Grapes In Port Wine Sauce Food

GRAPES IN PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine wine, orange peel, cinnamon stick and honey in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve honey. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup (80ml), about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick and discard. Stir in grapes. Allow to sit, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour or up to two hours at room temperature, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to three days.
• Serve over ice cream, frozen yogurt or in a small dish on its own, with biscotti.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH ROASTED GRAPE AND PORT WINE SAUCE WITH SWEET POTATO CAKE AND SAUTéED HARICOT VERTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• For the duck: Score the skin on the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern and season on both sides with salt. Place skin-side down in a cold medium sauté pan. Place the pan over low heat and slowly render the fat for 10 minutes, occasionally removing and reserving the fat. Flip the breasts and cook on the flesh side for 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a sheet pan, reserving the sauté pan, and bake for 5 minutes. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes and leave the oven on for the sweet potato cake.
• Meanwhile, to the reserved sauté pan, add the shallots and salt and turn the heat to medium. If the pan is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of the reserved duck fat. Sweat the shallots, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and deglaze the bits from the bottom of the pan. When the stock is reduced by about half, add the grapes and 1/2 cup of the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the stock by about half again.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the port wine. Return to the heat and slightly tilt the pan forward to flambe. Reduce until the alcohol has cooked off, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup stock and any juices from the duck that have accumulated on the sheet pan and reduce by about half. Finish the sauce with the butter, taste for seasoning and keep warm.
• For the sweet potato cake: Coat a small nonstick pan with olive oil. Starting in the center of the pan, arrange a layer of sweet potato slices to cover the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping them in a circular pattern. Season with salt. Repeat the process with a second layer, adding salt, olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan. Repeat this process 4 more times, adding Parmesan on every other layer. On the last layer, add salt and Parmesan, but not olive oil. Firmly press down on the top of the potatoes.
• Place the pan over medium-low heat and slowly cook until the bottom of the potatoes is golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes, gently shaking the pan occasionally to prevent the potatoes from sticking. Cover with a flat lid, flip the sweet potato cake onto the lid, then slide the cake back into the pan (the layer of potatoes that was on the bottom will now be on the top). Cook 5 minutes more, then bake until the potatoes are fully cooked through and fork tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain off some of the excess fat, then slide the cake onto a cutting board and slice into wedges.
• For the haricot verts: While the sweet potato cake bakes, season a pot of boiling water generously with salt. It should be as salty as the sea. Prepare an ice bath and season generously with salt. Add the haricot verts to the boiling water and cook until bright green and tender, but still slightly crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the haricot verts and immediately plunge into the ice bath.
• Coat the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil, add the shallots, red pepper flakes and salt and sweat over medium-high heat until the shallots are soft and translucent, 5 minutes. Add a bit of the reserved duck fat and the drained haricot verts and toss to combine. Season with salt to taste, then remove from the heat.
• To serve: Slice the duck on the bias, then plate it. Spoon the sauce over the duck and around the plates and garnish with some chives. Serve alongside a wedge of sweet potato cake and the haricot verts.

GRAPES IN PORT WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the wine, orange peel, cinnamon stick and honey into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the honey. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 15-20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the orange peel and cinnamon stick and discard. Stir in the grapes. Allow to sit, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour or up to two hours at room temperature or place in the refrigerator in an airtight container where it will keep up to three days.
• Serving suggestions: Serve in a small dish on its own, with biscotti or over plain, low-fat Greek yogurt or vanilla or chocolate frozen yogurt.
• Serving size: about 1/2 cup

SEARED PORK CHOPS WITH GRAPE SAUCE

Steps:

• Salt the chops and let sit outside the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
• Add the bacon and 1 teaspoon oil to a saute pan and place over medium-high heat. Once the bacon starts to render, add the grapes. Allow the bacon to render and get crispy and the grapes to split open and release their juices. Remove half of the grapes and bacon and set aside. Add the port wine and red wine vinegar and reduce by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce by half.
• To a cast-iron pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned pork chops to the pan and sear. Cook the pork for 6 to 7 minutes on the first side. Flip over and reduce the heat. Cook for another 6 to 7 minutes until cooked through. Flip and cook the pork on the remaining sides for another 2 to 3 minutes each side. Remove the pork from the pan and allow it to rest for about 5 minutes prior to serving.
• When ready to serve, add in the reserved grapes and bacon to the sauce. Taste and re-season if needed. Pour over the chops and garnish with chives.