Jeweled Clementines With Vanilla Sauce Recipes

CLEMENTINES IN CINNAMON SYRUP

Steps:

• Bring water, sugar, and cinnamon to a simmer in a small saucepan. Cook until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute.
• Arrange clementines in a large bowl. Pour warm syrup over top, and let stand for at least 30 minutes.
• Divide clementines and syrup among 4 bowls.

VANILLA SAUCE

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Whisk in the water, stirring until blended. Bring mixture to a boil and continue to cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and mix in the butter and vanilla. Serve warm.

CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Squeeze enough juice from clementines to measure 1 cup.
• Whisk together juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, then briskly simmer, whisking, 1 minute.
• Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter until melted.
• Pour into a bowl and cover surface with wax paper or parchment. Cool to warm, about 30 minutes.

GLAZED DUCK WITH CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Braise ducks:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Working from large cavity end, separate duck skin (including fat) from breast meat as much as possible by working your fingers between skin and meat, being careful not to tear skin, then prick skin all over ducks with a fork. Put ducks, breast sides up, side by side in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub each duck inside and out with kosher salt. Divide onions and celery between duck cavities and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar around ducks. Pour enough boiling-hot water over ducks (to help tighten skin) to reach about halfway up ducks (don't fill roasting pan more than 1 inch from rim). Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil, then carefully transfer to oven and braise ducks 1 hour.
• Remove pan from oven and remove foil (do not discard), then carefully turn ducks over (breast sides down) using one large wooden spoon to turn and another inside cavity. Cover with foil, then carefully return to oven and braise until meat is very tender but not falling off the bone, about 1 hour more.
• Chill ducks:
• Remove pan from oven and discard foil. Transfer ducks with wooden spoons to 2 large plates, draining any juices inside ducks back into pan, then transfer cooking liquid to a large bowl. Return ducks to roasting pan, breast sides up, and cool ducks and cooking liquid (separately), uncovered, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours (to firm up duck before roasting and to solidify fat on cooking liquid).
• Prepare glaze and start sauce:
• Discard all fat from chilled cooking liquid.
• Remove zest from 2 large or 4 small clementines in strips with a vegetable peeler, then trim any white pith from zest with a sharp paring knife and cut zest into fine julienne strips. Blanch strips in a small saucepan of boiling water 5 minutes, then drain.
• Squeeze enough juice from remaining clementines to measure 2 cups and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup (glaze will bubble up and darken), about 15 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon glaze in a cup to brush on ducks, then stir julienned zest and 1 cup cooking liquid into glaze remaining in pan and reserve for sauce. Reserve remaining cooking liquid.
• Roast ducks and finish sauce:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
• Roast ducks until skin is crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Brush reserved glaze (from cup) on ducks, then transfer ducks to a platter and let stand while finishing sauce, at least 10 minutes.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and straddle pan over 2 burners. Add shallot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups reserved cooking liquid and deglaze pan by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh sieve into sauce (containing julienned zest) and bring to a boil.
• Stir together liqueur and arrowroot and whisk into sauce. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, then season sauce with salt and pepper. Serve ducks, whole or carved into serving pieces, with sauce.

CLEMENTINES IN GINGER SYRUP, ALGERIAN

Steps:

• Bring water, sugar, ginger, cardamom, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 15 minutes. Strain syrup through a sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Chill, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours.
• Cut peel from clementines, including all white pith, with a sharp knife, then cut fruit into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and put in a serving bowl. Add syrup and chill, covered, at least 1 hour. Just before serving, sprinkle with pomegranate seeds (if using).