New York chef Charlie Palmer -- proprietor of the celebrated Aureole and Metrazur restaurants -- shares tips and techniques on preparation of one of his many incredible recipes: Crisp Breast of Duck with Israeli Couscous and Pomegranate Molasses. Note: The complete recipe immediately follows these tips and cooking suggestions. - To begin, Palmer immerses a pound of cipollini onions in water, brings them to a boil (figure A) and allows them to cook for about a minute.
- While the onions finish cooking, Palmer proceeds to mix the ingredients for the glaze. After pouring the olive oil and balsamic vinegar into a small baking dish (figure B), he adds salt and pepper to the glaze and sets it aside.
- To begin preparing the couscous, Palmer places the chopped Vidalia onions and garlic in a bit of heated olive oil (figure C). Then he allows the mixture to cook for about five minutes, until the onions become transparent but before they begin to caramelize. (The complete couscous recipe is featured in the next segment of this episode.)
- By now, the cipollini onions have been in the boiling water for just over a minute and are ready to be removed from the pan. To prevent them from continuing to cook slightly after they're out of the boiling water, Palmer "shocks" the onions by immersing them in a bowl of ice water (figure D).
- Finally, it's time to add the onions to the olive oil and balsamic glaze. Palmer places them in the baking dish and turns them several times until they're completely covered (figure E).
Crisp Breast of Duck with Israeli Couscous and Pomegranate Molasses
Recipe courtesy Charlie Palmer of Aureole 1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pound cipollini onions, peeled
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound toasted Israeli couscous
4-6 duck breasts
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 cup pea shoots (optional, tossed with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper )
4 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a small bowl combine the ground coriander, kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Mix together well and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Plunge peeled cipollini onions into boiling water for 1 minute (figure A).
- Remove onions from pot and refresh under cold running water.
- Toss onions with balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons olive oil; season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Place onions in a single layer on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes till well browned. Remove onions from oven and set aside.
- Place toasted Israeli couscous (recipe follows) in saucepan and heat over low heat till very hot.
- Place duck breast on worktable and use a sharp knife to score skin of duck by cutting crosshatches into skin. Be careful not to go as deep as meat, just score skin.
- With the coriander mix, season both sides of duck.
- Place a saute pan over medium high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil to pan.
- When oil is hot, carefully add duck breast to pan, skin side down. Sear duck breasts for 6 minutes on skin side. Turn the duck breasts over and sear for 1 minute on meat side.
- Remove pan from heat and turn duck breasts again on skin side; add roasted cipollini onions to pan, place pan in 400-degree oven and roast for 4 minutes.
- Remove pan from oven and allow duck breasts to rest for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add chopped chives to hot couscous and stir to combine.
- Place pea shoots in bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside.
- Spoon couscous onto center of each warmed dinner plate. Slice duck breast on bias into 5 or 6 thin slices and lay duck over couscous. Drizzle each duck breast with a tablespoon pomegranate molasses. Spoon cipollini onions onto plate. Place pea shoots over duck and serve.
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Active preparation time: 30 minutes
Nonactive preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
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