Stuffed Duck Breast With Walnut Dried Cherries And Goat Cheese Food

GOAT CHEESE, CHERRY, AND WALNUT STUFFED DUCK BREAST WITH A CHAMPAGNE GLAZE

Steps:

• Carefully cut a pocket into the duck breast lengthwise being careful not to cut all the way through. Combine the vinegar, melted butter, and olive oil, with a little salt and pepper in a bowl, with duck breast, and marinate for at least 8 hours, refrigerated. When ready to grill, remove breast from marinade. Macerate the dried cherries in 1 cup of the Champagne for 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the champagne in a saucepan and simmer, until reduced to 1 cup; set aside and let cool. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the goat cheese, macerated cherries, and walnuts until well combined. Stuff each duck break with the mixture and seal with a toothpick.
• When the Champagne has cooled to room temperature, stir in the sugar. Before the sugar begins to dissolve, brush the mixture onto the duck breast and place on a preheated grill. Grill 3 minutes on 1 side; then turn 45 degrees to create nice grill mark crosshatches. Continue to brush the duck breasts with the glaze while cooking. Flip the breast and cook on the other side, until cooked through, slightly pink inside. In the last seconds of grilling, place the breast on the hottest part of the grill for 8 to 12 seconds to sear. Plate and serve immediately.
• Serve with roasted root vegetables like cubed butternut squash, acorn squash, and parsnips, or maple syrup whipped sweet potatoes.

ROAST DUCK BREAST WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND PORT

Steps:

• Wrap each duck breast in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until each breast is about 1 inch thick. Place the duck on a plate, sprinkle both sides with a total of 4 teaspoons salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, making a crosshatch pattern but not cutting down to the meat.
• In a large (12-inch) heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, discarding the fat from the pan occasionally, until the skin is very browned. Turn the duck with tongs, place the skillet in the oven, and roast for 12 to 18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the duck is 120 degrees F for rare. Remove from the oven, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the duck to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the vinegar and cook for one minute. Add the Port, chicken stock, cherries, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, orange zest, and orange juice and keep warm over low heat.
• Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice diagonally, fanning the slices out on 4 dinner plates. Spoon the sauce generously on top, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.

SWEET GARLIC AND GOAT CHEESE PENNE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Slice the root end off the entire head of garlic and turn it upside down, wrapping it in aluminum foil and molding the foil so it supports the garlic to allow the cut end to stand upright in the oven. Pour 1 tablespoon of the olive oil on the garlic (reserving the other tablespoon) so it slips between the skin and the cloves and wrap with the foil so it is enclosed. Roast for about 1 hour and set aside until it is cool enough to handle.
• Bring a large pot of water to boiling for the pasta. Salt the water and boil until al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the milk in a small saucepot and keep warm. Squeeze the garlic cloves into a small bowl and mash them. Add a small amount of the warm milk to this bowl and whisk until smooth.
• In a separate large saute pan, heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat and saute the shallot until translucent. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and allow most of the wine to evaporate, then reduce heat to low, and add the garlic mixture. Whisk the goat cheese and Parmesan into the remaining hot milk, and add this to the pan with the garlic and wine sauce and season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Fold the drained pasta into the pan of sauce, transfer to serving dish and garnish with parsley sprigs.