FINE LIVING
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Finely chop thyme. Mix salt, pepper and thyme with the butter and rub down the duck breasts. Place a pan on heat high until pan is hot. Place the duck breasts fat side down and let them sizzle and pop until they come to a rest. Turn the heat to medium. If they start to smoke, turn down the heat. After 2 minutes, check to see if fat has browned. Once it has, turn the duck over and cook on the meat side for 2 minutes. Place duck in a baking dish or pie tin and place in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. For rare duck, remove after ten minutes. Let the duck rest for 3 minutes. Slice duck with a sharp, serrated blade into thin elongated slices.
Mushroom Bread Pudding 1/2 lb button mushrooms 1/2 lb portabella mushrooms 1 small yellow onion 1 shallot, peeled 3 tablespoon butter 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/4 teaspoon rosemary 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1 teaspoon sugar 4 eggs 1 lb bread (approximately) 1 cup cream Mince mushrooms, onion and shallot and sauté in butter until tender. Add finely chopped rosemary and thyme. Add salt, pepper and sugar. Cut bread into two-inch strips. In a mixing bowl, combine the bread with the mushroom mixture and stir. In a separate bowl, blend the eggs and cream together and pour over the bread mixture. Stir well to combine. Using 6 oz. ramekins or a muffin tin, grease with butter and fill with bread and mushroom mixture. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. If the tops begin to get dark but the center is still wet, cover with tinfoil.
Glazed Baby Carrots 14 baby carrots, with some of the green stem still attached 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sherry 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 clove of garlic Fill a stock pot or sauce pan with water and salt and boil the carrots until al dente (soft with a
40 I holiday 2011 I MAGIC
little crunch). Add the sherry to a hot sauté pan on high heat. Add the carrots, honey and garlic. When the liquid bubbles, add the vinegar and stir until syrupy. Remove from the heat immediately to stop the caramelization process.
Flathead Cherry Sauce 1 lb pitted Flathead Cherries 1 oz. bittersweet or dark chocolate 1/4 cup brandy or kirsch 1 small shallot 1 tablespoon brown sugar Boil the pitted cherries in brandy or kirsch. Once liquid has reduced by 2/3, add chocolate and brown sugar. Cook until thick. If the sauce gets too thick, add hot water in tablespoons at a time.
Chai-spiced Honey Cake with Sautéed Pears and Pumpkin Crème Anglaise By Joanie Swords of Harper and Madison SERVES 8 Honey Cake 8 oz. brown sugar 3 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar 3/4 cup flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 teaspoons baking soda 5 whole eggs 5 additional egg yolks 8 oz. strongly brewed chai 1 teaspoon pure vanilla 3 oz. honey 5 oz. unsalted butter 8 oz. buttermilk Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into a well-greased 9” x 13” cake pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely.
Sautéed Pears 4 large Bosc pears, ripe but slightly firm 3 heaping tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice 2 oz. dry white wine Peel and core the pears and cut them into about 16 wedges. Place the sugar in a large sauté pan. Heat without stirring until sugar melts and begins to caramelize. Add the pears and lemon juice. Add wine and simmer until pears are soft.
Pumpkin Crème Anglaise 8 oz. milk 8 oz heavy cream dash of cloves 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon 9 egg yolks 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla pinch of salt 3 oz. canned pumpkin puree In a saucepan, scald the milk, cream, cloves and cinnamon. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar and temper them into the milk mixture. Cook gently, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain and mix in the vanilla and salt. Whisk in the pumpkin. Cool completely.
Assembly: Cut the cake into eight 3” circles. Sauce each dessert plate with the pumpkin crème anglaise. Top with pears and garnish with whipped cream, if desired.
Where to go? These local purveyors have the first-rate ingredients to make your holiday dinner extraordinary. 4th Avenue Meat Market City Vineyard Copper Colander Good Earth Market Poly Food Basket (carries Montana Wagyu Cattle Co.) The Meat Palace Van’s Evergreen IGA