Apricot And Brandy Sauce Recipes

APRICOT ORANGE-GLAZED DUCK

Steps:

• Rinse the ducks with cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. Place them in a large shallow dish or plastic container and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
• Place the duck, breast side up, on racks in several shallow roasting pans. Prick the skin all over, especially along the side of the breast, so that the fat can run off while roasting.
• Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue roasting for 15 to 20 minutes per pound. Begin to baste with the glaze once the ducks have been roasting for 50 minutes. Baste every 5 to 10 minutes. The ducks are done when a meat thermometer registers 170 degrees. If you prefer your meat well done, continue to roast about another 15 minutes, but be aware the meat may become a bit dry. Discard all but 1/4 cup of the residual fat in the roasting pan, reserving for Apricot-Orange Duck Sauce recipe.
• Cooks Note: Unless you have 2 ovens, roast 3 ducks at a time. Reheat the first set of ducks for about 10 minutes, or until heated through.
• Place one of the roasting pans, which have been drained of fat, on stovetop. Set heat of burners to medium, add the 1/4-cup fat and stir to loosen pieces from bottom of pan. Whisk in stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered. Add apricot-orange glaze; simmer 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place flour in a medium bowl and whisk in 1 1/2 cups liquid scooped up from the pan; blend well. Add flour mixture to pan, whisking until well blended. Simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well.;

APRICOT BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Combine jam, water, and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to boiling and cook over low heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. 2. Force mixture through a sieve. Stir in apricot brandy.

ROAST DUCK BREAST WITH BALSAMIC AND APRICOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce:
• In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan cook shallot in 1 teaspoon butter over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Carefully add Port and brandy and boil until reduced by half. Add demiglace and simmer 5 minutes, or until reduced to about 2/3 cup. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a small bowl and return to pan. Stir in apricot, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer sauce until apricot is just heated through and stir in remaining tablespoon butter.
• Preheat oven to 450° F.
• Put duck breasts, skin sides down, on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife and following shape of breast, trim all sinews, excess skin, and fat. With a fork carefully prick skin all over without piercing meat.
• Heat an ovenproof cast-iron skillet over moderately high heat until hot and add oil, swirling skillet until coated evenly. Pat duck dry and season with salt and pepper. Put duck, skin sides down, in skillet. Reduce heat to moderate and cook duck until skin is deep golden, about 3 minutes. Turn duck over and cook 2 minutes more. Remove duck from skillet and pour off fat. Return duck, skin sides down, to skillet and roast in middle of oven 5 minutes for medium-rare. Keep duck warm and reheat sauce over low heat.
• Slice duck on the diagonal and serve with sauce.

APRICOT BRANDY

Steps:

• Place ingredients (DO NOT MIX) in a 1/2 gallon flat topped glass jar.
• Turn jar twice a day for 8 days (allowing jar to sit on its top for half a day).
• Batch is ready.
• You may use the same apricots, more sugar, and vodka added to make another batch, but let second batch sit for 12 to 14 days.

ALMOND CAKE WITH APRICOT BRANDY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F Lightly butter a 9-inch round cake pan; set aside.
• With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, including yolk, beating well after each addition. Add the preserves, sour cream and extract and beat for 1 minute more.
• Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt; lightly fold almond paste into the batter.
• Spread evenly in prepared pan and sprinkle with almonds. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the cake is firm when the pan is lightly tapped.
• To prepare sauce, in a medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in brown sugar and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for a few minutes more. Drizzle over cake slices.