Pan-roasted Duck Breast, Turmeric and Sweet Potato Puree, Beet and Lavender Puree, Sauerkraut, Wilted Swiss Chard, Raw Swiss Chard, Pickled Ramp Bulb, Spiced Duck Jus
The process of cooking a duck breast is much different than that of most other cuts of meat. Typical meat cookery involves high intense heat to achieve a well seared exterior followed by some combination of oven roasting, basting and lower heat. But duck breast is different. It has a thick layer of fat, that should absolutely never be cut off, that needs to be rendered for the best result. This is achieved with low heat initially, which heats up the fat and liquifies it. Once a good deal of the fat is extracted, the breast is rested a bit before being placed back in the pan, this time with high heat to sear it and make it nice and crispy. It can now be basted with its own fat and further cooked in a hot oven if necessary.
Prior to undertaking the steps above I cured the breasts overnight in salt and Chinese five-spice powder. I rinsed them off and dried them with paper towels. I cooked them using the method I just explained to medium rare, allowing them to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
I made the purees as I do most other purees. The turmeric with sweet potato and honey. And the beet with lavender. The turmeric puree actually consisted of mostly sweet potato. Turmeric has a very strong flavor so I needed to cut it's intensity.
I made the sauerkraut myself, slicing, salting and fermenting some fantastic late winter cabbage for about 6 weeks. As a person of German dissent who grew up in a PA Dutch family sauerkraut is in my blood. And up until now I had failed many times at making it. So this is the crowning achievement of this dish for me. I just simply sauteed it with some apple cider vinegar to warm it a bit.
I cut out rounds of the baby chard and used them raw. And I blanched and sauteed the rest with some shallot, butter and duck stock. I used a pickled ramp bulb from last year to add another component of acid, and to simply use up some of last years ramps that I found in the back of my fridge.
The jus was a heavily reduced duck stock, spiced with pepper and star anise that was first strained to remove fat and solids.
Product:
Turmeric - Brogue Hydroponics
Beets - Landisdale Farms
Baby Swiss Chard - Livingood Produce
Duck - Jurgielewicz & Son
Prior to undertaking the steps above I cured the breasts overnight in salt and Chinese five-spice powder. I rinsed them off and dried them with paper towels. I cooked them using the method I just explained to medium rare, allowing them to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.
I made the purees as I do most other purees. The turmeric with sweet potato and honey. And the beet with lavender. The turmeric puree actually consisted of mostly sweet potato. Turmeric has a very strong flavor so I needed to cut it's intensity.
I made the sauerkraut myself, slicing, salting and fermenting some fantastic late winter cabbage for about 6 weeks. As a person of German dissent who grew up in a PA Dutch family sauerkraut is in my blood. And up until now I had failed many times at making it. So this is the crowning achievement of this dish for me. I just simply sauteed it with some apple cider vinegar to warm it a bit.
I cut out rounds of the baby chard and used them raw. And I blanched and sauteed the rest with some shallot, butter and duck stock. I used a pickled ramp bulb from last year to add another component of acid, and to simply use up some of last years ramps that I found in the back of my fridge.
The jus was a heavily reduced duck stock, spiced with pepper and star anise that was first strained to remove fat and solids.
Product:
Turmeric - Brogue Hydroponics
Beets - Landisdale Farms
Baby Swiss Chard - Livingood Produce
Duck - Jurgielewicz & Son