The weather is warming and we begin to think about happier days full of beaches, camping, blossoms, fresh vegetables on a farm (or in our buckets)… Maybe that’s just me? But as we prepare ourselves for more time outdoors, we need to get our bodies in shape on the inside. Nothing says love and lightness like a delicious salad.

While I await the fresh vegetable assault on my local markets, I am still turning to the old favorites of endive and raddichio. Oh the day when fresh leafy greens and tomatoes will grace the plate again– Woe is I until that day. Until then, we must make due.

I read somewhere that duck breasts, skin removed, are healthier (and tastier) than chicken breasts. I can’t find that exact quote now, but if health organizations recommend it, so do I.

I woke up the other day craving duck. It might be because every time I tell D I would like to buy duck he whimpers slightly and asks “why?” Well, why not? The more that duck is rejected, the more I crave it– don’t we all want what we cannot have? I started dreaming about duck and found duck-shaped drool puddles when I awoke around my mouth whenever one of those dreams occured. Finally, I shot out of bed before D was conscious and headed to the butcher.

I bought myself one full duck and brought it home in triumph! As punishment (or really, reward) I allowed D his manly duties of carving the duck to separate the breasts (alternatively you could just buy breasts).

The duck was perfect. Juicy and earthy, it hit the spot. And the legs and carcass went into a braise the following day with figs and red wine.

Seared Duck Breast Salad
Serving Size= 2. Active time= about 30 minutes.
* 2 duck breasts, skin on
* 1 head endive, washed and chopped
* 1 head radicchio, washed and chopped
* 1/4 cup favorite blue cheese (or gorgonzola)
* 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, slightly crushed
* 1/4 cup dried figs, roughly chopped
Dressing:
* 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* salt/ pepper to taste

1) On a warm pan over medium-low heat, begin searing the duck. Place skin side down and let cook slowly, without flipping, about 15 minutes. Carefully pour off fat every few minutes as it renders to avoid frying (you can save it for deep frying later). After the 15 minutes, flip breasts and cook about 5 minutes, until crisp and firm. Set aside for 5 minutes.
2) While duck is cooking above, prepare vegetables and fruit and arrange on plate. Slice duck breasts, removing skin (optional) and place on plates.
3) Make dressing and coat salad at last minute: Mix mustard, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper the salad to taste before serving.

Spring is finally here. I have seeded my garden (haven’t kept vigilant over The City Gardener) and have been enjoying the weather inside cleaning house.

More often than not I cannot be bothered to clean. But as D and I are both slight pack rats, I have decided “just let go” is the new mantra to live by (I feel D has already been strategically hiding items around his studio “too important” to let go– like a 5 year old receipt for a cup of coffee.) This cleaning also comes in retaliation of my mother’s cleaning of her sister’s home (let’s not get into the reasons why my mother feels she needs to clean her sister’s home).

This is defined as taking things from my aunt’s cabinets, throwing them in a box and sending them to me. Every few weeks I open a box of hurricane supplies: industrial sized seran wrap (already opened), 10 boxes of sandwich baggies, 2 boxes tissue, 1 serving fork, 30 batteries (out of package), 1 plastic storage container, 5 boxes mixed light-bulbs, etc. I call my mother after I receive one of these shipments questioning the merit of some items and the answer is usually unstoppable cackling at how sly she is pulling these supplies without my aunt noticing.

*This Giveaway is still available. Please email me with your address if you would like it.

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Having spent a few months emersing myself in the knowledge and tricks of these 18 chefs, I now think of The Cook’s Book as The Joy of Cooking for the modern chef (or home cook). It has gotten me out of many pinches, from how to debone a chicken to that quick-and-delicious-always-gooey chocolate chip cookie recipe.

The real thrill is that you don’t need to be a master chef to prepare these recipes. You should have some basic comfort in cooking to really delve into (most of) the volume, but with pictures guiding, in some recipes, every step of a process, most people will be able to figure out a difficult or confusing step with the guided help. It some instances it is like having the chef right in the kitchen with you.

Still, some recipes require so many steps, obscure ingredients or are just plain unnecessary for the basic home cook– Beef Wellington– did we time warp to the 70’s? Or… How to clean sea urchins– do I even know where to buy sea urchins? But these are easy enough to gloss over (or understand in case the need arises) and there are many other more useful techniques and recipes within the volume that are pure joy. Most recipes surprisingly simple, I cannot wait to try them, and I have tried many. (more…)