Roasted Duck Sour Pomegranate Onions Food

ROASTED VENISON WITH POACHED QUINCES IN A VANILLA ORANGE BROTH, SWEET AND SOUR CABBAGE AND A POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the sliced quinces in an ovenproof pan. Add the orange juice, vanilla bean, fennel seed, star anise, and sugar. Bring to a boil. Cover and put in the oven. Cook until when pierced with a small knife there is no resistance, about 20 minutes. Strain liquid into another pan and reduce by one-half. Set aside reduced liquid and quinces.
• Cabbage: In a medium size pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add the red onions and sweat until soft. Add the cabbage and mix well. Let cook for 3 minutes, or until the cabbage has softened a bit. Deglaze with both vinegars and let reduce until dry. Add the port wine and reduce until almost all the port is gone. Add the red wine and reduce until just a little liquid remains. Season, to taste, and set aside.
• Venison Sauce: Heat a heavy-duty saucepan. Add the sugar and caramelize. Deglaze with vinegar and pepper. Reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the port and reduce by 3/4, then add the red wine and reduce by 1/2. Add the stock and reduce until thick and syrupy. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Add the pomegranate molasses and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• To finish: Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Season venison steaks with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sear the venison on both sides. Place in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest over a wire rack.
• To serve: Reheat the quinces in the reduced orange juice with 1 tablespoon butter.
• Reheat the cabbage in 1/4 cup chicken stock and the remaining 3 tablespoons butter.
• Reheat the sauce and whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter, add the pomegranate seeds and season, to taste.
• Heat 6 large dinner plates and place a mound of cabbage in the center. Leave 3 pieces of quince on cabbage at equal distance from each other. Slice the venison into 3 pieces against the grain. Place the venison between the quinces. Nap the plate with the sauce. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

ROASTED PEKING DUCK WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the apple, chopped ginger, and peppercorns in a bowl. Stuff the mixture into the duck and close the skin using a wooden skewer (to hold in the stuffing). Hang the duck for 2 hours at room temperature (place a pan underneath it to catch the drippings). Place the duck on a pan fitted with a rack (breast side up), and roast in a preheated 375 degree convection oven for 40 minutes. If you don't have a convection oven, roast the duck in a conventional oven at 400 degrees for 55 minutes, or until the duck is a deep golden brown color. To serve, allow duck to rest 5 minutes before cutting. Carefully remove breast and leg from the duck.
• POSTRIO POMEGRANATE SAUCE: In a medium sized saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add shallots, and sweat, do not cook until the shallots color. Add wines and bring to a boil. Add cinnamon stick, star anise, and rosemary. Reduce wine by 2/3, add chicken stock, demi-glace, and 3/4 cup of the pomegranate seeds, and reduce by half, until sauce reaches a syrupy consistency. Remove sauce from heat, season with salt and pepper, and whisk in the tablespoon of butter. Strain sauce through a fine chinois and serve or keep hot in a hot water bath. When serving sauce, garnish with the leftover 1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds.

PERSIAN CHICKEN OR DUCK IN POMEGRANATE WALNUT SAUCE (FESENJAN)

Steps:

• Sprinkle meat with lime juice and allow to marinate for 1-4 hours.
• Over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot heat an 1/8 cup (2 Tablespoons) of the butter or oil until shimmering.
• Add the chicken/duck pieces a few at a time and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate.
• Add onions (and eggplant if using - see notes in description) and sauté in remaining butter or oil until translucent.
• Stir in ground walnuts and saute for 1/2 a minute.
• Add stock or water and browned chicken/duck pieces. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes.
• Stir in the pomegranate juice, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Taste and adjust seasoning. Sauce should have a balanced sweet-sour flavor. See notes to adjust.
• Simmer another 15-20 minutes until the chicken/duck is tender, sauce is somewhat thickened and the walnuts begin to give off their oil. Serve with plain white rice.

TENDER BRAISED DUCK WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Put the duck legs into a small, deep frying pan (there's no need to add oil). Turn the heat on to medium and leave to cook for 5-7 mins until the skin starts to turn golden brown and crispy. Meanwhile, halve the onion and cut into half-moon slices. Turn over the duck legs and add the onions to the pan. Cook 5 mins more, stirring occasionally, until duck is golden all over and the onions are soft.
• Sprinkle in the turmeric, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Cook for a few secs, stirring all the time. Pour over the pomegranate molasses followed by 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a cover on top, cook for 1 hr 20 mins until the duck is really tender, adding extra water if you need. Lift off the cover and cook 10 mins more until the sauce is thickened, glossy and slightly sticky. Serve with couscous or a rice pilau and a simple green salad.