Gourmet Recipes: roasted duck and berry glacê

CREATIVE CULINARY

IDEAS FOR DINING IN

By Chili Gourmet Catering chef Helle Barlebo

“A CHILI A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY”

If you want to impress your guests with something different, I’m always happy to share some of the secrets of our popular dishes. I know that many people don’t often cook duck at home, but it’s actually easier than it seems. As always, buy the best quality you can find, and ecological if possible.

Gourmet Roasted Duck

Ingredients: (serves four people) 4 magret of duck maldon salt pepper mix rose peppercorn fresh rosemary or thyme glacé of berries 500 gr. fresh forest fruit berries juice from 4 mandarins fresh mild chili 2 tablespoons sugar Cointreau (orange liqueur) parsnip puré 400 gr. potatoes 200 gr. parsnip 2 shallots 4 spoons butter 1 dl. heavy cream

Remove the skin of the potatoes, parsnip and shallots and cut them into small pieces. Put to the boil in a pan covered with water, with a pinch of salt, until they are soft and tender. Remove the water and give it a round with your stick blender, adding the butter and heavy cream until you get a nice soft texture, then season with salt and pepper. Make some fine cuts to the skin of the magret duck breast, a bit like creating a small chessboard in small squares, without cutting down to the meat. This makes the cooking more even and you obtain a crispier touch to the skin. Add salt and pepper to both sides of the duck and leave it to sit on your cutting board for 10 minutes, before placing it on a barbecue – a little bit higher than medium heat and starting with the skin side down. If you don’t have a barbecue, a cast iron pan will also do the job. Grill on all sides for about eight minutes in total, and slightly press down the skin side to make sure it all touches the barbecue/pan. Leave the duck breast to rest on a plate for five minutes, before cutting it into fine slices, ready for the plating, together with the glâce of berries and parsnip puré, and top it with rosemary and rose peppercorns. Place the fresh berries into a small pan, together with the sugar, the mandarin juice and a tiny squeeze of water. Keep an eye on the pan, removing it frequently, and when it starts to boil add a shot of Cointreau and reduce the salsa for about four minutes. If you’re a chili fan like me, add a small teaspoon of fresh chopped chilis at the beginning and you will add a special taste to the sauce. Like I always say, “A chili a day, keeps the doctor away”. Depending on your mood, you can serve this glacé of berries warm or cold – both ways are delicious. It also goes well with warm goat’s cheese or one of my favourite meats, “presa ibérica” (shoulder of Iberian pork). If you prefer not to cook anything yourself, you can always get in contact with us for a complete catering experience.

Chili Gourmet Catering… by Helle Barlebo Tel. (+34) 666 627 105 helle@chiligourmet.es www.chiligourmet.es