Nathalie Seaver-Taste and Style

Duck Breasts with Sage Balsamic Reduction and Sautéed Blackberries

There are certain dishes we consider our go-to comfort foods -- and way up there on my list  is Magret de Canard, or Duck Breast.  I conjure all sorts of happy memories of French trips with a perfect Paris dinner of tender Magret de Canard, accompanied by good friends and lively conversation. Come to think of it, it's a perfect Provençal meal, too!  This recipe is a lovely way to import a wonderful taste of France using the wonderful bounty of sunny Los Angeles ...and like many good creations, was a happy accident! 

I was inspired to make this when I uncovered a forgotten clam shell of blackberries in the back of my fridge. They were sweet and plump, intended for several healthy yogurt breakfasts but had only made it to one morning meal.  Now a week later, they were way past their prime and only good if they were going to be cooked somehow.  There wasn’t enough for a cobbler or berry compote…and I couldn't throw them out even though they were a little forlorn.

then I remembered the duck breasts I had in my freezer and knew exactly what to do! 

Ingredients

2 Boneless Duck Breasts, skin on (fresh or defrosted frozen) 

Sea salt and Malabar pepper to taste 

1 tsp Herbs de Provence

1 tsp cumin

2-3 tbsp good quality balsamic vinegar

½ red onion (or 2 shallots) diced

½ cup chicken broth

1 tbsp butter

½ Pint Blackberries

Optional: Splash of Pomegranate juice

Fresh sage leaves

Remove the duck breasts from the fridge, rinse and blot dry with paper towels. With a sharp knife, carefully score the thick fat on each breast with diagonal criss-cross markings.  Be sure to cut the fat only and not the meat.  Salt and pepper the breasts on both sides, and dust with cumin and Herbs de Provence.

Let the breast rest for about a half hour to reach room temperature and absorb the salt.

Place the duck, scored skin side down, in a heavy skillet at medium flame. 

Let them sit in the pan for 2-3 minutes as it heats up, and the fat starts to render.  Reduce flame to medium-low and continue to cook the breasts, without moving them, for 5-6 more minutes.  There will be a nice pool of duck fat surrounding them.  If the skin is not crisp and golden by this time, turn up the flame to medium for another minute or two to crispen the skin.

When they look like this, flip them over:

Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes turning heat to medium.  

They are best when served medium rare, which is still very pink in the middle, or about 140 degres on your meat thermometer.  Remove breasts from the pan and set aside on a plate to rest.

Use this time to make your reduction sauce.

Drain the pan of the precious duck fat, pouring it into a glass jar to save for another use. It will keep in the fridge for several weeks and also can be frozen.

There will be enough fat left in the pan for you to now to sauté the onions at medium flame for about 3 minutes until they are softened. 

Add the butter and let it melt and swirl it into the onion mixture. Add the Balsamic, the broth and if you like, the pomegranate juice, and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes to let the glaze reduce. 

By now, you will probably see some meat juices collected on the plate where you’ve set your cooked duck breast.  Carefully drain the plate and pour that flavorful liquid into your reduction sauce stirring to integrate it. Toss in the fresh blackberries and cook another 2-3 minutes. The reduction should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but don’t worry if it isn’t too thick   – it’s the flavor you really want to enhance your duck and its crispy, seasoned skin.  Turn off the flame. 

Slice the duck breasts crosswise and on a slight angle, for a “fallen domino” presentation

Plate the duck with the overlapping slices. You could serve two people with one duck breast – although it won't be a lot of meat. I'd be generous and give a whole breast as one serving.  The sauce, drizzled over the sliced duck on the plate can be served one of 2 ways:

Strain it through a sieve pushing it through with a wooden spoon for a “thin” glaze, or, as is, as a more rustic, chunky sauce.  Either way it will be delicious! Make sure your blackberries tumble nicely on and around the meat.  Sprinkle with chopped fresh sage adding a few whole leaves to decorate your plate.

I served this with a mixed grains side dish (rice, flax seed and barley) tossed with lots of chopped parsley and seasoned not with butter but a little lemon vinaigrette.

A nice Petite Syrah or Pinot Noir would be a perfect wine here.   

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Ottolenghi Valentine

A patisserie in Paris near my Grandmother's place baked featherweight almond cookies just like this. Light, crisp and not too sweet, they were my favorites.

A couple of years ago, I discovered a recipe for this very same cookie in the (fabulous) first Ottolenghi cookbook when it was chosen for my cooking group. 

It's been a crowd-pleasing staple in my rotation ever since.

For Valentine's day, I was inspired to create this heart shaped variation.  

PS~This recipe was from the in UK edition. I understand the US version will be published in Fall 2013.  

Food Gift Find: Amazing Balsamic Vinegar

 

Yes, I'm obsessed with fine food and when I find exceptional edibles, I have to share them. When I came across this amazing, organic Balsamic vinegar from one of the best producers in Modena, I knew I had to stock it in the store. Presented in a beautiful, substantial bottle, it makes a terrific holiday hostess gift  -- or a great treat for yourself! 

Because this is so special, it is best enjoyed simply, drizzled as a flavor garnish over meats fish and poultry before and after cooking, as well as a delicious flourish over all sorts of milder or creamy cheeses and bread, as well as fruit (Pears are great).  If you decide to use it for a salad dressing, use another vinegar in quantity and add just a tablespoon or so of Saporoso for the flavor punch.

Here's a link to order. If you need it gift wrapped, just note it in the comment box at check-out.  http://www.nathalieseaver.biz/sabavi.html

Beloware a few yummy recipes:

By the way, if octopus isn't your thing, you can substitute grilled boneless chicken pieces -- but the arugula, peach and balsamic are a magic flavor combination. 

Charred Octopus with Peach, Arugula and Aged Balsamic

This recipe is from Epicurious  | October 2010

by Eric Ripert

Learning to cook octopus properly is important because it can become a bit rubbery if not prepared correctly. This recipe teaches a great technique. The richness of the aged balsamic vinegar, the brightness of the peach, and the peppery bite of arugula come together in a harmonious way that celebrates all of the flavors, especially the octopus

 Ingredients

• 1/2 small onion, peeled and quartered
• 1 small celery stalk, sliced on the bias
• 1/2 small carrot, peeled and sliced on the bias
• 1 3–ounce piece prosciutto
• 2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
• 3 garlic cloves, cut in half
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 cups water, approx.
• 2 pounds octopus, head removed and tentacles separated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• -fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup baby arugula
• 1 peach, halved, pitted, and thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons aged (at least 8 years) balsamic vinegar
• 1 lemon, cut in half

Preparation

Combine the onion, celery, carrot, prosciutto, parsley, garlic and cayenne pepper in a pot with about 8 cups of water. Season the water with salt and boil for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to infuse. Add the octopus and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer gently for about 1 hour or until the octopus is tender when gently pierced with a knife. Cool the octopus in the braising liquid at room temperature until cool enough to handle.

Remove the octopus from the braising liquid and drain well. Heat a cast-iron skillet or a flat griddle over high heat until it is very hot. Season the octopus with olive oil, salt and pepper. Grill the octopus until it is caramelized and crusted on all sides, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the charred octopus to a cutting board and cut each tentacle on the bias into 4 slices.

Place the octopus slices in the center of 4 plates and garnish with arugula and 3 to 4 slices of the peach. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of aged balsamic vinegar over and around the octopus, and finish each dish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately.

Balsamic Roasted Carrots

From Gourmet Magazine,  November 2002.  

Ingredients:

2 pounds of fresh carrots, peeled and cut into sticks
2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil 
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar  

Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
Toss the carrots in the oil and the salt and place them in a shallow roasting pan. Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring from time to time, until they turn a beautiful golden color and become tender. This should take about a half hour. 
Drizzle the vinegar over the carrots and shake the pan a few times. Roast the carrots until most of the vinegar is evaporated, which should take approximately five minutes more. 

 

Sautéed Scallops with Crimini Mushrooms, Pink Grapefruit, Frisee and Hazelnuts

Ingredients:

12 large sea scallops
4 tablespoons Olive oil
4 shallots, thinly sliced/or 1 small red onion chopped fine 
1/2 pound crimini muschrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons age balsmaic vinegar
3 heads frisee, washed and spun dry

Toasted Hazelnuts for garnish
 
Preparation:

Season the scallops with pepper and salt and set aside

Prepare the grapefruit by cutting it in half and removing the indidual bite size sections and set them on a plate.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a non stick pan until very hot. Reduce to medium heat and place the scallops in the pan. Let them cook until golden on one side for three or four minutes and then turn them, to cook for about a minute or two more.  Remove from pan.
Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and add the shallots or red onion and sauté until soft. This should take three to four minutes. 
Add the mushrooms and toss for three to four minutes until nicely wilted and browned. Turn oiff the heat. Squeeze the juice of   1/2  a lemon over the mushroom mixture  and add the frisee. Toss quickly, season with salt and pepper, then divide among four plates.

Arrange three scallops on each salad. Drizzle the baslamic over the scallops.

Place grapefruit sections in between the scallops and sprinke toasted hazelnuts for garnish and serve. 

 

 

 

Paris: The Maille Store

A must-visit destination in Paris is the Maille Mustard Store at 6, place de la Madeline.  I am a longtime devotee of their grainy mustard -- I use it almost every day and they are pros, having perfected their craft for over 200 years.

Being Paris, their stylish windows beckon you inside with their classic mustard jars presented in a striking pallette of up to the minute Neon colors and unexpected flavor options: Violet/Blueberry, Fresh Green Herbs, Garlic/Red Pepper.

 

Perfect for an eye-catching display, yes. But inside the store are the real seducers:

Hazlenut, Truffle, Piment d'Espelette...among others. Not to mention fresh mustard you can have pumped into on-the-spot cork sealed crocks.

I lift up a gift box filled with  a colorful mustard trio and think:

Do I really really want to do this? My bags are so full.  There are so many flavors I'd like to take back with me. Why carry 10 extra pounds of breakable mustard?  Surely, these are all available on Amazon. Be smart.  This is the 21st century. Deal with your Mustard when you get home. Bien sur. 

So I left empty handed, certain I could order everything later from my Los Angeles computer.

Silly me.

None of these unusual niche mustards are gettable online here in the U.S. And the Maille website itself only delivers within France.

Note to self: Not everything is globalized and available online -- a good thing to remember when you travel and find special items -- pounce!

Clearly, I need to go back to Paris immediately to pick up some of those coveted jars.

Cocktails, anyone?

Glamorous Dorothy Thorpe silver tipped stemmed glasses -- a small scale version --perfect for sipping mini martinis in a little black dress and heels

If you covet these perfect little sippers, you can get them here:

http://www.nathalieseaver.biz/dothcogl.html

Los Angeles-Figaro Bistro: Am I in Paris?

One of the dreamiest and romantic happy hours ever -- in a set decorator's imagining of a cozy Paris hideaway featuring low, mismatched vintage couches, flickering candleight from silver candleabras, frites, a generous cheeseplate, sparkling wine carafs (and much more on a lovely special menu). Sweet.

And be prepared to wait -- locals stand waiting to enjoy this delightful end of day respite on Vermont Avenue.

figarobistrot.com

1802 North Vermont Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 662-1587 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (323) 662-1587

Bastille Day: Polka Dot and Gingham Beauties

 
 
I love smaller sized cupcakes and these organic carrot bites are even more tempting baked in colorful Parisian paper pleats --Bleu, Blanc, Rouge, of course!

It took several batches to perfect this recipe: not too sweet and very lush and light. Toasted almonds add a delicate crunch and a zing of fresh lemon zest make for a VERY addictive frosting.  I'll post the recipe on my website tomorrow.

Meanwhile, come by and sample these treats all day...with bubbly and other French goodies.

A bientot!

 

Re-use, recycle, refashion: The Baguette Story

What to do with the leftover loaf after the dinner party? One solution is this:

Slice it nice and thin,

 
Place on a baking sheet,

 

Stir some cumin into a little bit of olive oil with a dash of salt,

 

Lightly brush the slices with the cumin oil,

 

Bake at 350  for 8-12 minutes, until golden.

 
And voila! The best tasting crackers for crostini or cheese at your fingertips.

Or, you if you have a little extra time on your hands, you can also make an Haute Couture outfit:

 

This was a one in a series of outfits photographed by Ted Sabarese, collaborating with designer, Ami Goodheart of SOTU Productions for a project called "Hunger Pains", based on the models food cravings.

 http://www.tedsabarese.com/blog/?p=10

And by the way, this pre-dated Lady Gaga.

Horror Movie in a Jar

Mystery ingredient at the Bangkok Market...although I'm told it is a Filipino dessert.

J'adore: Paris Bistro Espresso Cups

 

These remind me of sitting at a Paris cafe in the late afternoon, reading and watching the passersby...

I like that the graceful porcelain cups and saucers have a nice, light weight but seem sturdy enough for everyday use

Also appreciate a smart idea with an elegant design:  The delightful cylinder box swivels to open and close which makes for a great gift package and storage.