As chef Charlie Palmer continues preparing his featured recipe, he turns his attention to the couscous. By now, the chopped onions and garlic have become transparent (figure A) and it's time to pour the couscous into the pan. Note: The complete couscous recipe immediately follows these tips and cooking suggestions. - After pouring the couscous over the onion and garlic mixture, Palmer stir the ingredients together (figure B) to ensure that each grain gets a light coating of oil. While host Jeanne Benedict continues stirring the mixture, Palmer moves on to preparing the duck breast.
- Using a small, sharp knife, Palmer carefully scores only the skin of the breast with a 1/8"-deep cut, taking extra care not to cut the meat (figure C). Then he makes several additional diagonal cuts to create a crisscross pattern (figure D).
- Once the cuts are made in the skin, Palmer sprinkles the breast with a seasoning mixture of coriander, black pepper and kosher salt. He explains that the cuts will allow the fat to be rendered out as the breasts cook and will combine with the seasonings to create a tasty, crispy coating. Then he places the seasoned breasts in a saute pan to begin searing them on the skin side (Figure E).
Note: This cutting and cooking process also prevents the duck from having a greasy, fatty taste, which is a common complaint with duck recipes. - Now it's time to add the curry to the couscous mixture, which gives the grains a rich, golden-brown color (figure F).
- Next, Palmer begins ladling the heated stock from its original pan into the couscous mixture (figure G). (Seven cups of stock are required for each pound of couscous.) As the starch slowly cooks out of the couscous and the stock is absorbed, more stock is added -- ladleful by ladleful -- until the couscous is compeletely cooked.
- By now, the duck breasts have completely cooked on one side and are ready to be turned. Once Palmer has turned the breasts, he adds the roasted ciponllini onions to the pan, pouring the glaze from the baking dish over both the duck and the onions.
- Finally, he turns the breasts a few more times and transfers the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes to allow them to finish cooking (consult complete recipe in the previous segment for specifics).
Toasted Israeli Couscous 7 cups chicken stock, or canned chicken broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon garlic, finely diced
1 pound Israeli couscous
2 tablespoons curry powder
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper - Place chicken stock in pot and bring to a simmer. Hold chicken stock at bare simmer.
- Place 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy saucepan over medium high heat.
- When oil is hot, add onion and garlic and saute for 5 minutes until vegetables are soft and just beginning to color.
- Add couscous to pot and saute for 4 minutes till grains are glistening.
- Stir in curry powder and cook for 2 minute.
- Begin adding hot chicken stock one cup at a time. Cook, stirring constantly and adding more stock as the liquid is absorbed by the grains.
- Continue adding stock until all has been absorbed and couscous is tender.
- Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Yield:
Active preparation time: 20 minutes
Nonactive preparation time:
Cooking time: 20 minutes
RESOURCES :
Cooks Illustrated Complete Book of Poultry
Model: 060960063X
Author: Judith Dufour
1999
Clarkson Potter/The Crown Publishing Group/Random House
Website: www.randomhouse.com
Light Ways With Poultry
Model: 0875962459
Author: Editors of Prevention Magazine Health Books
(1995)
Rodale Press Inc. (Organic Gardening Magazine)
Emmaus, PA 18098
Phone: 610-967-5171
Fax: 800-813-6627
Email: customer_service@rodalepress.com
Dean & Deluca Cookbook
Model: 0679770038
Author: David Rosengarten
(October, 1996)
Random House (Alfred A. Knopf Inc., Villard Books, Times Books, Shambhala Publications, Ballantine B
Westminster, MD 21157
Phone: 410-848-1900
Fax: 800-659-2436
Email: customerservice@randomhouse.com
The Artful Chicken
Model: 1584790229
Author: Linda Arnaud
(April, 2001)
Stewart, Tabori & Chang
Marinades: Dry Rubs, Pastes and Marinades for Poultry, Meat, Seafood, Cheese and Vegetables
Model: 0895945312
Author: Jim Tarantino
(1992)
The Crossing Press
Watsonville, CA 95019
Phone: 408-722-0711
Fax: 408-772-2749
Website: www.crossingpress.com
Williams-Sonoma Kitchen Cooking
Model: 0783503097
Author: James Weir
(1995)
Time-Life Books Inc.
Website: www.timelife.com
Bistro: The Best Of Casual French Cooking
Model: 0376020369
Author: Gerald Hirigoyen
(1995)
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
Olives: Cooking With the Olive and Its Oil
Model: 0785808957
Author: Marlene Spieler
(1997)
Books Sales, Inc.
Edison, NJ 08837
Fax: 732-222-2257
Chicken and Poultry Bible
Model: 0670873705
Author: Christian Teubner
(1997)
Penguin Putnam, Inc.
New York, NY 10014
Phone: 212-366-6000
The Complete Chicken Cookbook
Model: 1571455906
Author: Editors of Thunder Bay Press
(2001)
Thunder Bay Press
San Diego, CA 92121
Phone: 619-457-2500
| 
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
