a bowl, stir in lime zest, cover and let rest for at least 30 minutes. If resting batter longer, refrigerate. (Whisk again before making crepes.)
• While batter is resting, make raspberry sauce. Combine 1/3 cup water and sugar in small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in rose water, raspberries and cassis liqueur. Return to heat, bring to a simmer, cover and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the mixture into a bowl. Press the raspberry pulp through strainer with a spatula and discard seeds. Whisk or stir to blend pulp and syrup and set aside.
• Make the yogurt filling: In a separate bowl, whisk together yogurt, honey, lime zest and juice. Taste and adjust sweetness. Set aside.
• To make crepes, heat 8-inch nonstick crepe pan or skillet over medium-high heat and brush lightly with butter. Pan must be hot when you add crepe batter. Lift pan off heat and pour or ladle in a scant 1/4 cup batter, enough to thinly coat bottom of pan. Tilt and swirl pan to distribute batter in an even layer. Return pan to heat and cook crepe for about 1 minute, until edges color and bottom of crepe is lightly browned. Crepe should not stick to pan. Flip crepe over and cook for 30 seconds on the other side, until speckled. Turn out onto a plate. Continue with remaining batter, brushing pan occasionally with butter if desired.
• If you want to serve crepes at their hottest, assemble them as they come out of the pan. Spread a rounded tablespoon of the yogurt mixture over each crepe, drizzle on 1/2 teaspoon raspberry sauce, fold crepe in half and then in half again. Place on plate or platter. When all crepes are made and filled, spoon or pour sauce over, garnish with raspberries, and, if desired, dust with powdered sugar. Serve.

STRAWBERRIES WITH CASSIS

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients in large bowl. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour, stirring occasionally. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Refrigerate.)
• Whip cream and powdered sugar in large bowl until stiff peaks form. Spoon 2/3 cup berries and some juices into each of 20 balloon glasses. Top each with spoonful of whipped cream and serve.