500593 Wed Mar 19 08:12:55 -0700 2008 19 31 Home Cooking 0 3507027 I am having a dinner party for eight next weekend. One of the guests "does not eat mammals." Two of the others are folks who would really appreciate a great meal, in the same way I would- nothing pedestrian will do! I was thinking of doing ALL DUCK. Here are some ideas. Please let me have yours. Duck lasagne, with fresh pasta and bechamel Carmelized green beans cooked in duck fat, or with duck bacon (if I can find it) Potatoes, rutabagas, and parsnips au gratin, topped with duck skin cracklins Mache and radicchio with chevre, hazelnuts, and duck lardons (again, if I can find duck bacon) Pate, of course, to start. Probably with green apples and seeded mustard on melba toast. (If I end up making the pate myself I will cheat using chicken liver, though, since I have read non-fattened duck livers are not as good for this preparation.) I am at the in-laws and don't have my Ruhlman book with me- how long does that duck proscuitto take to cure? Wed Mar 19 08:12:55 -0700 2008 13283 julietg 1 3508834 I would make sure he or she eats duck- it is a dark meat and despite the fact that ducks clearly don't nurse their young- I would not be surprised if it was also on his or her "no can do" list. As to the menu- it sounds delicious, but not very spring like. Lasagna and potatoes at the same meal seems kind of heavy. The pate combo sounds great. Maybe do the pasta dish as a few duck ravioli in an intense duck broth with a sprinkle of fresh herbs as a first course, and then do duck breast with the gratin and salad. Wed Mar 19 15:45:30 -0700 2008 3507027 17682 torty 1 3508981 I would suggest the amazing 4 hr roast duck, which is truly amazing. Been discussed quite alot on this board. Or good amazing 4 hr roast duck for recipe. Wed Mar 19 16:30:14 -0700 2008 3507027 33755 NYchowcook 2 3509051 I agree with NY. The duck is an excellent choice for those who don't want beef or pork, and those that like heavier, richer main courses. Good balancing act. Here's the link for the duck recipe, however, it is a "5" hour roast duck, I believe, with an option to cook it 4 hours. Good luck! http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/special/2006/150best/roast-duck.html Wed Mar 19 16:53:56 -0700 2008 3508981 58961 dhedges53 3 3509271 Interesting. Can I use the whole frozen duck they sell at Fairway, or should I order fresh from the butcher? I didn't even think about potatoes and pasta, torty- you are totally right. I just was thinking about throw-in-the-oven dishes that I would not have to futz with when I should be with my guests. But. Cooking and plating fresh ravioli doesn't take more than ten minutes, right? How about a first course of duck ravioli, with a duck broth, topped with cracklins and some diced canned black truffle? What's a good cheese for this- pecorino romano, or something crazier? Should I make a duck ravioli (pan fried legs, I'm guessing) or a cheese ravioli with an all-day stewed duck ragu? Fresh ricotta, chevre, and chive stuffing? This is more springlike, no? Wed Mar 19 18:00:34 -0700 2008 3509051 13283 julietg 4 3512495 I like the cheese and herb stuffing idea for ravioli or tortellini in a rich duck broth - a soup presentation. Roasting the duck carcass and maybe some extra wings (a standard at most Asian markets) will give you a flavorful broth. Tossing the fresh cheese stuffed pasta with a duck ragu sounds tasty, but again a little heavy - protein on protein. As for the issue of being with your guests, there is lots you can do ahead. The stuffed pasta can be assembled and even pre-poached in water, then reheated in broth. The broth of course made a day or more before. The legs could be slow roasted, glazed or braised the day ahead like a coq au vin prep and served with the gratin and salad you proposed. The breast could become individual duck pot pies or duck turnovers (in phyllo dough). You have my mind spinning with tasty possibilities. Good luck. Report back. Thu Mar 20 15:58:10 -0700 2008 3509271 17682 torty 5 3512934 Duck pot pie.....mmmmmm. No wait, can't do that one 'cause I had one of these couples over for a brunch and I made quiche Lorraine. I am really digging the all day roast duck. But every time I imagine it, it's fall. How do you "spring" up roast duck? I would take it in an Asian direction, but I have never done so before, and am loathe to experiment with an expensive ingredient and an important audience. I dunno, compound butter? I did look at the Ruhlman book btw, 7 days plus one for the prosciutto, which is doable. I don't have a space with the 50-60 degree temp tho, except my building's parking garage. Don't think that that kind of "smoked" would be tasty. Thu Mar 20 18:21:37 -0700 2008 3512495 13283 julietg 6 3513062 Well a whole roast duck with the lovely salad you proposed and asparagus and the gratin is a balanced spring meal. your app of pate can still work. Maybe a fruity dessert like something discussed on another thread here- meringue shells with macerated fruit and whipped cream, or just a lemon or other fruity sorbet with some crisp cookies. Thu Mar 20 19:05:39 -0700 2008 3512934 17682 torty 5 3513082 You have my mind spinning with tasty possibilities! Thu Mar 20 19:12:28 -0700 2008 3512495 162977 sarah galvin 6 3513274 Write 'em down, and right your mind! Thu Mar 20 20:41:29 -0700 2008 3513082 13283 julietg 3 3513073 Got that recipe on this board, and it is so good, and so easy. Not many in my family like duck, but I do manage to word it into our menu a few times a year Thu Mar 20 19:09:44 -0700 2008 3509051 11057 macca 1 3513991 My greatest duck "hit" is a wild mushroom tagliatelle (basically a mushroomy cream sauce - whatever mushrooms you can get your hands on, but ideally oysters and shittakes, maybe some creminis for more "bulk", sauteed in butter with some thyme and shallots and then add cream) with slices of seared duck breast on top. It would make a great first course. Fri Mar 21 07:27:16 -0700 2008 3507027 176646 emmalee 1 3515349 Now I am thinking of brining the duck, since the five hour method produces a less moist meat. Any detractors? Any suggestions for brine ingredients? (now it's fifteen hour duck, heh heh.) Fri Mar 21 14:06:40 -0700 2008 3507027 13283 julietg 1 3531317 4 days out. Still need to make a few big decisions - help! pate with seeded mustard and apple on melba rounds a hard cheese (gonna let the cheesemonger decide this one) sliced no-knead bread whatever produce looks good in the market (grapes, dates, nuts) frisee with duck lardons and diced parsnips fried in duck fat caramelized green beans roast duck Anne Willan's cake made of only sliced apples baked for 14 hours homemade cinnamon or vanilla ice cream salt caramel sauce a brown sugar butter crumble topping if I have the time I am going to make the 5 hour duck. Should I chop the duck into pieces with a cleaver and serve it with scallion pancakes, cherry "hoisin," and or thinly sliced cucumber OR shred the duck, stuff it into torteloni with scallions, cuke, and cherry and serve it in duck broth with cracklins on top? The pot pie couple canceled. Should I make a braise out of legs and thighs and serve it topped with puff pastry squares? Also, still need a cocktail to start. Any opinions? ps- the creamy mushroom pasta sounds amazing, but my husband is a mushroom hater. Wed Mar 26 18:09:40 -0700 2008 3507027 13283 julietg 2 3534517 I would think you'd serve the duck(s) whole for the ahhh! effect since they're beautiful to behold and/or cut into serving pieces. A dried cherry compote is very nice w/ duck. I would save the shredding and adornments for leftovers. Thu Mar 27 14:57:19 -0700 2008 3531317 33755 NYchowcook 3 3534593 The ahhh! effect is a good idea but I think you can get a bigger ahhh! with a little more work. Why not cook 2 ducks? Everything is about 'trios' these days, it seems. Why not serve the beautifully roasted 5 hour duck whole in a nice platter presentation. Then also, serve the scallion pancakes with Hoisin ( I made it for the millenium New Year's Eve and it was a hit) in another presentation and the tortellini in a third presentation. It sounds like a lotta work but the second duck can be made earlier so it can be shredded, make the scallion crepes earlier and freeze until needed, also make the tortellini ahead and freeze. So the frozen items can be 'refreshed' and the whole duck will be the only item to cook 'the day of'. I also like the braise idea. You could do this instead of tortellini. I would also go for the vanilla ice cream. Otherwise, too many flavours. Keep the dessert simple. Thu Mar 27 15:17:32 -0700 2008 3534517 162977 sarah galvin 4 3534962 sarah- love your ideas- but when Icook duck there is really only me, and one family member who will eat it a few times a year. I make the 5 hour duck, and serve it with crepes/pancakes and a plum sauce. Next time, I will add scallions to the crepes. Thu Mar 27 17:11:59 -0700 2008 3534593 11057 macca 5 3535006 Add scallions. Julietg is having a dinner party so she will need more than one duck. Probably need 3 ducks for 8 people. So she can splurge and try everything :) With one duck, I would serve it whole on a platter and have the crepes on the side for variety. Thu Mar 27 17:31:30 -0700 2008 3534962 162977 sarah galvin 6 3535460 We are actually only six now. Just got back from the store, so I am locked in to the menu. I have one frozen five lb duck thawing on the counter and I bought two breasts and two legs. While the duck is in the oven, I am going to try my hand at scallion pancakes, or failing that, plain pancakes. I've read I can shape them then hold in the fridge until ready to fry. If I am not completely panicked, I am going to braise the legs with tomato, garlic, red wine, stock, parsley root, celery root, and carrot. Then I will mix up some pasta dough, and make fresh ricotta and thyme stuffed ravioli. It'll be cheese ravioli with duck and root veggie ragu, followed by roast duck with pancakes, hoisin, and kirby cukes. The salad is frisee, Boston bibb, shallots, filberts, chevre, and herbs. I am terrified of the pancakes. See the lessons I am following here: http://www.grubshack.com/essays/scallion.html Any advice would be most appreciated. Also, anyone who has made the Anne Willan apple cake (the one on the cover of "My Chateau Kitchen") your advice on how to 1- cut the apples before slicing 2- keep them from browning (don't think I can put them in lemon water, lest they get soggy) and 3- keeping the oven on for 14 hours would also be most welcome!! Thu Mar 27 20:09:39 -0700 2008 3535006 13283 julietg 7 3535742 That link wouldn't open for me but no fear. I would make crepes rather than 'pancakes'. They would be so much finer. I hope this is what you have in mind. Crepes are dead simple but you have to use either a well seasoned cast iron pan or a crepe pan for easy results. Thu Mar 27 22:48:16 -0700 2008 3535460 162977 sarah galvin