This, my friends, will make your company stand up and applaud. What a rare experience to enjoy a duck anything. It is not on everyone’s bucket list, but it is worth it.
- 1 whole duck (about 3 1/2 – 4 lbs.)
- 2 celery stalks, peeled and chopped
- 1 shallot
- 4 garlic cloves,
- 1 tbsp. thyme
- 1 tbsp. sage
- 2 large oranges
- 2 4 oz. pkgs. alfalfa shoots
- 1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained well and sliced
The day before stuff the cavity of the duck with the celery, onion andgarlic. Rub the thyme and sage into the skin.
Place in a roasting bag and make 5-6 slits to allow the steam to escape. Roast this in a 325 degree oven for about 2 hours. Roasting this slowly will allow it to remain moist.
Peel the oranges making sure to carefully remove the membrane along with the rind. With the peel from one orange, julienne into 1 1/2 inch strips. Blanch the strips in boiling water for 5 minutes. Reserve the 2nd orange.
Remove the duck from the oven and take out the celery and onion. Save the garlic and spread it like a soft butter over the duck. Put in the refrigerator to cool down.
Dressing
- 6 tbsp. fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp. lime juice
- 1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 6 tbsp. pecan oil
- pinch of thyme
- 1/4 tsp. fennel
Whisk all the ingredient together until well blended. Refrigerate.
To Serve
Slice the duck in sand dollar size pieces. Slice the remaining orange. Pile the alfalfa shoots in the center of a plate and in the center of this, add the reserved orange peel. Arrange the duck and orange slices around the garnish,
Sprinkle the sliced water chestnuts and julienne strips of orange peel over the duck and orange slices. Drizzle the dressing all over and pour the remaining dressing into a pitcher (creamer) and serve separately for everyone to add more to their serving.
This should be served with a wonderful pasta dish of your choosing and dinner rolls.
Mandolin “Show Stopper” Salad
This is not a difficult salad to prepare but it is definitely a show stopper in appearance. I love it because it LOOKS so different.
Serves 4
- 3 large seedless English Cucumbers
- 6 cups of torn baby greens
- 1 small red onion, cut into really thin wedges
- Small can water chestnuts
- 1/4 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette
Note: It will require a mandolin to make the cucumber bowl.
Move the cucumber lengthwise down the mandolin several times each cucumber to get strips. Use three of the best ones to form into your bowl.
Take three strips per plate, and make ends about two inches back of each one and curl around to make a bowl.
Toss the greens, onion and chestnuts with the dressing and CAREFULLY spoon the mixture in each bowl.
If you can find any flowering chives (from the local market) stand a couple of them in each salad.
This is sooo pretty and quite a different way to serve a salad.
Note: If you are like me, just omit the onion. (just kidding) Don’t get me wrong, I put onions in everyone’s dish, just not mine.
This would look so great at Eastertime.
Fresh Ginger, Shrimp and Mushroom Soup
After all the heavy foods consumed over the holidays, this might be a welcome choice. It is light, tasty and very satisfying.
- 2 cups sliced white button mushrooms
- 1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. white vinegar
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- 2 tsp. white granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp. hot chili sauce
- 3/4 lb. uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
- 1 small tin of sliced water chestnuts, drained
Add a little oil to the frypan and cook the mushrooms until they start to turn a light brown. Add the chicken broth, ginger, vinegar, sugar and chili sauce. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for about 3-4 minutes.
Add the shrimp and water chestnuts and cook for about 2 more minutes until the shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat and add the sesame oil.
If you are making ahead and freezing, omit the step of adding the shrimp. Defrost first and reheat the soup before adding the shrimp at that time.
Yummy!
Mandolin “Show stopper” Salad
Sometimes we want to do something a little different. Take a deep breath and say to yourself ‘damn, I can do this”. It isn’t hard to do but boy, oh boy, will everyone be impressed.
This will serve 4
- 3 large seedless English Cucumbers
- 6 cups torn baby greens
- 1 small red onion, sliced really thin wedges
- small can of water chestnuts, drained
- 1/4 cup bottled red wine vinaigrette
- You will reuire a mandolin to make the bowl.
Move the cucumber lengthwise down the mandolin several times each cucumber to get strips. Take 3 of your best ones to make each bowl. It takes 3 strips to make a bowl and make ends about 2 inches back of each one and curl around to make a bowl.
Toss the greens, oniopns and chestnuts with the dressing and CAREFULLY spoon the mixture in each ‘bowl’.
If you can find any flowering chives (from your local market) stand a couple of them in each salad.
This is sooooo pretty and the cucumber bowl salad will keep people talking about it for a long time.