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Tuesday, November 24

Belgian waffles

Active: 15 minutes; Total: 30 minutes; Serves: 4

Flour, all-purpose

2 ¼ cups

Baking powder

1 tablespoon

Sugar, granulated

3 tablespoons

Salt

½ teaspoon

Cinnamon

1 teaspoon

Eggs, separated

2 large

Oil, vegetable

½ cup

Milk, whole

2 cups

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

  1. Preheat your waffle iron (425°F bottom & 450°F top on my panini press), spray with cooking spray; set aside. 
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cinnamon. 
  3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form; set aside. 
  4. In another medium bowl, mix together the egg yolks, oil, milk, and vanilla. 
  5. Add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well. 
  6. Fold in the egg whites; lumps are okay so don’t over do it. 
  7. Pour the batter onto your hot waffle iron, and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions, about 4 minutes. 
  8. Serve immediately with butter, syrup, powdered sugar, berries, or eat all the crispy bits and skip the rest. 
Recipe adapted from The Salty Marshmallow.

Friday, November 13

Duck confit poutine

Active: 45 minutes; Total: 1 day 4 hours 45 minutes; Serves: 4

Duck legs

4

Garlic, chopped

4 cloves

Thyme

3 sprigs

Rosemary

2 sprigs

Sage, fresh 

2 leaves

Orange peel without pith

¼

Salt, kosher

1 teaspoon +

Pepper, freshly cracked

¼ teaspoon +

Duck fat, rendered

2 cups

Potatoes, russet; French-fry cut

4 medium

Water, cold

8 cups +
¼ cup

Ice

2 cups

Oil for frying

8 cups

Stock, chicken

6 cups

Cornstarch

1 tablespoon

Cheese curds

2 cups

  1. Place the duck legs in a shallow pan. 
  2. Rub the garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, orange peel, salt and pepper into the duck legs. 
  3. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for 24 hours. 
  4. Preheat your oven to 250°F. 
  5. Rub off the salt and herbs from the duck; set aside. 
  6. Rinse off the herbs in a colander, pat dry, and return to the duck. 
  7. Cover the duck and herb mix with the rendered duck fat, and cook in the oven until the meat is falling off the bones, about 2 hours 30 minutes. 
  8. Place the potatoes in cold, salted water with ice; let sit for 1 hour. 
  9. Remove the legs and cool on a cutting board. 
  10. Shred the meat from the legs; set aside. 
  11. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottom pan until it reaches a temperature of 250°F; line a baking sheet with paper towels. 
  12. Remove the potatoes from the water, pat dry, and add to the oil, in batches if necessary, and cook until the fries are soft all the way through and not crispy, about 5 minutes. 
  13. With a slotted spoon, remove the fries from the oil, and place on the prepared baking sheet. 
  14. Increase the oil temperature to 350°F. 
  15. In a stock pot, reduce the stock by two-thirds; set aside. 
  16. Add the duck meat into the reduced stock. 
  17. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and ¼-cup water until there are no lumps. 
  18. Heat the stock and duck to a gentle boil, add the cornstarch mixture, and boil for 45 seconds. 
  19. Place the blanched fries into the oil; fry until crispy and golden brown, 2 minutes. 
  20. Place the fries in a large bowl. 
  21. Add the curds, toss with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper; divide among four plates. 
  22. Spoon the duck and sauce over the fries, and serve. 
Recipe from the Brindle Room, which featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.

Wednesday, November 11

Grilled duck breast salad with fried curds & strawberries

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

Duck breast, skin on; pat dry with paper towels; score the fat layer 1-inch apart in a crosshatch pattern 

2

Salt, coarse

½ teaspoon +
½ teaspoon +

Pepper, freshly ground

¼ teaspoon +

½ teaspoon +

Breadcrumbs, panko

¼ cup

Breadcrumbs, plain

¼ cup

Flour, all-purpose

¼ cup

Egg, lightly beaten

1 large

Cheese curds, fresh as possible; freeze 30 minutes before frying

6 ounces

Oil, extra-virgin olive

3 tablespoons +
½ cup

Baby arugula

5 ounces

Strawberries, sliced or quartered

1 cup

Vinegar, white balsamic

3 tablespoons

Shallots, chopped

2 teaspoons

Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon

  1. Heat your panini press to medium-low. 
  2. Season the duck with salt and pepper. 
  3. Open the press lid, and lay one or both duck breasts on the grill, skin side down. 
  4. Leaving the lid open, grill the duck until much of the fat has rendered and the skin is brown and crispy, 9 to 11 minutes. 
  5. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, shallot, mustard, ½-teaspoon salt, and ½-teaspoon pepper; while whisking, slowly drizzle in the oil; set aside. 
  6. Using tongs, flip the breasts over, and close the lid; grill until the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 150°F, another 3 to 4 minutes. 
  7. Transfer to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing across the grain. 
  8. Combine the panko, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. 
  9. Place the flour and egg in separate shallow dishes. 
  10. In a medium-size skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. 
  11. Dredge each curd first into flour, then in egg (chef note: coat throughly or the cheese will ooze out during frying), and lastly in the breadcrumbs. 
  12. Carefully lower the curds into the hot oil, ensuring not to overcrowd. 
  13. Brown the curds, 1 to 2 minutes; drain on paper towels. 
  14. Place the arugula and strawberries in a large bowl; pour the vinaigrette over the salad, and toss with tongs. 
  15. To serve, divide the salad among four plates, and top each with some fried curds and sliced duck breast. 
Recipe from The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs.

Grilled asparagus panini with prosciutto & mozzarella

Active: 20 minutes; Total: 40 minutes; Serves: 4

Asparagus, trimmed to the length of  your bread portion

8 ounces

Oil, extra-virgin olive

2 teaspoons

Salt, coarse


Pepper, freshly ground


Focaccia or similar, cut into four portions

1 loaf

Prosciutto, sliced

4 ounces

Mozzarella, fresh, sliced

8 ounces

  1. Heat your panini press to medium-high. 
  2. In a large bowl, toss the asparagus in the oil and season with salt and pepper. 
  3. Grill the asparagus, with the lid closed, until they are cooked through and grill marks appear, 3 to 4 minutes; set aside. (Chef note: Remember asparagus shrinks when cooked.)
  4. Unplug the grill and carefully clean the grates; reheat the grill to medium-high heat. 
  5. For each sandwich, split the bread portion to create a top and bottom half. 
  6. Place some prosciutto inside the bottom half, top with cheese, and as many grilled asparagus spears that will fit. 
  7. Close the sandwich with the other half. 
  8. Grill two panini at a time, with the lid closed, until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. 
Recipe from The Ultimate Panini Press Cookbook by Kathy Strahs.