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Duck is one of my favorite meats. Darker than chicken and slightly more “gamey” duck has incredible flavor and versatility. I like to slow-braise the legs and serve them with the breast seared medium rare along with some roasted potatoes & braised greens.  Ingredients (serves 4):
-4 Muscovy or Liberty duck legs -2 Muscovy or Liberty duck breasts -Extra virgin olive oil -Salt and pepper -1 bay leaf -1 medium white or Spring onion, diced -1 bottle dry white wine -1 tablespoon or tomato paste -1 tablespoon of fresh thyme or oregano -2 pieces of orange peel -Juice from one lemon -2 bunches of dandelion or other favorite braising greens THE LEGS Lay the legs onto a cutting board and carefully cut off any excess fat. Reserve the fat for rendering or discard. Salt the legs on both sides. Let sit for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. In a Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. When almost smoking insert the duck legs, skin side down. Sear without moving until deep, dark golden brown (2-3 minutes). Remove to a plate to rest. Pour off any excess fat from the Dutch oven. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, lower the heat to medium and add the onion and bay leaf. Salt the onion so that it begins to break down. Be sure to sweat the onion. If it starts to brown add more olive oil and turn down the heat to low. Add the tomato paste and allow to cook for 1 minute. Stir through the onions. Add the thyme and orange peel. Stir through. Turn the heat back to medium high and insert the ducks legs, skin side up. Pour in the wine. Add enough to almost cover the top of the legs. Bring to a boil and allow the alcohol to burn off (5 minutes or so). Lower the heat to a simmer and put the top on the Dutch oven. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. When the duck legs are done, turn off the heat and set aside. Turn your oven on to 375 (we will finish the legs in the oven and slightly brown them before serving). The Breasts Take the duck breasts (be sure to take them out of the fridge half an hour prior so they come to room temperature) and salt them on both sides. Take a sharp knife and “score” the skin side of the breasts. Make a small incision all the way down the breast in a nice row. Repeat the other way so that you have a cris-cross along all the skin. This will allow the breast to remain flat while we sear it and will help render out all the fat. Now place your duck legs into the oven with the lid off. This will allow them to be re-heated and also brown the skin a bit. Leave them in for 20-30 minutes. Place a cast iron pan or carbon steel pan (if you don’t have cast iron use a non-stick stainless steel pan, coated with a thin layer of oil) onto the stove. Put the breasts in skin-side down and then turn on the heat to high. This will more effectively render out the fat and brown the skin versus placing into an already smoking hot pan. Saute over high heat until much of the fat has rendered off (4-6 minutes). Occasionally check with tongs to ensure you do not burn the skin. It should turn a nice dark golden brown. Flip and cook through on the other side (3-5 minutes depending on the thickness of the breasts). If you are concerned about over cooking the breasts use a meat thermometer to check the temperature. The inside should read about 120-125 for medium rare. Once it’s at that temperature remove from the pan and let rest on a cutting board as it will continue cooking. It’s important that the breasts rest for at least 10 minutes as they have just undergone high stress cooking over very high heat and we want them to be tender and juicy. While the breasts are resting get another saute pan (or wok if you have one) going over high heat. Add a bit of olive oil and add your braising greens. Cook over high heat until cooked through. If things get too hot/smokey pour a bit of water into the pan. The dandelion greens cook very quickly but if you are doing something like collard greens you may wish to add more water and cover them to cook completely through. Add salt and the juice from one lemon at the very end. Carefully slice the breasts across the grain into pieces and arrange onto plates. Place one leg on each plate and spoon over the juices and sauce from the Dutch oven with the greens. Spoon over more sauce to your liking and serve immediately.
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This is a classic dish from the small town Amatrice in the region of Lazio, near Rome. There is, however, much controversy around the origins of the dish and the way in which it should properly be prepared. Amatrice was originally part of Abruzzo and only became connected to Rome through Lazio in the early 1900s. The residents of Amatrice originally made this dish without tomatoes, using only spaghetti, Pecorino and guanciale (cured pork jowl). This dish today is made in Rome and Amatrice with the same ingredients but also includes San Marzano tomatoes and sometimes red onion. I used to omit the onion but after watching Molto Mario and hearing the venerable Mr. Mario Batali speak about the dish I have since changed my mind and incorporate sliced red onions wholeheartedly.  Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a first course):
-1 pound best quality bucatini or spaghetti -1 cup guanciale or pancetta, cut into bite size pieces (not too small) -Salt & pepper -Extra virgin olive oil -Pecorino Romano -1-2 tablespoons of hot chili flakes -1 can whole San Marzano tomatoes -1 red onion, sliced into half moons Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile slice the guanciale into chunks. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large saute pan over medium high heat and add the guanciale, followed by the onion about 1 minute later and cook until most of the fat has rendered and the pieces are slightly crispy (but not carmelized). Remove from the heat and discard all fat except for 1/4 cup. Add 4 tablespoons of salt to your boiling pasta water and drop your pasta. Cook according to the package instructions but remove 45 seconds prior to being done. Bring your sauce pan to a boil and drop the pasta into the sauce. Toss for 1 minute over high heat. Add more pepper and grate a healthy amount of Pecorino Romano over the top. Serve immediately. Legend has it that the harlots in and around Naples made this dish to lure in hungry men. It’s interesting because in the 1950s the prostitution houses were all state-run. They were required to keep their shutters closed so as not to offend the general populace. The other popular theory was that this dish was created by the "state workers" to sustain themselves between client visits. Here is how I like to prepare this delicious and slightly spicy & sweet/sour dish.  Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a first course): -1 can San Marzano whole tomatoes (28 ounces), crushed by hand in a large bowl -1 cup of currants -1/2 cup salt packed capers (rinsed and dried) -1 cup oil-cured black olives -1/2 cup pine nuts -1 cup dry white wine -Salt & pepper -Extra virgin olive oil -2-3 tablespoons of hot pepper or chili flakes -3 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped -1 pound best quality linguine or spaghetti such as Rustichella The first thing we need to do is to prepare our basic tomato sauce. In a large saute pan heat 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic cloves and saute until soft but not brown (30-45 seconds). Turn off the heat and wait 30 seconds. Add the crushed San Marzano tomatoes and stir everything together. Turn the heat up to high and allow come to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 25-30 minutes, adding salt along the way. Stir at least every 5 minutes. When done season to taste and set aside. In another large saute pan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat. Add the capers, pine nuts, olives and currants. Saute over high heat for 1 minute. Add the chili flakes and stir through. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Cook the wine off for 1 minute. Add the reserved basic tomato sauce and stir all the components together. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.  Drop your pasta into a large pot of boiling, salted water. Cook until al dente, remembering that the pasta will continue to cook while it is drained and dressed. Pour the pasta into a large bowl and ladle in the sauce a little at a time. Use tongs to incorporate the sauce and dress the pasta much like a salad. Reserve a little extra sauce to ladle over each plate. Serve immediately.
The north and south of Italy are so very different, particularly when it comes to cuisine and ingredients. In the north you have the classic Bolognese which hails from Emilia Romagna and uses butter, white wine, milk and tomato paste (no tomatoes!). The ragu Napoletano is the south's version of the Bolognese and it is truly spectacular when executed well and cooked slowly for 5-6 hours.  Ingredients (serves 6-8 as a first course):
-1 pound of fresh tagliatelle or parpadelle egg pasta or best quality dry pasta such as Rustichella -2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces -1 yellow onion, chopped -1 can (28 ounces) of San Marzano tomatoes (crushed by hand into a bowl) -1 pound of ground beef -1 pound of ground pork -Extra virgin olive oil -Salt & Pepper -Parmigianno Reggiano for grating Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add your carrots and onions and a bit of salt and sautee for 8-10 minutes or until soft (not browned). Take your meat and break it into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir occasionally to lightly cook all sides of the meat (approximately 5 minutes), breaking the meat up further using a wooden spoon. Add your crushed San Marzano tomatoes and stir to combine. Fill your empty can of San Marzano tomatoes with water (this is going to allow us to cook our sauce for a very long time) and add to the pan. Once everything has reached a boil, turn down the heat to the lowest setting. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook for at least 4-5 hours. Stir the mixture every 10-15 minutes to ensure even cooking. The sauce should be gently bubbling the entire time. Add salt and pepper along the way. Once the sauce has come together turn off the heat. Adjust seasoning as needed. Bring your pot of pasta water to a boil and add 4 tablespoons of salt. Drop your pasta and cook according to the package instructions, remembering to remove it at least 30 seconds to 1 minute prior so that it remains al dente. Drain your pasta and add it back to the same pot you cooked it in. Ladle a bit of sauce over the pasta and stir gently to combine. To plate, take add a bit of pasta to each plate. Ladle over additional sauce and pieces of meat as desired. Grate fresh Parmigiano Reggiano over each dish and drizzle with the extra virgin olive oil. Serve immediately. Buon appetito! Who doesn’t love a good Bolognese pasta? There are many variations on this classic dish, many of which change from house to house. That is really the beauty of Italian cooking. The ingredients for a traditional Bolognese are very simple: ground beef, pork and often veal, celery, carrots, onion, tomato paste, white wine, milk and salt. Here’s how to put it together.  Ingredients (serves 6-8): -Extra virgin olive oil or butter -1/2 pound ground pork -1/2 pound ground beef -1/2 pound ground veal (optional). If omitting the veal use 3/4 ground pork and beef -2 tablespoons tomato paste -1 pound fresh tagliatelle or parpadelle or good quality store bought such as Rustichella -2 large carrots, peeled and grated with a box grater -2 stalks of celery, finely chopped -1 large yellow onion, chopped -Whole milk -Dry white wine -Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano In a large sauce pan or Dutch oven heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil (or butter) over medium high heat. Add the carrots, onion and celery. Lightly salt to help the vegetables break down. Cook for 5-6 minutes (do not brown). Add the tomato paste and stir through. Add the meats and break apart with a wooden spoon. Let the meat lightly brown on both sides. Cook for 5-6 minutes and stir through once the meat begins to break apart. Add 2 cups of wine. Add a cup and a half of milk. Stir through and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring every 10-15 minutes. Add salt to taste. If the liquid begins to evaporate too quickly add a little milk or water and lower the flame. Once everything is nicely cooked and well incorporated drop your pasta. Cook until al dente. I like to pour the pasta into a large bowl and then ladle the Bolognese sauce over it. Remember that pasta should be dressed much like a salad without too much sauce in proportion to the noodles. After plating I will sometime ladle a little extra over the top of each plate. Finish the dish by grating Parmigiano Reggiano over the top of each. Buon apetito!  In northern California we are typically blessed in the winter months with the most incredible citrus. In this winter salad I use both Cara Cara and blood oranges along with shaved fennel to create a very balanced salad that--in my humble opinion--is best served after the main course as a pleasing palate cleanser.  Ingredients:
-radicchio -endive -little gems or romaine lettuces -Sherry vinegar -Best quality extra virgin olive oil -coarse sea salt -cara cara oranges, cut into supremes, skin and pith removed -blood oranges - same treatment -fennel bulb, thinly shaved with a mandolin -best quality fresh burrata cheese Cut all of the lettuces and rinse and spin dry. Place the citrus around the outside of each plate. In a large bowl season the lettuces with a generous amount of coarse sea salt. Hit the lettuces with the Sherry vinegar (this will help break down the salt) and then with the olive oil. Mix the lettuces well by hand. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Plate the lettuces in the middle of the plate with the oranges spread around and garnish with a spoonful of the burrata on top. Finishing with more extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of coarse salt on top of the cheese. This is the very first dish I learned to make while "staging" at Quince Restaurant in 2004 with owner and Chef Michael Tusk. I nearly screwed it up the first time. The look on his face was priceless and I thought I'd never be invited back. Fortunately that was not the case!  Ingredients (serves 6-8): -3 large Russet potatoes -thyme butter (melt 3 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of thyme leaves) -2 eggs -2 to 3 cups of all purpose unbleached flour -1/2 tablespoon of unsalted butter, plus more for sauce -6-10 whole sage leaves -2 cups heavy cream  POTATOES Place the potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Lower to a gentle simmer and allow to cook until easily pierced with a knife but not completely falling apart, approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour. Allow to cool. Remove the skins. Cut in half and put through a ricer into a large bowl. Add the thyme butter and whisked eggs to the riced potatoes. Salt aggressively and gently mix everything together with a wooden spoon. Pour everything onto a marble or clean cutting board. Pour the flour around the potato mixture. Using a pastry scraper add about a cup of the surrounding flour onto the top of the potato mixture and chop the flour in with the scraper. Once the flour is well incorporated begin to fold the dough using the side of the scraper. Work the dough over for about 2-3 minutes, adding more flour if still too wet. Gently knead the dough with your hands for 1-2 minutes until cohesive.   Set the dough aside as one cohesive mass and cover with a damp paper towel to keep from drying out. Slice off a small piece of dough and begin to roll it out using your fingers. Roll over the top very gently (do not press down on the dough). Once you have made a long and fairly thin roll (about 1/2 inch thick) cut into pieces 1.5 inch pieces using the pasta scraper. I like to use the scraper in a downward motion and then flick to the right to cut the pieces. As you work move the cut pieces onto a platter lined with parchment paper dusted with flour.  When your gnocchi are on the platter, proceed to “fork” each piece. Dust a fork with some flour and take each piece of gnocchi and gently roll it off the fork so that you can see fork indentations but the gnocchi are still open (they look like half shells). This will allow the sauce to adhere to them.
Bring 1 stick of butter to a simmer with 10-15 sage leaves. Once melted and the sage is gently fried add the heavy cream. Add salt and an aggressive amount of coarsely ground black pepper. Reduce 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Meanwhile add the gnocchi carefully into the water (it's okay if some flour goes in with it). After the gnocchi have returned to the boil cook for 3-44 minutes or until the gnocchi are nearly cooked through. Using a slotted skimmer or webbed strainer quickly transfer gnocchi to the saute pan and gently toss with the butter cream sauce for 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat. If the sauce is a little dry add a bit of the pasta cooking water to help bind the sauce. Serve on warmed plates and grate with Parmigiano Reggiano. I love this pasta on a cold, foggy San Francisco night. It’s easy to make and is extremely comforting and satisfying. You can pair it with any good quality, dry pasta (also know as pastasciutto) or make your own fresh parpadelle or ravioli.  Ingredients (serves 6-8): -1 pound of best quality dried Rigatoni such as the Rustichella brand -1 28 ounce can of whole San Marzano tomatoes -4 cloves of garlic, coarsely sliced -1 cup of heavy cream -2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil -1-2 tablespoons of hot red pepper flakes -Salt, to taste -Parmigiano Reggiano for grating Pour the canned tomatoes into a bowl and gently crush with your hands. In a large saute pan heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the garlic and sweat for 30 seconds or until translucent but not brown. Turn off the heat and wait 30 seconds. Add the crushed tomatoes into the pan and stir through. Turn the heat back on high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and stir through. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes or until the mixture has a nice sheen to it and has come together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with 3-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt. Drop your pasta and stir. Be sure to drain your pasta at least 1-2 minutes prior to being al dente as the pasta will continue to cook. While the pasta is boiling bring your sauce back to a boil. Add the chili flakes and stir through. Pour in the heavy cream and stir through. Cook over medium high heat for approximately 4-5 minutes or until the mixture comes to together and is reduced.
Drain the pasta well and add into the pan with the sauce. Stir/toss over high heat for 1 minute. Serve on warmed plates and grate with Parmigiano Reggiano. Serve immediately. This has to be one my favorite and easiest of dishes to compose. It's fresh, light, flavorful and incredibly healthy. Poke has become very popular this past year in San Francisco with numerous poke shops popping up. The key is to have pristine ingredients and to balance all the spices correctly.  Ingredients (serves 4-6): -1 pound best quality ahi tuna or yellowtail, Cut into 1/2 inch cubes (remove any veins or blood lines) -1 tablespoon freshly grated or minced ginger -4 scallions, thinly sliced -1/2 Maui or cipollini onion, thinly sliced (I like to put the sliced onion into a bowl of ice water for 1 hour to mellow its intensity) -3 tablespoons organic Tamari or best quality soy sauce -3 tablespoons sesame oil -1/2 tablespoon of Japanese togarashi powder (available in Japanese markets) -1 tablespoon organic brown cane sugar -1 cup of best quality cooked rice (optional) -fresh cilantro for garnish -1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted in a dry pan on high heat for 45 seconds Add all of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Adjust seasoning as needed. For example, adding more togarashi will increase the spice level. Place into the refrigerator for 1 hour (up to 3 hours) before serving. Garnish with additional cilantro and plate over rice.  This is the kind of dish that requires a very long cooking time but holds great rewards for those with enough patience. I like to use brisket (beef from the lower breast or chest of the cow). It typically has a lot of sinew and–when cooked for many hours at a low temperature in some sort of braising liquid–comes out with an incredible depth of flavor. Here is how I like to put mine together:  Ingredients (serves 6-8):
-4 pounds of best quality brisket (I love Five Dot Ranch). Ask your butcher for the "first cut" which has less fat and is typically thinner and more uniform in thickness. -1 large onion, chopped -3 medium carrots, chopped -extra virgin olive oil -salt and pepper -2 tablespoons tomato paste (I prefer the Sicilian Mutti brand, available in a tube) -1/2 bottle of dry white wine, plus water (or beef stock) to cover -2 sprigs of thyme -2 bay leaves Heat your oven to 375 degrees. Take your meat out of refrigeration and place onto a platter. Salt the meat aggressively and allow to come to room temperature (1 hour). In a large Dutch oven heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over high heat until almost smoking. Place your meat into the Dutch oven and sear until deep dark golden brown (approximately 6 minutes per side) on both sides. Remove your meat to rest. Discard any excess fat from the Dutch oven but do not wash. Over medium-high heat add 4 tablespoons of olive oil and scrape up any brown bits using a wooden spoon. Add the carrots, onion, thyme and bay leaf.. Salt the aromatics so that they begin to break down. Add freshly ground black pepper. Cook until the carrots and onions are soft and translucent (not brown), approximately 3-4 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to create a spot in the middle and add the tomato paste. Allow it to cook for 30 seconds undisturbed and then stir through the other ingredients. Add the meat back in. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add enough water or hot beef stock to almost cover the meat. Boil for 4-5 minutes or until most of the alcohol has burned off. Cover and cook in the oven at 375 for one hour. Pull out the Dutch oven, Check the braise to ensure there is enough liquid (if not, add water), stir and flip the meat. Continue cooking, covered for another hour. Remove from the oven and flip the meat once more. Turn off the oven and put the meat back in for an additional 30 minutes, uncovered, to reduce. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice into fillets and serve with your favorite braised greens or vegetables. Spoon a bit of sauce over the meat and serve immediately. |
AuthorJames is a food writer and Bay Area chef who owns and runs a private dinner party and cooking class business specializing in regional Italian and Spanish cuisine. See CookWithJames.com Archives
October 2019
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