Aromatic Duck Breast

Pan Roast Duck Breasts with Grain Mustard and Gnocchi

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Duck is one of those meats that may seem intimidating at first, but once you get to know it, it is as easy as cooking any other type of poultry. Its flavour is much richer than chicken and it is usually served medium-rare so the meat doesn’t dry out.

Ingredients:

Duck

• 2 x Muscovy duck breasts
• 2 tbsp of dried thyme
• 4 tbsp of grainy mustard
• 1 tbsp of soya sauce

Gnocchi

• 2 cups of frozen gnocchi
• 1/2 cup of frozen peas
• 10 x sage leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp of butter
• salt and pepper

Directions:

Duck

1. Place all ingredients into a re-sealable plastic bag, seal it and mix well, rubbing mixture all over the duck breasts. Put into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Remove duck breasts from plastic bag and with a sharp knife score the fat at 1-inch wide intervals. Turn the breasts on a 90-degree angle and score again to form a criss-cross pattern. This will help to prevent shrinkage during cooking.
3. Place a skillet over medium-high heat and when very hot begin to sear the duck breasts, skin side down. Cook for 10 minutes and then turn and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Duck breasts should be medium-rare. Allow to rest for 15 minutes so the juices may be reabsorbed.

Gnocchi

1. Put a large pot of water on to boil.
2. Salt the boiling water and add the gnocchi. When it begins to float it is done, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander.
3. Heat a large sauté pan and melt the butter. Add the cooked gnocchi and the peas and sauté for about 3 minutes. Stir in the sage and season with salt and pepper.
4. To serve, slice the duck breasts thinly. Place a large spoonful of gnocchi in a bowl and arrange slices of duck around it.

Goat's Cheese Vinaigrette

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Just over a cup.

If you like the strong flavour of goat’s cheese this vinaigrette’s for you. Its distinctive pungency accents the sweetness of honey and the sharpness of the vinegar.

Goat’s Cheese Vinaigrette

A small log of goat’s cheese, 140 grams or five ounces
One-quarter cup of white wine vinegar
One-half cup of your best olive oil
An overflowing spoonful of honey
A pinch of salt
A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

Mix everything together until a smooth vinaigrette forms. A blender, food processor or an old-fashioned whisk and bowl all work well but I prefer my immersion blender. It’s easier to clean up!



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Classic Chicken Dinner

Brined Roast Chicken

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Brining is one of the oldest kitchen techniques in the world; it’s a very common way to preserve food with salt. It’s also an amazingly simple way to make the juiciest chicken you’ve ever had!

Ingredients:

Brined Roast Chicken

• 2 qt of water
• 1/2 cup of salt
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• A fresh chicken
• A chopped onion or two
• A few chopped parsnips
• A few chopped carrots
• A few stalks of chopped celery
• A splash of olive oil

Directions:

Brined Roast Chicken

1. Whisk the salt and sugar into the water until they’re completely dissolved. Place the chicken in a large bowl or pot and cover with the water. Refrigerate it in the brine for an hour or two then remove it and dry well with a clean towel.
2. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Toss the vegetables with the oil and a bit of salt and pepper then pour them into a casserole dish or shallow roasting pan. Sit the chicken on top and roast it until an instant read thermometer registers 160°F in the thickest part of the breast and 165°F in the thigh. Cooking time depends on the size of your chicken.
3. As soon as the chicken is cool enough to handle - and without taking it out of the pan - cut off the legs and slice off the breasts. Cut as much of the meat as possible off the bones and stir into the vegetables. Serve together.

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

Everybody knows how good mashed potatoes are but if you really want to impress your friends and family try them with brown butter. You won’t believe how much flavour is locked into a stick of butter but you will believe these are the best-mashed spuds you’ve ever had!

Ingredients:

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lb. or so of unpeeled potatoes (about four large)
• 1 stick of salted butter (four ounces)
• A few pinches of nutmeg
• A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

Directions:

Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes into large chunks then steam, boil or microwave them until they’re tender. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, toss the butter into a small saucepot and heat it until it melts over medium heat. Because butter contains as much as twenty percent water it will then begin to steam and foam. Once the water has evaporated the foam will subside and the butter’s temperature will begin to rise. The milk fat solids that are one or two percent of the butter will then begin to brown. Continue watching as it begins foaming a second time. Swirl it gently, watching the colour, until it turns golden brown and releases the aroma of toasting nuts. Immediately pour the browned butter into a bowl to stop it from browning further.
3. When the potatoes are tender mash in the butter, nutmeg and seasonings. Taste and season a bit more if needed. Then watch the bowl empty!

Power Smoothies

Ease of Preparation: Easy
1 Serving

A well-crafted smoothie tastes so good you’ll forget it’s good for you! It’s one of my favourite ways to fill a glass with energy, nutrients and flavour. Use it to kick off your day – everyday – with the goodness of fruit. At heart, it’s just flavoured fruit puree so it’s easy to make. It’s also easy to jazz up with other healthy goodies like flax seed oil, yogurt or berries.

Power Smoothies

Orange, grapefruit, cranberry or apple juice
Yogurt, preferably active culture - alive and kicking!
Ripe bananas
Frozen blueberries or other frozen berries
Other ripe seasonal fruit, fresh or frozen
Flax seed oil
Vanilla extract
Honey

Orange, grapefruit and cranberry are the best juice choices. They’re not as calorie rich as apple juice and tend to be higher in nutrients. Active culture yogurt is full of real live goodness; it’s a much better choice than sugar-laden substitutes. Bananas add reliable body and smoothness and they’re full of nutrients like potassium. Blueberries are packed with anti-oxidant blood scrubbers that are good for you – even if you don’t know what an anti-oxidant does. Flax seed oil is loaded with a laundry list of good stuff including a high concentration of the same omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.

Orange Banana Berry
Toss a banana or two into a blender with a handful of frozen berries. Pour in orange juice until it’s almost level with the fruit. Add a large spoonful or two of yogurt, a splash of flax seed oil and a dribble of vanilla. Puree until smooth. Drink with a big smile on your face!

Berry Blaster
Toss a handful of frozen blueberries into a blender with a handful of frozen strawberries. Pour in enough cranberry juice to almost cover the fruit. Add a large heaping spoonful or two of yogurt, a small spoonful of honey, a splash of flax seed oil and a dribble of vanilla. Puree until smooth.
Feel your body sing!

Raspberry Peach
Toss a handful of frozen raspberries into a blender with a handful of peach slices. Pour in enough orange juice to almost submerge the fruit. Add a large heaping spoonful or two of yogurt, a splash of flax seed oil and a dribble of vanilla. Puree until smooth. Mix with champagne for a special brunch treat!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Makes about 18 cookies. (depending on size)

This is probably the most important recipe in my repertoire because it impresses my son Gabe more than anything else I cook! It’s a favourite of my family’s and I’m sure yours will love it too.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A heaping cup of all-purpose flour
One-half spoonful of salt
A small spoonful of baking powder
A stick of cold salted butter
One-third cup of brown sugar
One-third cup of white sugar
A spoonful of corn syrup
An egg
A splash of vanilla
A cup of chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together. Set aside.
Cream the cold butter and sugars together by beating them until they’re smooth in a stand mixer. If you don’t have a stand mixer beat vigorously by hand in a large mixing bowl or combine them in a food processor. Add the corn syrup, egg and vanilla and continue beating until well combined. Scrape down the bowl and gradually add the flour mix, beating just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and any optional nuts with a spoon.

Using a spoon scoop out a ball of the dough and drop onto a lightly greased cookie tray. Flatten slightly. Repeat leaving lots of room in between the balls for the cookies to expand. Bake for ten to twelve minutes. Cool for two minutes on the cookie sheet then remove and cool further.



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Chef At Large

Bon Appetite Magazine in LA

We’ll investigate the reality behind creating the fully realized recipes for this best selling magazine. The output of this state-of-the-art facility’s intense test kitchens and bright photography studios can be found found in homes across the country.

Outdoor Favourites

Campfire Salmon

Ease of Preparation: Easy
4 Servings

One of the keys to campout cuisine is simplicity. Nothing beats building a fire, then taking something you’ve already prepared and tossing it on the grill. Of course you don’t have to be camping out to appreciate that simplicity. This salmon is great in the backyard too!

Campfire Salmon

4 cups of bean sprouts
2 onions, sliced
1/4 cup of soya sauce
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
2 limes, juiced and zested
1/4 cup of honey
3 tablespoons of ground coriander
1 two pound piece of salmon, skin removed


Build a fire and allow it to burn down to the coals. Alternately, preheat your grill or oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the bean sprouts, onions, soya sauce, sesame oil, lime, honey and coriander together.

Place two large pieces of aluminum foil onto counter, one on top of the other. Fold over one edge half an inch, and then repeat twice. Open up the two pieces of foil into one larger piece with a seam through the center. Place one half of the sprout mixture onto the centre of the foil. Lay salmon on top and then cover with the other half. Fold the foil along the top and sides of the salmon to create a package that is well sealed. The salad will insulate the salmon from the direct heat of the hot coals.

Place the salmon package on a rack over the hot coals and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until the package puffs noticeably from internal steam. Carefully remove from the fire and place on a serving platter. Carefully open the foil and serve immediately!

Roast Potato Salad

Ease of Preparation: Easy
4 Servings

Roasting adds flavour to just about anything – including mellow potatoes headed for a salad. The sharp flavours of capers, mustard and vinegar really perk them up. This is a popular dish at my family summer beach picnics but it’s great in the middle of the winter too!

Roast Potato Salad

Four or five thick bacon slices
Twenty or so baby red potatoes
A handful of flat leaf parsley leaves
A few heaping spoonfuls of capers
A big spoonful of grain mustard
A splash of red wine vinegar
A sprinkle or two of salt and pepper

Stack the bacon slices on top of each other then cut into thin pieces. Toss them into a large sauté pan, add a splash of water and begin heating the works over a medium-high heat. When the water evaporates and the bacon begins to brown turn the heat down a notch and continue cooking until it’s all nice and crisp. Strain and reserve the fat.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Cut the potatoes in half. Toss them with the bacon fat and seasoning then roast them until they’re golden brown, about forty minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Toss the potatoes with the remaining ingredients then serve right away or save for later. This salad is great when it’s made the night before the party!

Grilled Vegetable Skewers

Ease of Preparation: Easy
Approximately 8 Skewers

A grilled vegetable skewer is one of the best ways I know to get kids to eat vegetables – especially when they’re marinated in a tasty herb vinaigrette. Just about any veggie will grill nicely, so use your imagination and get ready for empty plates.

Grilled Vegetable Skewers

Eight wooden or metal skewers
One or two bell peppers
A zucchini or yellow squash
A red onion
A handful of cherry tomatoes
A handful of mushrooms
A few generous splashes of Italian Herb Vinaigrette

If you’re using wooden skewers pre-soak them in water for an hour or so, this will help keep them from burning on the grill.

Cut the vegetables into roughly equal-sized chunks then arrange as you wish on the skewers. Splash with the vinaigrette and let them marinate for an hour or so. Season with salt and pepper then grill until the vegetables are lightly caramelized and tender.



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Tarragon Roasted Lamb

Roast Rack of Lamb with Grain Mustard Crust and Zinfandel Sauce

Yield: 4

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you’ll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don’t like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

A rack of lamb may seem intimidating at first but it’s really just a small roast with some bones attached. Ask your butcher to ‘french’ the rack, which means to remove all the trim from between the bones. Also make sure the ‘chine’ bone has been removed, as this will make it much easier for you to slice it when the time comes. So that you don’t overcook it, I strongly recommend using a meat thermometer; you’ll get guaranteed results regardless of how different your oven is from mine!

Ingredients:

Roast Rack of Lamb with Grain Mustard Crust and Zinfandel Sauce

• 2 rack of lamb, cleaned (save trimmings)
• Coarse salt and cracked pepper
• 3 tbsp of olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup of red Zinfandel wine or other big bodied red wine such as Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 cup of chicken or beef stock, homemade or canned
• 3 x bay leaves
• 1 bunch of tarragon, roughly chopped (save a few sprigs for garnish)
• 1 x egg yolk
• 1/4 cup of grainy mustard
• 1 cup of course bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

Directions:

Roast Rack of Lamb with Grain Mustard Crust and Zinfandel Sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Season the meat with course salt and freshly ground pepper. Preheat a sauté pan large enough to hold both lamb racks over medium-high heat.
2. Add the olive oil and the lamb racks, meat side down and brown well. At this point you’re not trying to cook the meat through, you’re just adding rich caramelized flavour to it that would be impossible once its insulated by the breadcrumb crust. Using tongs, turn racks and brown the bone side. Place on a plate, resting on its bones while preparing the crust and sauce.
3. Toss the lamb trimmings into the sauté pan and brown until well caramelized. Drain excess fat and then pour the Zinfandel into pan, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. This is known as ‘deglazing.’ The brown bits are caramelized juices from the meat and will add a ton of flavour to the sauce. Add the stock and bay leaves then simmer until the liquid reduces by 2/3? two thirds to a sauce-like consistency.
4. Meanwhile in a small bowl mix the tarragon, egg yolk and mustard together. Pat this mixture around the meaty part of the lamb racks, applying pressure to make it adhere. Pat on the breadcrumbs. Place the lamb racks onto a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 10 to 15 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, when it reads 140 degrees F (70 C), it’s a perfect medium rare.
5. Rest on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the meat that’s stressed out from the heat of the grill to relax and reabsorb the juices that are driven to the center of the cut. By letting it rest you won’t end up with a platter of juice and dry meat!
6. With a sharp knife, slice the lamb racks between every second rib bone. Place two pieces in a warm bowl and spoon some Zinfandel sauce around them. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon.

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