Pressed Duck
Pressed Duck
Pressed duck is a bit of work, but a very fun dish to serve. It is a really nice dish for special occasions. To prepare pressed duck, cooked duck in de-boned, pressed into a pan and steamed. Then the duck is cut into squares and fried. The result is a real treat- crispy on the outside with tender duck meat in the middle.
The process does take two days. The duck is cooked, shredded and steamed on the first day. Then it is refrigerated overnight, before frying. That’s not really a bad thing. All the messy stuff is out of the way the day before. When you want to prep the duck, just slice and fry. I pan fried the duck squares, but you could deep fry it, if you prefer.
I had a couple of friends over for dinner and decided to make pressed duck. I hadn’t made it in ages. The dish came out quite well, but there is one thing I might change for the next time I make it. I used an 8×8 inch square pan. It was tricky to fit the pan in my stock pot for the steaming. Next time, I would a 9×5-inch loaf pan or two, which would make the steaming easier. My pan ended up a little tilted during the steaming process. Or, I could have used a bigger stock pot.
Except for the steaming issues, it was not a difficult dish to prepare. It was kind of fun. Another bonus is that I had a pot of duck stock, from cooking the duck. I strained it, cooled it down and removed the fat on top. The next day, I used to stock to cook my rice in. The rice was so flavorful.
So here is the recipe. I kept in the directions using square pans, but feel free to use a loaf pans instead.
Pressed Duck
1 (4-5 lb.) duck
Water to cover
2 green onions
1 ( 1-inch) piece ginger root
2 T. fennel seeds- or two star anise
2 T. dark soy sauce
1 t. hoisen sauce
1 t. salt
2-3 T. cornstarch
Oil for frying
Sweet and sour sauce- recipe follows
The day before you want to serve pressed duck, in soup pot, combine duck with just enough water to cover. Add green onions, fennel seeds, soy sauces and salt. Cover and simmer until duck in very tender, at least a couple of hours. Remove duck and allow to cool down. Remove skin and meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Shred the meat. You can add a little of the skin, if you like. I actually removed most of the skin from the duck before I cooked it. Then I rendered down the skin to have duck fat for cooking. In baking pan, sprinkle half the cornstarch to cover the bottom of the pans. Be generous with the cornstarch. If you use an 8×8-inch pan, you will need a little less cornstarch than if you use a 9×9-inch pan. Press the shredded duck meat firmly into the pan. Sprinkle with the rest of the cornstarch. Set up a pot to steam the duck mixture. I used a large stockpot with a steamer rack in it. Place the pan in the steamer, cover and steam for 30 minutes. Remove duck from steamer, cool and refrigerate overnight. The next day remove the duck from pan and cut into squares. Pat off extra moisture to reduce splattering. Heat oil to 350 degrees and fry duck pieces for about 5 minutes, or until crispy and golden on the outside. Drain and serve with sweet and sour sauce- or a dipping sauce you like. Serves 4.
Sweet and Sour Sauce
1/2 c. vinegar- I like apple cider vinegar or rice vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. pineapple juice
3 T. catsup
2 T. soy sauce
2 T. cornstarch
1 t. dried minced garlic
1-t. fresh grated ginger
Hot pepper flakes to taste
In saucepan combine all ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring as mixture gets hot, until sauce begins to bubble. It will also get much clearer. Boil gently 1 minute, stirring constantly before removing from heat. Makes 1 1/2 c. Keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
Jambalaya
Creole Jambalaya
There are so many variations for Jambalaya. I don’t think I ever had a Jambalaya I didn’t like.
This Creole dish varies a little with each person who makes it. The assortment of ingredients adds so many layers of flavor.
Traditionally, Jambalaya would include smoked sausage or ham, chicken, shellfish, rice, tomatoes and assorted veggies and seasonings.You can see why there are so many variations. For me, it just isn’t Jambalaya without mussels. Lots and lots of mussels.
It is definitely a great dish for a party. It is impossible to make a small batch of Jambalaya!!!
This recipe is a tweaked version I got from a boss of mine a long time ago. I must say, every time I make this for friends or family it gets rave reviews.
The heat level in this dish is really about personal preference and for the people who are going to be eating it. I like it a bit spicier, so I add more cayenne. If I am making it for friends who like their food less spicy, I use less. Of course, you can always serve it with hot sauce on the side, so people can spice it up a little more.
Creole Jambalaya
1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced into 1 inch pieces
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 c. oil
2 c. cubed uncooked chicken
3 c. chicken stock
1 1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 16 oz. can tomatoes
2-3 t. paprika
Cayenne pepper to taste
Black pepper to taste
1/4 t. ground turmeric
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, uncooked
1 1/2 c. frozen peas
1/2 c. chopped red pepper
1-2 lb. mussels, scrubbed
In Dutch oven cook sausage, onion, celery and garlic in oil until onion is tender. Add remaining ingredients, except shrimp, peas, sweet red peppers and mussels. Bring to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook 20 minutes. Stir in shrimp, and peppers, cover and cook 10 minutes. Stir in peas and stick in mussels. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Discard any mussels which have not opened in 5 minutes. Serves 8.
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
Scones should be tender, a little crumbly, and still moist in the middle. These scones are delicate, full of coffee flavor, and not too sweet. Simple to make, as with any scone, the secret is not to over work the dough. You can eat these plain or with a bit of butter. I’m having mine with a cup of coffee. They really make a wonderful start to the day.
When someone tells me they don’t like scones I am sure it is because they haven’t had good scones. The other night in cooking class, one of the ladies said she only had scones once, and they were heavy and dry. I encouraged her to seek out better scones.
Coffee Cinnamon Scones
2/3 c. half and half
2 T. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 t. vanilla
1 egg
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. baking powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
1/2 c. cold butter
1 T. half and half, for brushing the scones
2 T. cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling on the scones
Coffee Cinnamon Glaze- recipe follows
In microwave safe container combine half and half with the coffee powder and heat 30 seconds or so. Stir to dissolve coffee and cool down before using. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add vanilla and egg to cooled coffee mixture and beat until smooth. Set aside. Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Some small pieces of butter can still be visible. Stir in coffee mixture and mix gently until a soft dough forms. At this point you are supposed to press the dough into an 8-inch circle on a baking sheet. To get a really neat circle use an 8-inch cake pan. Sprinkle the pan with a little flour and put the dough in the pan. Press the dough into the pan. Turn the cake pan over onto an ungreased baking sheet. Do this part fast. Slam it down and then remove the cake pan. You will have a perfect 8-inch circle of dough. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half. If the dough is too sticky sprinkle the top with a little more flour. Cut in half again and then 2 more times. You will have eight wedges of dough forming 8 scones. Pull dough apart slightly using a spatula. They grow a lot when baking and this will give them more room to expand. Brush with the extra half and half and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Bake for 20 minutes or until they spring back when touched lightly. Make glaze and drizzle over the warm scones. Makes 8.
Coffee Cinnamon Glaze
2 T. half and half
2 t. instant coffee powder or espresso powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. powdered sugar
Heat half and half and coffee powder together in microwave safe container for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth. Stir in cinnamon and powdered sugar until smooth and drizzle over the scones.
Oatmeal Bread
Oatmeal Bread
This oatmeal bread is one of my favorites. With the addition of molasses, the bread has an earthy sweetness that works well with the oatmeal. It makes a great sandwich bread and I love it for French toast.
This is a very versatile recipe. You can make 2 round loaves, or bake it in 2 loaf pans (9×5) or even make dinner rolls out of it. I sometimes make hamburger buns out of it.
When making dinner rolls, instead of loaves, reduce baking time to about 15 minutes- but check on rolls at 12 minutes. Baking temperature remains the same.
There is something about the smell of baking bread that always makes me remember my childhood and going to the movies. I know that sounds odd, but there is an explanation. When I was a kid there was a neighborhood movie theater. It was close by, and we would walk there to see movies. On the walk home we walked past a local bakery. Late at night they would be baking bread and other goodies for the next day. The air would be filled with the aroma of baking bread.
Oatmeal Bread
5-5 ½ c. flour
1 package active dry yeast
1 ½ t. salt
1 1/3 c. water
¼ c. milk
¼ c. molasses
¼ c. butter
1 egg
1 c. old fashioned oatmeal
In large bowl mix 1 cup of the flour with yeast and salt. In small pan heat together next 4 ingredients until warm. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and beat 2 minutes. Stir in 1 cup additional flour and egg and beat 2 minutes longer. Stir in oatmeal and 1 cup more flour and stir, adding enough flour to form soft dough. Turn onto lightly floured surface and knead, adding flour as needed until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough on a greased bowl, turning to grease top and cover, allowing to rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
Grease a large baking sheet and set aside. Punch dough down and divide in half. Shape each half into a ball and place on prepared sheet. Cover with towel and allow to rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until done. Loaves are done when they sound hollow when tapped lightly. Makes 2 loaves.
This versatile dough can also be shaped into loaves and places in 8×4-inch greased loaf pans. Baking time will remain the same. Dough can also be divided into 24 equal pieces and shaped into dinner rolls. Bake rolls at 375 for 15 minutes.
Assorted Oatmeal Bread Rolls
Maple-Glazed Apple Bacon Fritters
Maple-Glazed Apple and Bacon Fritters
I did a class on cooking with maple syrup yesterday. One of the dishes I made was maple glazed fritters. The batter contains diced, fresh apples and crispy bacon. Everyone loved them.
Fritters aren’t difficult to make. They really don’t take that long to make, either. I think people were surprised at how easy they were to make.
I prefer to make fritters close to when I am serving them- so my guests can enjoy them warm.
They make a wonderful dessert, or a fun addition to a breakfast or brunch menu. I dipped them in the maple glaze, which also went well with the apples and bacon.
I must warn you, they are addictive.
Apple and Bacon Fritters
2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
2 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 c. milk
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. melted butter
1 c. diced apples
1 c. cooked, crumbled bacon
oil for frying- I used coconut oil
Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Mix together milk with the eggs and butter. Stir in dry ingredients until just moistened and add the apples and bacon. Heat oil to 375. If using gluten free flour, heat oil to 350. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the hot oil and fry until golden brown. Don’t do more than 4-5 at a time. It will take about 4 minutes in total but you need to turn them to brown evenly so 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Dip in maple glaze (recipe follows) while warm. Makes about 32.
Maple Glaze
1 c. Powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup
a little water if mixture gets too thick
Combine all ingredients and set aside until ready to use.
Maple Ginger Carrots
Maple Ginger Carrots
Later today, I am teaching a class on cooking with maple syrup. One of the dishes I am making are these carrots, glazed with maple syrup. Maple syrup adds natural sweetness and a unique flavor to foods. “Maple flavored” syrup just isn’t the same. You need the real thing.
Sometimes simple just works. These carrots are super simple – and the flavors work together well. I combined them with maple syrup, butter, ginger and some salt and pepper. I have made them for family and friends before and everyone loved them. It had become one of my “go to” recipes.
Maple Ginger Carrots
1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced
1/4 c. water
4 T. butter
1/2 c. maple syrup
1 t. grated ginger
salt and pepper to taste
Place carrots in a pan with the water. Cover and cook over medium heat until carrots are almost tender. Add the butter and cook a few minutes more. Add remaining ingredients and cook, covered, until carrots are tender. Remove lid and cook until most of the liquid evaporates. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4-6.
Creamy Carrot Soup
Creamy Carrot Soup
This soup is so easy to make and tastes great, too. The recipes only makes a couple of servings, which can also be a bonus.
I did a class this morning on cooking for one or two. If you have a smaller household, making a huge pot of soup can be a problem. I love homemade soup, but after a few days even the best soup can get boring. This recipe makes about 3 cups of soup, just enough for a couple of servings.
There are only a few ingredients: carrots, onion, stock, milk, nutmeg and green onions. Plus salt and pepper, to taste. I like to add a little hot sauce, too. You could add some fresh herbs, if you like. I sometimes add curry powder.
Start to finish the soup takes about 20 minutes to make, so nice when you are pressed for time.
Creamy Carrot Soup
1½ c. peeled, sliced carrots
1 medium onion, chopped
1 c. chicken broth- you could also use vegetable broth
1 c. milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg
Green onion or chopped chives for garnish, optional
In saucepan combine carrots with onion and broth and simmer, covered until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Puree mixture and return to pan. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve with chives or green onions sprinkled on top, if desired. Serves 2.
Eggplant Parmesan
Eggplant Parmesan
I have been making this dish for a long time and it is always a family favorite. It is a cheesy and satisfying meatless meal, even for the die-hard meat lovers among us.
The recipe has changed over time. I used to just dredge the eggplant slices in flour before baking. It was still very good that way. My mom used to bread eggplant slices for my father, using bread crumbs. She would serve the eggplant with a little tomato sauce on top and sprinkled with mozzarella cheese. He loved them.
That is what first inspired me to bread the eggplant slices, rather than just using the flour dredge. I think the breaded eggplant slices stand up well to the other ingredients. They stay a little crunchier than the flour only version.
I also used to just use mozzarella cheese and the Parmesan. A friend said she added ricotta, like you would for a lasagna. I tried it and liked the addition of the ricotta. Now I make it that way all the time.
The biggest change might have been how I cook the eggplant before adding them to the rest of the ingredients. I used to pan fry the eggplant. Let me just say that eggplant soak up oil like a sponge. I remember making eggplant Parmesan for a group of 250 once and went through an enormous amount of oil. Now, I just place the breaded eggplant slices on a baking sheet and drizzle oil all over them, before baking them in the oven. I use a lot less oil that way. It is also a lot simpler than pan frying.
So here is my often revised recipe. I hope you like it.
Eggplant Parmesan
2 large eggplants
salt
flour
1 egg
½ c. half and half or milk
Pepper
1 T. Tuscan seasoning- recipe follows
About 2 c. of bread crumbs
oil
1 (15 oz.) container ricotta cheese
3 c. tomato sauce or marinara sauce
12 oz. mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese – you could also use Asiago or Romano cheese, if you prefer
Peel and slice eggplant about ¾ -inch thick. Place in a bowl and salt lightly. Allow eggplant to stand 30 minutes, then rinse and drain. Combine egg, half and half, pepper to taste, and half of the Tuscan seasoning in bowl. Whisk to combine. Set aside. Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish, set aside. Dredge eggplant slices in flour, dip each slice in egg wash, then dip in bread crumbs, turning to coat evenly. Place eggplant slices on a baking sheet lightly coated with oil. Once all the slices are in the pan, drizzle with a little more oil. Bake in a 400-degree oven, turning once until browned and tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Add a layer of eggplant slices. Combine ricotta with remaining Tuscan seasoning and spread over the eggplant. Top cheese with a little more sauce and another layer of eggplant. Top with mozzarella, remaining eggplant and remaining sauce. Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and bake, uncovered in a 350-degree oven for about 40 minutes, or until bubbly and browned around the edges. Serves 6-8.
Tuscan Seasoning
½ c. dried basil
½ c. dried oregano
½ c. dried marjoram
3 T. dried minced onion
2 T. dried minced garlic
2 T. dried rosemary
2 T. dried parsley
1 t. crushed red pepper
Combine all. Store in a cool, dry place. Use for any number of recipes, from marinara sauce, to salad dressings.
Fried Catfish
Easy Fried Catfish
I love fried fish. I don’t make it at home that often. It is more of a treat around here than an every day meal. After dinner, I decided I might want to fry fish more often.
To thank two of my dear friends, who shoveled my sidewalk a few times this winter, I decided to have them over for dinner. I made fried catfish with cole slaw, cabbage and noodles, homemade fries and tiramisu for dessert.
I knew I wanted to make the fish. My friends and I often go to Friday fish fries this time of year and this was a Friday night, after all. I had some catfish and the big decision was going to be how to cook it. I toyed with the idea of baking it, but frying won out. Nothing quite as good as fried catfish in my mind.
This is going to be one of those recipes that is more narrative that exact amounts. I really am good about writing stuff out. I just can’t seem to locate my notes for this one- so I’ll share what I did as best I can remember. It is also so easy to fry fish. Don’t be scared to try. Fresh fried fish is such a treat.
I started with catfish fillets that were cut down into smaller pieces. The smaller size made them fast and easy to cook. It also made them fun to eat. we also had a lot of sides with this dinner, so you could just eat a couple, if you didn’t want a huge fillet.
I made a mixture of eggs, a little buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and hot sauce. I dipped the fish in this mixture and let it soak in there while I got the breadcrumbs ready. I had some bread crumbs made from plain bread, so I added a little paprika, dry parsley flakes and lemon peel to the crumbs.
I took the fish out of the egg wash a few pieces at a time and dropped them in the bread crumbs. I had the crumbs in a good sized bowl- but only filled about a quarter of the way with crumbs. I added the fish and sort of tossed it in the crumbs by shaking and tossing the bowl. Placed fish on a baking sheet. Once the fish were all coated in bread crumbs, I put the oil on to heat up.
I was using an electric pot with a thermometer so I knew when the oil reached 350. I wanted to fry the fish between 350 and 375 degrees. If you don’t have a pot with a thermometer you can tell if your oil has reached 350 degrees with the use of popcorn. Yes, popcorn. Just put in a kernel of popcorn when you start heating up the oil. Popcorn pops at 350 degrees. When the popcorn pops, you know the oil is ready.
I had a pan, lined with paper towels ready as I started to drop the pieces of fish, several at a time, into the hot oil. They were cooked in just a few minutes. I pulled them when they were golden brown. Allowed them to drain on paper towels in a warm oven while I cooked the rest of the fish.
I served the fish with lemon wedges and homemade tartar sauce- which is just sweet pickle relish and mayo. I sometimes add capers and a little mustard, too.
The fish was a big hit and I was happy to thank my very thoughtful friends.
As to the oil. You’ll have plenty left over. I let it cool and strained it out. Then I poured it in the bottle it came from. You can save it for your next frying project, but don’t use it again and again. Just a few times, then toss the rest. The flavor gets funky after a while.
Dandelions for Peter
This post is dedicated to Dr. Peter Gail. Peter was passionate about edible wild plants and foraging. He taught me so much. I can’t ever look at dandelions the same way.
We said goodbye to him today. He will be missed by all who knew him. He was an amazing man. Brilliant mind, gentle heart. A devoted family man and a crusader for a cause. That cause was dandelions and other edible plants that most people see as weeds. He wanted people to stop poisoning their weeds and start harvesting them instead. He has inspired me in so many ways. I will miss him terribly.
So today, Peter, this post on dandelions is for you my sweet friend.
It’s funny when you think about it. People spend tons of money to eradicate dandelions from their lawns but will go to an upscale restaurant and pay good money for a salad with mixed greens including dandelions. Dandelions were not considered a weed at one time. In fact, immigrants brought the seeds to America as a vegetable. While the greens can be bitter they can also be tamed when paired with certain ingredients. Combining dandelions with tomatoes, vinegar, cheese or other dairy products and bread or cereal products will make them less bitter when eaten. They are also packed with nutrients and if you don’t spray your yard with herbicides you can likely find them under your own feet. Free, tasty and nutritious. Sounds like a win all around. The plant is pretty much edible from top to bottom. The leaves for salads, soups and other dishes. The flowers are used for wine, jelly and the “burger” recipe at the bottom of this page. The roots are roasted and used as a substitute for coffee. If you haven’t eaten dandelions before my only question is, what are you waiting for?
A classic dish using dandelions is dandelion gravy. Some versions use bacon, others not. This one uses bacon, sour cream and is served with boiled potatoes.
Dandelion Gravy
4 strips bacon
3 T. flour
1 c. water
1 lb. dandelion greens, washed and chopped
½ c. sour cream
1 T. sugar
1 T. vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Hot boiled or baked potatoes
Fresh chopped parsley, optional
Chop bacon and cook in skillet until crisp. Leave bacon in the pan. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat and stir in the flour until smooth. Add water and dandelion greens and cook over medium heat until greens are tender- about 5- 10 minutes. Add more water if mixture is too thick. Turn off heat. Combine sour cream with sugar and vinegar and stir into dandelion mixture. Adjust seasonings. Spoon gravy over potatoes.
Serves 4.
Note: If you want leave out the bacon instead add 3 tablespoons of oil to skillet along with the flour.
My friend, Mari Keating, sent met his recipe for a frittata.
Mari’s Dandelion Frittata
Mari Wrote: I sauteed greens in olive oil and garlic, poured scrambled eggs over, sprinkled with feta cheese, let it set over low heat, then popped it under the broiler to “poof” – an amazing frittata. Amounts are variable to taste, as is cheese used (or not). The greens are a wonderful addition to salads, raw or wilted with a hot vinaigrette and today I’m making dandelion pesto. Google abounds with recipes. My variation is that I use walnuts instead of pinenuts, because I’m cheap.
She said it was wonderful.
The next 2 recipes come from Dr. Peter Gail my mentor and dearly loved friend.
Dandelion Pita Pizza
Pita bread, toasted English muffin, or toasted bread
Spaghetti or pizza sauce
Fresh dandelion greens of any age, chopped fine
Grated cheese (any kind)
Cover bread with sauce, add chopped greens, top with cheese, and toast in oven until cheese
melts. For a more sophisticated treat, chopped dandelion greens may be sauted in olive oil with
onions, mushrooms and several cloves of crushed garlic, and then spread on the pizza and topped
with cheese.
Dandy Burgers
1 cup dandelion flowers, green removed
½ cup flour, any kind
1/4 cup onions, chopped fine
½ tsp salt
½ tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp rosemary
1/8 tsp pepper
enough milk to make thick batter.
Peel dandelion flowers and put in 4 quart mixing bowl. Add onions and mix together. Blend
flour and seasonings together, add to the flowers and onions, and blend thoroughly. Add milk
slowly, blending it in until you have a thick batter.
Heat Olive Oil in frying pan to cover bottom. Make batter into golf-ball-sized balls. Place in
oil, and squash down flat to make a 2″ diameter patty. Fry till brown on both sides. Remove and
serve on rolls as you would hamburger patties.
