Slow Roasted Ducklings
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Two 5-6 pound ducks, preferably Peking ducks
- Freshly ground black
- Pepper to taste
- Three tablespoons of dried thyme, crumbled
- Four bay leafs
- One cup cider vinegar
Directions:
Step One - Preheat oven to 375F.
Step Two - Sprinkle ducks inside and out with salt and pepper to
taste.
Step Three - Put 1.5 tablespoons of thyme and two bay leaves in the cavity of each duck.
Step Four - Pierce the skin of ducks all over with a fork to allow the fat to drain and help
the skin become crisp.
Step Five - Arrange ducks In a roasting pan without a rack, , breast
sides down, and roast until they begin to brown--about 30 minutes.
Step Six - Reduce temperature to 325F. Turn the ducks over and brush carefully with some vinegar (vinegar will splatter).
Step Seven - Roast duck, brushing with vinegar every 15 minutes, to keep the meat moist and produce crisp skin while rendering most of the fat. Roast for 90 minutes.
Step Eight - Let the ducks stand for 15 minutes. Cut into thick slices, discarding bay leaves, and serve with pineapple
chutney.
Pineapple Chutney
Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients:
- One pineapple
- One tablespoon of unsalted butter
- One red onion, diced
- Half a cup of diced red bell pepper
- Three tablespoons of freshly chopped ginger root
- One teaspoon of chopped garlic
- Three-quarters of a cup of firmly packed brown sugar
- Half a cup of white wine vinegar
- Half a cup of raisins
- Half a teaspoon of salt
- Half a teaspoon of cayenne
Directions:
Step One - Heat a well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat until hot
and grill pineapple (peeled, cored, and quartered lengthwise), turning it until lightly browned for about 4 minutes. Cool
pineapple and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
Step Two - In a large saucepan, heat butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Sauté onion, bell pepper, ginger root, and garlic, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften.
Step Three - Add brown sugar and vinegar and bring to a boil. Add pineapple and remaining
ingredients and simmer for 25 minutes, or until thickened. Cool chutney.
Cornish Hens Roasted with Chili Butter
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- Two Cornish hens (1.5 pounds apiece) split lengthwise
- Two tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
- Two and a half teaspoons of chili powder
- Half a teaspoon of fresh lime juice
- A quarter teaspoon of cayenne
- A quarter teaspoon of salt
- A pinch of sugar
Directions:
Step One - Preheat oven to 450F.
Step Three - In a small bowl, stir together butter, chili powder, lemon juice, cayenne, salt, and sugar.
Step Four - Arrange hens on a rack in a broiler pan, skin sides up.
Step Five - Loosen the skin near the breastbones and rub about one teaspoon of chili butter under the skin of each breast. Rub the remaining butter on the skin.
Step Six - Roast hens in the middle of the oven until juices run clear when the flesh of a thigh is pierced. About 25 minutes. Use an instant thermometer to be sure. Let hens rest for 15 minutes.
Roasted Pheasants with Apricots and Dates
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- Two three-pound pheasants
- A half cup of dried apricots
- A half cup of dry white wine
- A quarter cup of Grand Marnier (or other orange liquor)
- A quarter cup of fresh lime juice
- Two tablespoons of sugar
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Two teaspoons of dried thyme, crumbled
- Two bay leaves
- Vegetable oil for brushing pheasants
- One half cup of pitted dates, chopped.
Directions:
Step One - In a small heatproof bowl, cover apricots with boiling water and soak for 10
minutes. Drain apricots and cut them into quarters.
Step Two - Preheat oven to 375F.
Step Three - In a small saucepan, simmer wine, liqueur, lime juice, and sugar for five minutes.
Step Four - Sprinkle the pheasants inside and out with pepper and salt to taste. Put one teaspoon of thyme and one bay leaf in the cavity of each pheasant and close cavities with skewers or toothpicks so that pheasants hold their shape.
Step Five - Brush pheasants with oil in a roasting pan and arrange, breast side down. Roast pheasants for 20 minutes. Discard any fat in the roasting pan.
Step Six - Turn the pheasants over in the pan. Add apricots, wine mixture, and dates.
Step Seven - Roast the pheasants (adding about .5 cups of water if all liquid evaporates) for 25 minutes more, or until the thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 160F.
Step Eight - Let the pheasants rest for 10 minutes. Then, transfer pheasants to a cutting board and cut each in half long ways. Serve pheasants with apricot-date sauce and garnish with thyme.
Quail Grilled Salad
Serves four as a first course or light main course.
Ingredients for marinade:
- Eight boneless quail
- One cup of orange juice
- One lemon quartered
- Two bay leafs
- One teaspoon of dried thyme, crumbled
- One teaspoon of juniper berries, crushed
- Two tablespoons of molasses
- Two small chiles, each about 1 inch long or one half teaspoon of dried hot red pepper flakes
- Two garlic cloves, crushed
Ingredients for dressing:
- Three tablespoons of tarragon white wine vinegar
- On tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- One-half cup of olive oil
- Two navel oranges peeled and with pith cut away
- One mango, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- One-half cup of pepitas, toasted lightly
- Two cups of packed mesclun, washed and spun dry
Directions for marinade:
Step One - In a bowl or baking dish, stir together the marinade ingredients until combined.
Step Two - Add quail, turning to coat. Marinate quail, covered and chilled, turning occasionally, for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Directions for dressing:
Step One - In a bowl, whisk together vinegar and mustard and add oil in a stream, whisking until emulsified. Add orange segments, mango, and pepitas.
Step Two - Chill dressing covered for about 3 hours to blend flavors.
Step Three - Fire up the grill.
Step Four - Grill quail on an oiled rack set 5-6 inches over glowing coals for five minutes on each side, or until juices run clear when a fleshy part of the thigh is pierced.
(Alternatively, you can cook quail in batches in a cast iron skillet over moderate heat, turning frequently to avoid burning, about 10 minutes).
Step Five - Let quail stand for three minutes. Toss mesclun with dressing and divide among four plates. Top each salad
with two quail.