Part 2 of a web-exclusive holiday recipe series that will enliven your holiday cooking. Click here to see all of the recipes from the series.
The holidays are upon us, and with them, the season of food. Whether you’re looking for the perfect dish for a family potluck or something warm and cozy to try at home, these holiday recipes for entrees are sure to hit the spot.
Duck with Kumquat Rum Sauce
Chef Daniel Orr
“This is a play on the old French canard à l’orange using my house-flavored kumquat rum,” says Chef Daniel Orr. “I like using some of the drunken kumquats from the bottle to add to the sauce and serve over the sliced duck. If you don’t want to go through the whole process of flavoring the rum, use some Grande Marnier and some sliced fresh kumquats.
4 servings
1 large duck (4 to 5 pounds)
1 T Kitchen d’Orr Sweet Season Spice Blend (see below) or Chinese five-spice
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 small onions, quartered
1 head garlic, cut in half (east to west)
4 branches each rosemary and thyme
2 medium oranges
2 medium lemons
Boiling water, as needed
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c white wine vinegar
3 c brown chicken stock
2 tsp cornstarch
1 T bitter orange marmalade
1/2 c dry white wine
1/2 c homemade kumquat rum—or your favorite orange liqueur
Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Liberally season duck inside cavity with salt, black pepper, and spices. Stuff it with the onions, garlic, and fresh herbs.
2) Place breast-side up on a rack in a pan and prick thighs and breast with a fork to allow fat to escape. Place the duck in the oven and pour 1 1/2 cups of water into the pan with it. Roast until juice runs clear when the thigh is pricked, about 1 1/2 hours or until thermometer registers 145-150°F at the thickest part of the thigh. If the roasting duck begins to darken, cover lightly with foil and return to the oven. When cooked, remove and allow to rest lightly covered in a warm place for at least 8-10 minutes.
3) While the duck is cooking, remove zest from the oranges and lemons and cut into fine julienne. Squeeze juice from the oranges and lemons and set aside. Blanch the zest in boiling water and cover for 3 minutes; drain and set aside.
4) In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over moderate heat, melt sugar and cook until it begins to brown lightly. Add vinegar, orange and lemon juices, and stock and reduce over medium heat to a light sauce consistency.
5) In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch with a little water and stir into stock mixture. Simmer briefly until slightly thickened. Stir in marmalade and keep sauce warm.
6) While the duck is resting, spoon off fat from pan juices that have collected in the roasting pan. Place the pan on the stove over high heat. Once it is hot quickly remove it from the flame and deglaze the roasting pan with wine and kumquat rum. Return to the fire and flambé, all the while scraping up the brown bits. Add the sauce to the pan and return to a boil. Strain. Add reserved zest and kumquats from the rum bottle (or freshly sliced kumquats) and simmer until slightly thickened.
7) Carve duck, place on a warm serving platter, and pour sauce over pieces.
Turkey Pot Pie
David Davenport
Bloomington Cooking School
Servings: 8
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup mushroom, quartered, optional
1 cup onion, diced
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup potatoes, diced, optional
1 cup green beans, diced, optional
1 cup peas
1 cup corn
1 cup cream
1 pound turkey, cooked and diced
Unbaked pie crust, Pillsbury crust, or puff pastry
Egg wash, as needed (1 egg to 2 tablespoons milk or water)
1) Heat butter in large sauté pan and sauté onions and mushrooms. Season with cloves and other spices if you wish. (Then, if using frozen vegetables, add them to the onions and cook.)
2) Boil fresh potatoes, carrots, peas, green beans and corn in a pan until just tender. Drain.
3) Add cream to the onions, simmer for 5 minutes.
4) Add the chicken, potatoes, and boiled vegetables to the sauce, season with salt and pepper, and ladle into a pie pan or a shallow heat-proof container.
5) Place pie crust on top of mixture. Egg wash the top of the dough or pastry and make one or two small slices in the top of the dough to allow steam to escape as the pie cooks. Bake at 375°F until the top is well browned, approximately 15 minutes.
Moroccan Beef Stew
Chef David Davenport
Bloomington Cooking School
3 ounces currants
3 pounds beef chuck steak, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Beef stock
Olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 inch ginger root, grated
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Small package frozen peas
14.5 ounce can chopped tomato
Zest of one lemon
1/2 pint dark olives
Tagine or heavy oven-proof pot with a tight-fitting lid
The day before serving:
1) Combine oil, onion, cumin, ginger, ginger powder, and garlic powder in the pot. Then cover with the beef.
2) In a separate pan, heat beef stock until boiling, then pour enough stock into the mixture to submerge the beef.
3) Cover with a lid and cook in a 250ºF oven until beef is tender (about 2 hours), stir the mixture periodically.
4) Store in refrigerator overnight.
The following day:
1) Stir currants, lemon zest, frozen peas, tomato, and olives into the mixture.
2) Simmer on the stove until the stew has thickened.
3) Serve over rice or whipped potatoes.
