Recipes — duck

A simple 3 cheese and dried fruit board, an easy but decadent roast duck leg and potato one pot wonder, with garlic and fresh thyme in the mix. A delightful savory tart of spring goodies like sweet-peas and leeks. A dessert of angel food cake with white chocolate ganache. And the most charming and perfectly executed heart-shaped sugar cookies with your coffee this morning, or the next.

First up, the cheese trio. Creamy, buttery goats milk brie, a good strong nose of the St. Agur, and the tangy sweetness of Humboldt fog. Paired with dried pitted Madjool dates, dried cranberries and a crusty loaf, all works well with your favorite bubbly or a dry martini.

ROASTED DUCK LEGS WITH THYME SCENTED POTATOES 

(ONE PAN RECIPE)

Crisp braised duck legs with potatoes and onions is a simple, luxurious and decadent one pot dish. You’ll need one or two leg quarters per person, same with the potatoes. I use rose-gold because they are creamy and just petite enough to snug up into our 10” high sided pan along side the duck legs.

1. Bring duck legs to room temperature, pat dry and salt generously.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, or rendered duck fat if you swing that way over medium high heat in your EuroCAST sauce pan, or our 10” high sided pan. This is an important step in getting the crispy on that duck skin. Brown on all sides until golden - approx. 9-10 minutes on each side.
3. Slice potatoes into thick wedges and add to shallow mixing bowl, season well with kosher salt and fresh black pepper
4. Quarter 1 large white onion, keeping the root end intact and add to the potatoes
5. Add to the potatoes: 6 cloves of garlic cut into slices, and 2 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves
6. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the potatoes and garlic and thyme. With clean hands…:) mix the potatoes with the aromatics thoroughly.
7. Tuck the potatoes, onions and their companions into and around the duck legs - which is skin side up in the pan.
8. Add stock to the pan, it should just come to the halfway mark of the duck leg. Do not cover them with stock.
9. Preheat the oven to 400
10. Cook the duck for 25-30 minutes, then lower the heat to 325 until the liquid has reduced and the duck is done, or fork tender.
11. Serve with the potatoes, onions and a bit of the juice. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and flaky sea salt. 

SAVORY TART

I love this tart, it’s goat cheese, sautéed leeks, torn portobellos and sweet-peas all on a flakey, easy out of the freezer Puff Pastry crust.  Click here for the Instagram post and recipe.

HOMEMADE CHICKEN LIVER PATE

Chicken liver pate is one of those rare treats that adds a perfect little homemade yummy to the cheese board. Plus, look how gorgeous it pairs with a martini.

This is ridiculously easy.

1. Start with great quality chicken livers from your best grocer.

2. Sauté 3 chopped shallots, 4 cloves garlic in 3 T olive oil in your EuroCAST skillet

3. Add:

• 1 lb. chicken livers
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves

4. Sauté each side until browned and firm to the touch (approx. 5 minutes)

5. Add:

• 3 Tbsp butter to melt then remove from heat
• Add into a bowl to cool with 2 T. chopped parsley and the juice of 1 lemon

6. Let cool then blitz in food processor until smooth

7. Pack into ramekins or a glass jar to set two hours or overnight.