I see duck occasionally in the local supermarkets around here and sometimes I am tempted, but they are invariably just fatty with little real flavour. I have a friend who rears poultry and she has given me some of her ducks in the past. They really are a different beast. Much smaller and not as meaty and somehow the fat seems different - not so lardy. My passion at the moment is Cassoulet so rather than buy a "lardy" duck I decided to get some from my friend. However, she said although she had some ready to go she did not want to kill them.
I decided if I was prepared to eat them, then I should be prepared to kill them right? Now, I have never killed anything in the past but how difficult can it be? Two ducks arrived yesterday evening in a box. I was also getting a new Khaki Campbell for egg laying and she was duly transferred into the duck house. The time came to kill the other two and cautiously I opened the box. Inside were two male Aylesbury ducks, white fluffy with yellow legs. The "puddle-ducks" of my childhood. I picked one up gently and could feel his little heart pumping with fear. My son and a friend were here to do the job. My one request was that I did not want to see the actual act but that they must make it fast. My son looked scared and apprehensive and I was thankful that I had brought up a human with a love and respect for animals. He had looked up on the internet how to do it and settled on the River Cottage method. Hugh said they are the most difficult animals to kill as they look so cute! Not an easy comment to read when you are about to do the job.
The two of them gently took the duck from my arms and carried him out. Two hits and he was dispatched but they had to hold him for a good few minutes while he continued to twitch. The second one was the same and then we had to start plucking. My son informed me he had been dreading it but it was easier than he had thought and at least he was happy it was fast and humane.
Plucking is a nightmare and not only do they have the familiar duck feathers they have a deep layer of "eiderdown", beautifully soft and white. I was tempted to try to save some. We spent over an hour trying to remove all the quills and gave up and decided to gut them. I wanted to save the livers and the heart so we removed these carefully.
Today we have to finish trying to remove all the quills, which may be easier now they are cold. I am hoping to confit the legs today and remove the breasts from one and to roast the other.
How do I feel now? Well last night I had nightmares about finding my new hens running around headless. So it certainly has had an effect on me and I did not even watch the act. But at least I know that these ducks were reared free to roam and had a natural, happy life. I think it would get much easier to do subsequently but the first time is always going to be difficult. One comment that stuck with me was from my son. He said "it's just as well we are not trying to conceal a murder scene, because if we were, we would not have done a very good job"!
Killing Ducks Khaki Campbell Aylesbury River Cottage Duck Recipes
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Sunday, 22 January 2012
My Cassoulet
I love big hearty dishes at this time of year and simple one-pot ones are the business. I have had Cassoulet a few times in Carcassonne and I love it, I call it "proper food". My version is my attempt to re-create the original.
I have made duck legs Confit a few times but it you don't have any, use chicken thighs. To Confit duck legs, sprinkle sea salt over them and some fresh thyme and leave overnight somewhere cool. Next day rinse off the excess salt and place in a casserole. Cover with duck or pork fat and place in oven for about 4 hours at a low heat.
To use chicken thighs, season and rub with some rape seed oil, Sear them on a hot pan until browned all over.
If using pork belly it needs a bit of cooking first, so roast in a hot oven for half an hour and turn down and cook for at least another half an hour. This can be done in advance while you are using the oven for something else. Alternately just use some pork gigot chops seared on a pan same as for chicken.
Brown the sausages and when cool cut into chunks.
While the meat above is cooking prepare the rest of the dish.
Ingredients
1 onion finely chopped
1 stick celery finely sliced
1 carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
About quarter of a butternut squash cut into chunks
4-5 good quality thick sausages (browned and cooked)
Strip of pork belly cut into bite sized chunks
4 chicken thighs or confit duck legs
2 tins of cannellini or haricot beans or a bean mix
Fresh thyme and sage
Good quality chicken or beef stock
A good glug of white wine
A squeeze of tomato puree or about half a tin of chopped tomatoes
Saute the vegetables in some rape seed oil. Transfer to a casserole dish. Add in the meats and the beans, the stock, puree, wine, herbs and season. Simmer the cassoulet for about an hour in a low oven or on the hob until the vegetables are soft and it has become almost creamy looking. About 20 minutes before you want to serve it add in the chunks of butternut squash.
Serve with crusty bread and a good hearty red wine and enjoy!
Tip - I cook beans in a pressure cooker and freeze for use later. I also cook double the meat and freeze half for use in another cassoulet and then when you are in a hurry you can prepare the dish in the time it takes to chop and saute the vegetables.
Cassoulet Duck Confit Carcassonne Food Hearty Stew Recipes
I have made duck legs Confit a few times but it you don't have any, use chicken thighs. To Confit duck legs, sprinkle sea salt over them and some fresh thyme and leave overnight somewhere cool. Next day rinse off the excess salt and place in a casserole. Cover with duck or pork fat and place in oven for about 4 hours at a low heat.
To use chicken thighs, season and rub with some rape seed oil, Sear them on a hot pan until browned all over.
If using pork belly it needs a bit of cooking first, so roast in a hot oven for half an hour and turn down and cook for at least another half an hour. This can be done in advance while you are using the oven for something else. Alternately just use some pork gigot chops seared on a pan same as for chicken.
Brown the sausages and when cool cut into chunks.
While the meat above is cooking prepare the rest of the dish.
Ingredients
1 onion finely chopped
1 stick celery finely sliced
1 carrot chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
About quarter of a butternut squash cut into chunks
4-5 good quality thick sausages (browned and cooked)
Strip of pork belly cut into bite sized chunks
4 chicken thighs or confit duck legs
2 tins of cannellini or haricot beans or a bean mix
Fresh thyme and sage
Good quality chicken or beef stock
A good glug of white wine
A squeeze of tomato puree or about half a tin of chopped tomatoes
Saute the vegetables in some rape seed oil. Transfer to a casserole dish. Add in the meats and the beans, the stock, puree, wine, herbs and season. Simmer the cassoulet for about an hour in a low oven or on the hob until the vegetables are soft and it has become almost creamy looking. About 20 minutes before you want to serve it add in the chunks of butternut squash.
Serve with crusty bread and a good hearty red wine and enjoy!
Tip - I cook beans in a pressure cooker and freeze for use later. I also cook double the meat and freeze half for use in another cassoulet and then when you are in a hurry you can prepare the dish in the time it takes to chop and saute the vegetables.
Cassoulet Duck Confit Carcassonne Food Hearty Stew Recipes
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Marmalade Time
It's that time of year again when the Seville oranges appear in the fruit and veg shops all around the country. The oranges are smaller, more irregular, sometimes blotchy green, thick skinned and not as shiny as the oranges we peel and eat. They are also unbelievably bitter but they make the most tart, zingy marmalade you can imagine. To be honest, I hate making marmalade but I love it: so every year at this time, I get on the phone to my mother to get me some oranges. It's still difficult to get the oranges around here and she is usually getting some for herself anyway. This year I have some in my freezer left over from last year. You can freeze them and to be honest I have never noticed any difference in using frozen from fresh.
I have tried every type and available recipe over the years but the one I have settled on, with my modifications is Delia Smith's recipe for a long slow-cooked marmalade but I shorten the process as I don't like the colour too dark. I also omit a lot of the peel as I prefer jelly to lumpy bits. But, the beauty of any recipe is, as long as you don't interfere too much with the underlying principles then you can tailor it to your own taste.
Her recipe is spread out over two days but I condense it into one as it is a palavar and I always want to get it over and done with. But - the biggest bonus of all is making a marmalade cake with the left overs which won't quite fill your last jar. This is the best cake ever and if you don't believe me then try it and let me know how you get on.
Delia Smith's (modified by me) recipe
1.35kg Seville marmalade oranges
2 lemons
5 pints of water (I use less as I can't fit that much in my pot)
2.7kg granulated sugar (I also use less usually 2kg of sugar to this quantity)
You need a preserving pan and some muslin. First off you wash the fruit and put in your pan with the water and bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and leave the oranges to poach for about 3 hours or until they are soft.
Simmering the oranges to soften
Scoop the fruit out and allow to cool. When cool, cut the oranges in half and scoop out the flesh and pips and place in a pan. Add some of your poaching liquid and simmer for 10 minutes. When cooled strain the contents of the saucepan into a sieve lined with muslin. Allow to drip through and then when it is cool enough to handle catch it and wring it squeezing all the juice and liquid out. Do this with a pair of gloves as it is very acidic and burns your hands. It is also very therapeutic and you can imagine you are wringing someone's neck - bit like kneading bread! You should be left with just spent pulp in your muslin which you can put in your compost heap.
Straining the pulp through muslin
Next slice up your skin for your "bits" the size and quantity is to your taste. Add these slices into your poaching liquid and the stuff you squeezed out of the muslin. Delia says to leave this overnight, but I just crack on.
Put the pot on a low heat and gradually bring up to just below boiling point and start to add your sugar. Add your sugar gradually, stirring to dissolve. Then when you are sure it has all dissolved bring to a rapid, rolling boil and set your timer. This is the difficult bit. After 15-20 minutes you need to test for a set. Have a few saucers in the fridge chilling. When you are testing turn the heat off under the pan as it is very easy to overshoot "setting point" and you will have to go for a "second set". Spoon out a tablespoon of your marmalade onto a chilled saucer and put in the fridge for a few minutes. Remove and run your finger through it - if it wrinkles then it is set, if not put heat on and re-test in another 5 minutes. I have to say there is no fast way to do this and you just have to be patient. It can take from 15-45 minutes! Don't despair - it will set eventually. Alternately use a thermometer but this just gives you an idea when the setting point is close and marmalade takes it's own time.
Setting point is 105C
When it is set, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes, then fill hot, sterilised jars. See my post on jam making for other hints.
To make the marmalade cake use a basic Victoria sponge recipe and add a couple of tablespoons of marmalade. Believe me it is really, really good.
Marmalade Delia Smith Seville Oranges Marmalade Cake
I have tried every type and available recipe over the years but the one I have settled on, with my modifications is Delia Smith's recipe for a long slow-cooked marmalade but I shorten the process as I don't like the colour too dark. I also omit a lot of the peel as I prefer jelly to lumpy bits. But, the beauty of any recipe is, as long as you don't interfere too much with the underlying principles then you can tailor it to your own taste.
Her recipe is spread out over two days but I condense it into one as it is a palavar and I always want to get it over and done with. But - the biggest bonus of all is making a marmalade cake with the left overs which won't quite fill your last jar. This is the best cake ever and if you don't believe me then try it and let me know how you get on.
Delia Smith's (modified by me) recipe
1.35kg Seville marmalade oranges
2 lemons
5 pints of water (I use less as I can't fit that much in my pot)
2.7kg granulated sugar (I also use less usually 2kg of sugar to this quantity)
You need a preserving pan and some muslin. First off you wash the fruit and put in your pan with the water and bring to the boil, turn down to a simmer, cover and leave the oranges to poach for about 3 hours or until they are soft.
Scoop the fruit out and allow to cool. When cool, cut the oranges in half and scoop out the flesh and pips and place in a pan. Add some of your poaching liquid and simmer for 10 minutes. When cooled strain the contents of the saucepan into a sieve lined with muslin. Allow to drip through and then when it is cool enough to handle catch it and wring it squeezing all the juice and liquid out. Do this with a pair of gloves as it is very acidic and burns your hands. It is also very therapeutic and you can imagine you are wringing someone's neck - bit like kneading bread! You should be left with just spent pulp in your muslin which you can put in your compost heap.
Next slice up your skin for your "bits" the size and quantity is to your taste. Add these slices into your poaching liquid and the stuff you squeezed out of the muslin. Delia says to leave this overnight, but I just crack on.
Put the pot on a low heat and gradually bring up to just below boiling point and start to add your sugar. Add your sugar gradually, stirring to dissolve. Then when you are sure it has all dissolved bring to a rapid, rolling boil and set your timer. This is the difficult bit. After 15-20 minutes you need to test for a set. Have a few saucers in the fridge chilling. When you are testing turn the heat off under the pan as it is very easy to overshoot "setting point" and you will have to go for a "second set". Spoon out a tablespoon of your marmalade onto a chilled saucer and put in the fridge for a few minutes. Remove and run your finger through it - if it wrinkles then it is set, if not put heat on and re-test in another 5 minutes. I have to say there is no fast way to do this and you just have to be patient. It can take from 15-45 minutes! Don't despair - it will set eventually. Alternately use a thermometer but this just gives you an idea when the setting point is close and marmalade takes it's own time.
When it is set, remove from the heat and leave to stand for 15 minutes, then fill hot, sterilised jars. See my post on jam making for other hints.
To make the marmalade cake use a basic Victoria sponge recipe and add a couple of tablespoons of marmalade. Believe me it is really, really good.
Marmalade Delia Smith Seville Oranges Marmalade Cake
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