Duck Breast with Grand Marnier Sauce

Serves 4 - 6
4 duck breast fillets
3 tablespoons olive oil
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, strained
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/3 cup Grand Marnier liqueur
3/4 cup chilled butter, cut into 6-7 pieces

Preheat oven to 350°.

Score the duck breast skin without cutting into the breast, cut in a criss cross pattern.

Season the duck breast on both sides with sea salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat until hot and sear the breast skin side down, do not put oil or butter into the pan, you’ll have plenty of rendered duck fat shortly. When the breast is nicely browned turn and cook the other side, turn the heat down on the pan if needed.

Remove breast to a small baking sheet lined with parchment, a baking pan will do as well. Do not use a pan that’s too big or the fat will burn as it’s rendered, place a probe thermometer into the center of the breast and cook until temperature reaches 135°. Remove from oven and let rest while you finish the sauce.

Combine orange juice, sugar, orange zest, and half of the Grand Marnier in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is reduced to 2–3 tablespoons. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in butter, a few pieces at a time, until thoroughly blended, and then whisk in the remaining Grand Marnier.

Slice the duck breasts on an angle and serve with the Grand Marnier Sauce, top with some orange peel or zest.

Photo: Chef Jon

A Christmas Roast, Dec. 2016

After the huge cooking spree for Thanksgiving I’m happy to create a simple elegant meal for Christmas and I always turn to a rib roast. Most people refer to them as a ‘prime rib’ yet that really refers to the grade of meat. While USDA Prime Grade is the best, it can also be on the expensive side, while a good ‘Choice’ grade is nearly as good as the prime, it can be purchased for much less. Both roasts are considered ‘standing rib roast’ and you treat them equally in cooking.

Costco has the absolute best deal on both Choice and Prime Grade roasts, choose bone in for the best flavor and juiciness. Either roast will need to cook a little longer with the bone in but the flavor is superior. A trick you can do is cut the bones off the roast and tie them back onto the roast, you’ll still get juicy flavor but won’t need to roast quite as long.

The roast will take some time to come to room temperature so remove from the refrigerator 3 house before roasting. Pre heat your oven for 30 minutes and roast for approximately 15 – 20 minutes per pound, start with a high heat, 450°, for 15 minutes, then turn the oven down to 325° and continue cooking. Use a digital probe thermometer for best results, it’s worth spending $15 or $20 on a digital thermometer for a $75.00 roast.

For rare roast remove from the oven when the thermometer reaches 120°, for medium rare, 125° or 130° for medium, the meat will continue to cook (called carry over cooking time) while it rests. I like to serve the roast with a Red Wine Sauce or Bordelaise Sauce but remember that your sauce will only be as good as the beef stock you use so use the best. Homemade is tops but if you must purchase a stock try More Than Gourmet Glace de Veau (veal stock). Standing rib roasts are great on the grill also but that’s another story.

Photo: Josh, The Meatwave

Prime Rib or Standing Rib Roast

Serves 8
Total preparation time: 1 hr. 30 min. – 2 hr.

1 (7 lb.) Rib Roast, Bone-In or Boned & Tied
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 clove garlic, minced – optional use 1 teaspoon ground garlic (NOT garlic salt)
Sea Salt and ground pepper

Place roast in a shallow baking pan bone down, melt butter in small saucepan and add garlic and salt and pepper. Mix well, brush over roast, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°F. Use a probe meat thermometer*, placed into the center of the roast but not touching bone. Roast for 10 minutes in uncovered pan, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue for 1 hour and 20 minutes for rare. Baste with pan drippings from time to time. Thermometer should read 120° - 125° for rare, 130° - 135° for medium rare. Do not cook beyond 140°, medium. Let the roast stand for 15 minutes, with the probe in the meat, before slicing. Slice either between the bones or cut off all the bones at once and the slice the meat into serving pieces.

Roast 15 minutes more if you want a medium roast, another 15 minutes for well done.

Remove from oven when done, and allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before carving. Transfer to a warmed serving platter.

• A digital probe meat thermometer – the probe remains in the meat while in the oven and the control sits outside on the stove or counter. See link below

Bordelaise Sauce

3 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced in rounds
2 cloves garlic, cut in half
4 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
11/4 cups beef broth*
1 sprig thyme
Sea Salt
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet and sauté the onion until transparent. Add the carrots and cook until soft.

Place garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf in cheesecloth bag. Add to pan along with 1 cup of beef broth. Boil until broth has been slightly reduced, about 10 minutes, then season with thyme and salt.

Remove cheesecloth bag and put mixture through a coarse strainer. Return to pan.

Meanwhile, dissolve flour in the other 1/4 cup of broth and add gradually to sauce. Stir constantly until sauce thickens, then add the wine. Reduce heat and allow to simmer until ready to serve, and then sprinkle chopped parsley on top.

Use a quality beef broth if not making your own such as More Than Gourmet Glace de Veau (veal stock).

<br />