Roast Duck with Pineapple-Chili Carmel

My parents regularly go to South Africa on holidays and recently brought back a new cook book ("Reuben cooks: food is time travel" by Reuben Riffel), which has a great collection of recipes. Some are admittedly slightly outside my comfort zone, but this duck that my father made for us a few days before Christmas is just heavenly. It admittedly takes a bit of time to prepare, so it's probably a dish you might want to cook on weekends or for guests, but trust me it's worth the effort. Here I am serving it with some fried rice and pak-choi with shitake mushrooms.

Ingredients (serves 4): 

4 -6 duck legs ( depending on the size)

1,5 l of chicken stock

1 cup of soy sauce

1 cup brown sugar

4 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

1 clove of garlic, peeled

Zest of one orange

1 star anise

For the caramel: 

1/2 cup of palm sugar (I used brown sugar instead)

1/2 cup of water

1 red chili, sliced

1 green chili, sliced

4 tablespoons of pineapple

4 tablespoons of fish sauce

Juice of 2 limes

Preparation:

1. Heat the chicken stock in a large pot and add the soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, cinnamon stick, star anise and the orange zest. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and add the duck. After 40mins remove the duck and place in the fridge (uncovered!) until completely cool (you can also just place it in a cool basement or pantry and leave overnight). The idea is that the skin of the duck will start to dry out, giving it a lovely crunchy texture once cooked (this is similar to the way Peking duck is prepared).

2. Heat the oven the 220°C. Place the duck in an oven tray and allow to roast at this temperature for 10 mins on each side. Then turn down the heat to 160°C and leave in for another 1 1/4 hours. There is simple test to check whether the meat is done: just take a wooden skewer and stick it in the thick part of the leg, the duck is done when it goes in easily. Remove the meat from the oven and allow to rest for 10 mins. 

3. In the meantime, place the palm sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Allow to boil until the mixture starts to thicken slightly. Add the chilies, pineapple, fish sauce, and the lime juice and slowly cook for another 5 mins. 

Quiche Lorraine

I used to make Quiche Lorraine the lazy way, using frozen filo pastry instead of freshly made short pastry. But of course a quiche is supposed to be made with short pastry, so I decided to overcome my baking phobia and give it a try. And (surprise, surprise!) it was actually pretty easy. Above all, it was DELICIOUS! I admit that it's not exactly a quick dinner to make (he pastry does take some time) but it's definitely worth it. 

Ingredients (serves 4): 

375gr flour

2 eggs

150gr butter, cut into pieces

salt

200gr bacon, cut into cubes

2 medium-sized onions, halved and finely sliced

200gr sour cream

200ml cream

5 eggs

100gr grated cheese (I used Parmesan and Gruyere)

500gr dried pulses

Baking paper

Preparation:

1. First you have to make the dough. Simply pile the flour on a large working surface, make a hole in the middle and fill that with the eggs and the butter (which shouldn't be straight out of the fridge but not soft either - somewhere in the middle is perfect). Add a bit of salt and, using your hands, combine the ingredients to form a dough. At first it might seem as though there isn't enough butter, but trust me it will come together. Now this is very important: once you have a proper dough immediately stop kneading. Simply wrap the dough in a piece of clingfilm and place in the fridge for an hour.

2. In the meantime, place the bacon in a pan and allow to sizzle away until it starts to brown. Add the onion and continue frying gently until the onions are soft. Set aside.


3. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, the cream, eggs, grated cheese and some salt and pepper. Mix well. 


4. Take the dough out of the fridge. Cover your working surface with a generous amount of flour and roll out the dough (should be pretty thin). Transfer the rolled out dough to a well greased quiche form (the easiest way to do this, is to wrap the dough around your rolling pin). Line the form evenly and cut off any excess around the edges. 

5. Take a piece of baking paper, cover the dough and add the pulses. Place the
form in your pre-heated oven (160°C fan-assisted, otherwise 180°C) and cook for 15 mins. Remove the pulses and baking paper and bake for another 5 mins, this time placing the form directly on the bottom of the oven. Remove and allow to cool off slightly. 


6. Spread the onion-bacon mixture evenly and pour the cream. Place in the oven and cook for 25 mins. Towards the end of the cooking time you might want to turn on the grill to ensure that the Quiche takes on a nice golden color. Once the Quiche is done, let it sit for about 10mins before serving.

Tuna tartar with avocado and ginger dressing

Tuna tartar is a great dish. It's easy to make, light and fresh, and a fantastic starter to serve when you are planning on a bigger meat main course. Alternatively you could serve this as a main course on a warm summer night, accompanied by a glass of chilled white wine.

This particular recipe adds a nice twist on the classic tuna tartar by adding the ginger dressing.

Ingredients (serves 4):

400gr best quality tuna
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped finely
2 avocados, stoned and diced
Juice of one lime
bunch of fresh coriander

For the dressing: 
2 tbs of lime juice
2 tbs sugar
4cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
2 tbs olive oil
3 tbs of white wine vinegar
2 tbs of light soy sauce
1 red chili, finely chopped

Preparation: 

1. For the dressing, put the lime juice and the sugar in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Once the mixture starts to thicken, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Then add the ginger, a tablespoon of olive oil, the vinegar, chili and soy sauce. Season to taste. 

2. Cut the tuna into small cubes and season with salt. Add the onion, the juice of half a lime, a couple of tablespoons of fresh coriander, and a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. 

3. In a separate bowl, mice the avocado with the remaining lime juice, some salt and pepper. 

4. To serve, first place some avocado on each plate, then adding the tuna (using serving rings is best). Add the dressing and sprinkle with some coriander. 


Recipe adapted from: Reuben Riffel, "Reuben cooks: food is time travel"

Lentil stew with minced meat and beans

My daughter has declared lentil stew to be her new favorite dish ("of all times"...we'll see how long that lasts), so being the caring mother that I am (secretly thrilled that she would eat a dish that probably sends most kids running), I went to look for recipes. In Germany lentil stew is traditionally made with vegetables, potatoes and bacon or sausages, but this recipe here beats the traditional version hands down. Particularly the addition of cumin and cinnamon is a stroke of genius.  

Ingredients (serves 4)

2 small onions, finely chopped

2 stick of celeriac, cut into small cubes

2 small carrots, cut into small cubes

2 cloves of garlic

400 gr minced beef

1 teaspoons of ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of sugar

2 tablespoons of tomato concentrate

800 ml beef stock

300 gr chopped canned tomatoes (drained)

150 gr puy lentils

300 gr white beans (drained)

½ bunch of fresh parsley

Preparation: 

1. First gently fry the carrots, celeriac, and onions in some olive oil for about 10 mins until the carrots start softening. Add the garlic (I simply crush it with the side of a knife and add it whole) and the minced meat and continue frying until the meat becomes crumbly and slightly colored. Add the spices, the tomato concentrate, the sugar and some salt and pepper and mix well. Now add the stock and allow to simmer (lid closed) for 40 minutes.

2. Next add the drained tomatoes and the lentils and leave to simmer for about 20-25 mins (no lid this time) until the lentils are soft. Add the beans and cook for another 10 mins. 

3. Season with salt and pepper and throw in the chopped parsley just before serving.

Recipe adapted from: www.new-kitch-on-the-blog.blogspot.de/

Indian extravaganza: Lamb- and Chicken Curry

Making Indian curry is actually fairly straightforward and you can follow pretty much the same steps no matter what kind of meat (or fish) you are using. The only thing that will need to adjust is the cooking time (longest for lamb and beef, shortest for prawns), the curry spice mix that you are using, and the amount of chili you want to use. Naturally you can put together the spice mix yourself (usually a combination of ground cumin, ground coriander, chili, tumeric, ground ginger, garlic, and a few other things), but I decided to make my life simpler by purchasing a high quality ready mix*. In this particular case, I am using a spicy curry for the lamb and a milder version for the chicken.

Ingredients (serves 4 in total):

500gr Chicken breast (alternatively you can use drumsticks)

500gr lamb (from the leg)
1 large red onion, chopped finely

2 tablespoons of grated ginger
2 red chilis, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped finely

2 cans of coconut milk
1 handful of chopped coriander
1 large can of peeled tomatoes

Curry spice mix

Preparation: 

1.  Starting with the lamb curry  (since this takes longest), cut the meat into 2-3cm cubes. Heat some oil in a saucepan and add half of the onion, about 3/4 of the chili, half the ginger and half the garlic. Fry gently until the onion starts to soften. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the curry mix, continue to fry for another 2-3 minutes, then add the meat. Stir will until the meat is evenly covered, then add the coconut milk (1 can) and 3 peeled tomatoes (without the juice). Season with some salt and pepper and simmer with a closed lid for about 1 1/2 hours until the meat is soft.

2. For the chicken curry, you follow pretty much the same steps, the main difference being that I used a milder curry mix and less chili. Also, assuming that you are using chicken breast, the cooking time will be much shorter (about 20 mins once the meat is in). In case you are using chicken thighs or drumsticks (with bones), the cooking time will be longer, roughly 45mins, 

3. Once the meat is soft and tender, season to taste and sprinkle with some coriander.

(*) In the UK they usually sell these in the form of a paste rather than a dry mix. In case you are using such a paste, simply start by frying the onion, chili, ginger and garlic briefly, add the paste and continue to fry slowly until the onions are soft. Add the meat and fry for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Then add the coconut milk and cook until the meat is nice and tender.

Braised Savoy Cabbage

I realize that savoy cabbage is not everybody's idea of a delicious meal, but cooked properly it makes for a great side dish to accompany meat (in this case I served it with Saltimbocca and sweet potato mash). The most common way to make savoy cabbage is of course to chop it up and cook it in a mixture of cream and vegetable stock. Tastes great, but let's face it, it's not a pretty sight...not even to mention all that cream :-). So instead, I have recently started cooking the cabbage in large slices, and rather than using cream I simply use broth.

Ingredients (serves 4): 

1 small savoy cabbage, outer leaves removed
300ml beef, vegetable, or chicken stock
Butter

Preparation: 

1. Cut the cabbage in half and then divide each half into 4 slices (as you would do with a melon). Remove the hard bits at the core and tie each slice with a bit of string (you need to do this to prevent the slices from falling apart). 

2. Bring water to the boil in a large saucepan, add salt, and briefly (1-2 minutes at most) place the cabbage in the water. Remove and immediately place in some ice-cold water. Blanching the cabbage this way helps to retain its color. It also serves to soften the cabbage slightly. Once it has cooled off, remove the cabbage from the water and allow to dry off on a bit of kitchen paper. 

3. Heat some butter in a large pan (I usually use clarified butter) and fry the cabbage at relatively high temperature until it starts to brown slightly. Season with salt and pepper and add the stock. Now place the pan in the oven at 180°C for about 30 minutes until soft.

Saltimbocca with sweet potato mash

In Italy saltimbocca is often served with polenta, but since I am not a huge fan of the later, I prefer to serve it with sweet potato mash...which I love! The saltiness of the Parma ham harmonizes perfectly with the rich sweetness of the mash. I serve this with braised cabbage or spinach (recipes to follow).

The biggest challenge when cooking this recipe is to keep the meat nice and tender. For one this obviously requires high quality meat, so this is not a good place to try to safe money. Equally important, however, is not to overcook the scallopini. Give them just a minimum of time in the frying pan and trust me, they will be done. 

Ingredients (serves 2): 


3 veal scallopini (300gr)
3-4 slices of Parma ham
Handfull of sage leaves (fresh!)
1 tablespoon of flour
Butter or olive oil
200ml white wine 

For the mash:
200gr potatoes
400gr sweet potatoes
1 teaspoon of cayenne
2 tablespoons of butter

125ml milk or cream


Preparation: 


1. First, place the scallopini between two sheets of cling film and pound into thin slices. Cut into 2 or 3 pieces each. Sprinkle the meat with a bit of salt (careful here, the ham is salty too) and pepper. Then place one sage leave and half a slice of Parma ham on each piece of meat, securing with a toothpick.

2. Dust the scallopini with some flour and saute them in some butter or olive oil (medium heat). Since the meat is very thin, this won't take long and you can remove the scallopini after 1-2 minutes on each side. If you are cooking for 3 or more, I recommend you do this in batches.


3. Once the veal has been cooked put it on a plate and set aside. Now add the white wine to the pan. Let the wine bubble away for a few minutes before adding 1-2 tablespoons of cold butter, stirring in well (the butter will bind the sauce, giving it a smooth almost creamy consistency). Season to taste with salt, pepper and a sprinkle of sugar (the butter will take the edge of the acidity of the wine, but you may need some sugar in addition to this). You can also add some fresh sage leaves if you want to.  Before serving, return the meat to the pan and allow to reheat in the sauce for a few minutes.


4. For the mash, simply peel the potatoes and cut in to 2cm cubes. Cook in salted water until soft. Drain. Add the butter, milk (or cream), the cayenne, salt and pepper and mash using a fork until it has reached a creamy but still slightly chunky consistency.

Chicken 2-for-1: Fricassee and Soup

Christmas is hardly over and already newspapers and magazines are filled with good advice about post-Christmas diet plans. Which is ironic considering that there are studies claiming that many households actually eat a more balanced diet over the holidays than they normally do! After all, who serves ready-made meals for Christmas lunch? Still, there is no denying that large quantities of food (and alcohol) leave us all in need of simpler and lighter kitchen delights. Chicken fricassee fits the bill perfectly: it's light, easy to make, and a great comfort food. And as an added bonus, its preparation provides you with enough chicken stock to make a lovely chicken soup.

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 free-range chicken (circa 1,2-1,5 kg)

1 large onion

1 large carrot
Half a celeriac
1 leek
Bunch of parsley
3 bay leaves
½  teaspoon of black pepper corns
5 juniper berries (if you can find them)
3 cloves
100 ml white wine
250 gr green asparagus
150gr frozen peas
150 gr small mushrooms
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
50 ml single cream
Cayenne
Lemon juice


Preparation:


1. First of all you have to make the chicken stock. For this you simply put the chicken in a large pot filled with cold water (1,5-2,0l). Then add the onion (peeled but whole), the carrot, leek, and celeriac (all chopped into large pieces), the parsley (whole), the bay leave, cloves, juniper berries, and black pepper corns, and a generous amount of salt. Bring to the boil and leave to cook gently for at least 1 1/2 hours (I use a pressure cooker for this, in which case it only takes 45mins). Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the broth and set aside. 

2. Once the broth has had a bit of time to cool off, remove the fat that will have collected on the surface and strain through a sieve. This is the chicken stock which you can then use to make a soup and the fricassee. 

3. For the fricassee you first need to prepare the vegetables. Remove the peas from the freezer and allow to defrost. Clean the green asparagus and blanche in boiling water for a few minutes (if you put it into freezing cold water right afterwards, it will retain a beautiful vibrant green color). The mushrooms should be cleaned with a dry cloth and quartered. For the meat, simply remove the meat from the chicken legs and one breast and tear into rough pieces using your fingers (we'll use the second chicken breast for the soup). 

4. Now heat the butter in a large saucepan, then add the flour. Stir well, then add about 500ml of the chicken stock, the white wine, and the cream. Mix until the butter-flour combination has dissolved (it serves to thicken to stock slightly), then add the vegetables. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and some lemon juice. Once the peas and the mushrooms have softened, add the meat. Allow to cook for a few more minutes before serving with some plain rice. 

5. For the soup, simply chop up some carrot, leek, celeriac, and parsley (in total about 6 tablespoons worth) and add to the stock. Throw in some soup noodles if you want to, and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Season to taste (this may need quite a bit of salt), and finally add in the remaining breast meat from the chicken (torn into smallish pieces). 

Recipe adapted from Tim Mälzer.