Duck Or Rabbit Livers With Onion Marmalade Recipes

DUCK OR RABBIT LIVERS WITH ONION MARMALADE

Steps:

• First, make the marmalade. Sizzle the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it is nut brown, 3 to 4 minutes, then immediately add the onions, sugar and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Reduce the heat and stew gently until the onions are dark caramel brown, 30 to 45 minutes, being careful to not blacken them. Add the vinegar and wine and cook for another 30 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the butter floats separately from the onions. You need only a few spoonfuls of this for the livers, but don't be angry! The ingredients were cheap, and this will keep for weeks, stored in a jar in the refrigerator. From thence it shall come to enliven sandwiches, charcuterie, roasts and all kinds of other stuff.
• On to the livers. Warm a plate in a low oven. Trim, rinse and pat the livers dry; season with the pepper and the remaining salt. Warm the oil in a nonstick skillet and fry the livers for about a minute and a half per side. Let them rest for 5 minutes on the warm plate, then slice and serve with a few tablespoons of marmalade on polenta, toast or crêpes parmentier (see recipe here).

SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, combine bread crumbs and cream. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then mash the mixture with a fork. Mix in the oregano, pepper flakes, black pepper, salt and bacon. Gently work in the pork, veal and beef. Be careful not to knead it into oblivion, or the meatballs will be tough little pebbles. Fry a little of the mixture in some butter and oil in a skillet and taste, adjusting seasonings. Roll into small meatballs, about an inch across. (If you have a kitchen scale, measure an ounce apiece.)
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. In a large sauté pan, warm the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, turning every couple of minutes. (Work in batches if they won't all fit in the pan.) Transfer them to a roasting pan big enough to hold them all. Pour 2 cups of cold water into the pan and transfer it to the oven to bake for 20 to 30 minutes or so, until the meatballs are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Boil the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water, and heat the marinara sauce in a pot. When the spaghetti is tender, toss it with the sauce. Season to taste. Put the cheese in a bowl and set it on the table. Make sure to ask your family if they want their meatballs on top of the spaghetti or on the side.

CRISPY PAN SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH BASALMIC ONION MARMALADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 to 400 degrees F.
• First don't use frozen duck breast. Go to your local butcher if they don't have it, usually they have no problem ordering it special for you. :).
• Score each breast shallowly in a crisscross fashion. Do NOT slice to the meat. These cuts allows the fat to render into the pan and the skin to get crispy.
• I like to use my cast iron skillet, you could also use stainless steel. I do NOT recommend using a non stick skillet. It needs to be oven proof.
• Sprinkle each breast on both sides with salt and pepper. You can be generous with the salt on the skin side. It really helps dry out the skin so you get a super crispy skin.
• Heat skillet over medium high heat. Place duck breasts skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Remember watch it carefully you want to crisp the skin, but not overcook the meat. You might have to lower the temperature a bit. Patience is the main ingredient for a perfect duck breast. I reserve the fat that renders off and use with roasted potatoes or anything really. It's so tasty. Remove the drippings from the pan before placing in the oven.
• Place your skillet with your duck breasts into the preheated oven. Cook for about 12 minutes or until Medium Rare. Remember watch your duck carefully because cooking time varies on how thick your breast is and how much has already cooked through on stove top. It will also carry over cook once you remove from oven. If you have a thermometer it should read about 125 to 130.
• Do NOT turn your breasts. It still should be skin side down.
• Remove to warm plate skin side up and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice about 1/2 inch thick and on the diagonal and serve with onion marmalade. ( Recipe Below).
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• Balsamic Onion Marmalade.
• In a large heavy pan, combine the red onions and brown sugar and cook over Medium to Medium high heat, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelize about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and vinegar, increase the heat to Medium high stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

ABSOLUTE BEST LIVER AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Gently rinse liver slices under cold water, and place in a medium bowl. Pour in enough milk to cover. Let stand while preparing onions. (I like to soak up to an hour or two - whatever you have time for.) This step is SO important in taking the bitter taste of the liver out.
• Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Separate onion rings, and saute them in butter until soft. Remove onions, and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Season the flour with salt and pepper, and put it in a shallow dish or on a plate. Drain milk from liver, and coat slices in the flour mixture.
• When the butter has melted, turn the heat up to medium-high, and place the coated liver slices in the pan. Cook until nice and brown on the bottom. Turn, and cook on the other side until browned. Add onions, and reduce heat to medium. Cook a bit longer to taste. Our family prefers the liver to just barely retain a pinkness on the inside when you cut to check. Enjoy!

RED ONION MARMALADE

Steps:

• Halve and thinly slice the onions, then thinly slice the garlic. Melt the butter with the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Tip in the onions and garlic and give them a good stir so they are glossed with butter. Sprinkle over the sugar, thyme leaves, chilli flakes if using and some salt and pepper. Give everything another really good stir and reduce the heat slightly. Cook uncovered for 40-50 minutes, stirring occasionally. The onions are ready when all their juices have evaporated, they're really soft and sticky and smell of sugar caramelising. They should be so soft that they break when pressed against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Slow cooking is the secret of really soft and sticky onions, so don't rush this part.
• Pour in the wine, vinegar and port and simmer everything, still uncovered, over a high heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring every so often until the onions are a deep mahogany colour and the liquid has reduced by about two-thirds. It's done when drawing a spoon across the bottom of the pan clears a path that fills rapidly with syrupy juice. Leave the onions to cool in the pan, then scoop into sterilised jars and seal. Can be eaten straight away, but keeps in the fridge for up to 3 months.

MARMALADE GLAZED ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Expose and cut out the wishbone. This makes the duck easier to carve once cooked. A butcher can do this for you.
• Heat oven to 240C/220C fan/gas 9. Lightly score the skin on the duck all over, and make a deep cut from inside the body into each leg.
• Season the duck well. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a low heat. Place the duck on its side with the thigh touching the pan for 15 mins. Turn and cook on the other side for 15 mins more.
• Turn the duck breast-side down, then transfer the pan to the oven and cook for 5 mins. Drain the fat from the pan, turn the duck onto its back and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut both oranges in half, then cut 4 wedges from half an orange. Heat a small frying pan over a medium heat, then cook the orange wedges in the dry pan for 1 min on each side to lightly caramelise.
• Remove the orange wedges from the pan and set aside. Squeeze the juice from the remaining orange halves into the hot pan and reduce by half. Add the marmalade, take off the heat, add 1 tbsp water and stir together.
• After 15 mins of roasting, brush the marmalade glaze over and continue to roast for a final 10 mins. Rest for 20 mins.
• Carve by cutting the leg and thigh away, then separating the leg from the thigh. Carve slices of breast and serve with the orange wedges to squeeze over.