Magret Of Duck With Fig And Shallot Compote Food

BAKED BRIE WITH FIG COMPOTE

Steps:

• Combine the figs, orange zest, thyme, brandy, sugar, vinegar, a few grinds of pepper and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the liquid is syrupy and the figs are softened, 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl, discard the zest and thyme and let cool, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until mostly smooth.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Unroll the pie dough onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out the outer 2 inches of dough with a rolling pin to make the edge slightly thinner than the rest of the dough. Put the cheese in the center of the dough and top with the fig compote. Trim about 1 inch off the outer edge of the dough. Pull the dough up and over the cheese, folding and pleating the dough all the way around until the cheese is covered. Pinch the dough together at the top to seal.
• Transfer the wrapped cheese to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the dough with the beaten egg and bake until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool about 10 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board to slice. Serve warm or at room temperature.

MAGRET OF DUCK WITH FIG AND SHALLOT COMPOTE

Steps:

• In a skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 10 minutes. Add the wine, chicken stock, figs, lemon zest, sugar, and cloves. Decrease the heat to low and simmer until the figs are very soft but still retain their shape, about 30 to 45 minutes. Then increase the heat to high and simmer until the sauce thickens, 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Place the duck breasts on a work surface, skin side up. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a grid pattern, going through half the thickness of the skin but not through to the meat.
• Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck breasts, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden and the fat from the skin has rendered, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the duck breasts over, season with salt and pepper, and transfer the skillet to the oven. Cook until the duck breasts are medium-rare, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Remove the skillet from the oven, remove the duck, cover it with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes. In the meantime, warm the fig sauce.
• Cut each duck breast on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan the slices out on each plate, spoon the warm sauce over the top, and serve.

DUCK CONFIT ON COUNTRY TOAST WITH FIG CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Place the duck legs in a shallow roasting pan, generously sprinkle with salt mixture (recipe follows) and pour over enough duck fat to cover. Cook in a preheated 275 degree oven for about 2/12 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove the legs from the fat to cool. Strain the fat and save for other uses (it will last a couple of weeks in the refrigerator).
• Slice the Italian bread into 1/2-inch thick slices. Sprinkle with some extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Toast in a 300 degree oven until golden.
• Put all of the ingredients except the mascarpone cheese in a heavy-bottom saucepan over low heat and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper
• To serve, place fig chutney on a slice of the toasted Italian bread and top with a dollop of the mascarpone cheese. Serve the duck on the side. Or you might remove the bone from the leg, trying to keep the meat intact and serve it on top of the chutney. The duck legs will remain crisp if you prepare them the same day you will be serving them and keep them at room temperature for up to 3 hours.

MAGRET DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• For the duck:
• Score the top of the duck breast in a criss-cross pattern. Mix the garam masala, five spice powder, and salt in a bowl and liberally season the duck on both sides.
• Heat a saute pan on high heat. Char the grapes until they almost split open, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the Zinfandel and reduce the juices into a syrup on medium heat, about 15 minutes. Add the demi-glace. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In a large saute pan over medium high heat, cook the duck, fat side down, with no oil, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the breast over and brown again, about 5 minutes. The duck should be served rare to medium rare, but if you desire more cooking, bake it in a 350 degree F oven until desired doneness, for medium about 15 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias. Spoon sauce over the duck prior to service.
• For the Spaetzle:
• In an electric mixer, add the flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg. On slow speed, drop 1 egg at a time, until the mixture is smooth, then add the yolks. Add the milk and the melted butter. Let the mixture relax for at least a half an hour.
• Over boiling water, squeeze the batter through a spaetzle press, once it floats, spoon it out into a cold water bath to stop the cooking process. When ready to serve, saute in butter and season with more salt and pepper, if needed.

MAGRET DE CANARD WITH COLONEL HAWKER SAUCE

Steps:

• Score the duck by drawing a sharp knife at a slant diagonally through the skin and fat in rows 1/4 inch apart without penetrating the flesh. Do the same in the opposite direction. Salt the breasts on both sides.
• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Place duck breasts skin side down and reduce heat to low to render the fat without overcooking the meat, which should be served pink. Cook slowly until the layer of fat all but disappears, about 30 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high, turn breasts over and sear until browned, about 1 minute. Let duck sit for 10 minutes to reabsorb its juices. Remove breasts and cover loosely. Save fat for another purpose.
• Combine stock, sauces, lemon juice, shallot, cloves, mace and cayenne. Heat to boiling; then simmer 10 minutes. Strain and discard solids. Return sauce to the cleaned pan, add port and reduce to about 1 cup. Adjust seasonings. (If desired, thicken sauce slightly with roux, as in previous recipe.)
• To serve, thinly slice breasts lengthwise and accompany with the sauce.