A Recipe for Romance
(or at least a sure table on Valentine's Day)
By Eric Pacella |
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If you can't stand the thought of dropping a Franklin at some fancy restaurant to impress your Valentine, if you dread the dozens of calls it will take to find some such eatery that isn't already booked, if you're paranoid about squeezing into that hot little number you haven't worn since before the holidays, this article is for you.
This month, (614) got together with Chef Jonathan O'Carroll of Lindey's to bring you a set of recipes that are guaranteed to impress your date: no reservations, and no fancy dress required. Imagine the look on your date's face when you uncover a succulent duck breast, perched on a firm polenta cake. Multiply that effect by a factor of roughly 16.8 when you reveal three decadent kinds of creme brulee for dessert, no torch required.
Sound complicated? Not so much. Polenta is (more or less) just a two-dollar word for cornbread, and the rest can be made in two hours, start to finish. Several of these dishes can be made days ahead of time, reducing your stress before the big show and giving you extra time to tame that unibrow. Enjoy.
Sauteed Duck Breast with Polenta Cake
2 Duck Breasts
1 cup Water
1 cup Milk
4 oz Unsalted Butter
8 oz White Moretti Polenta
1/2 cup Grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Sliced Scallions
Kosher Salt
Fresh Milled Black Pepper
Olive Oil
Sauteed Duck Breast with Polenta Cake
Photo: Chris Casella
In a sauce pan, combine water, milk, and butter, and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to a simmer; add half the polenta, stir with a whisk. Allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the remaining polenta and the Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 3 to 4 more minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. Add scallions, mix well, and transfer to a 2-inch deep dish and allow to cool completely. Season duck breasts with black pepper and a pinch of salt, and cook skin side down over medium-high heat until the breast releases most of its fat. Cut polenta into portions and fry in the duck fat alongside the breasts. Remove fat from the pan, turn the breast, and cook for three to four minutes.
Trio of Brulees:
Vanilla, Butterscotch, & Chocolate Espresso
1 qt Heavy Cream
1 tbs Vanilla Extract
6 oz Granulated Sugar
6 oz Egg Yolks
1 Vanilla Bean (optional, these can be very expensive)
Flavorings:
1 tbs Milk Chocolate with 1 shot Espresso
1 tbs Butterscotch Pistoles
Vanilla, Butterscotch, & Chocolate Espresso Brulees
Photo: Chris Casella
In a sauce pan add cream, split vanilla bean, & vanilla extract, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let sit for a few moments to allow the vanilla to infuse with the cream. In a clean bowl, add egg yolks and sugar, beat with a whisk until smooth and sugar is completely incorporated with the egg yolks. Remove vanilla bean from the cream, reserve vanilla bean for garnish or other projects. Add 1/3 of the hot cream to the egg mixture, whisk together, return egg and cream mix to the rest of the cream and cook for a few minutes, being careful not to boil to avoid burning the mixture.
Split brulee mix into three bowls while still warm. Add chocolate & espresso to one, and butterscotch to another, leaving one plain vanilla. Allow all three to cool completely.
Preheat your oven to 125 degrees. Add cooled brulee mix to your serving dishes and cover with plastic wrap. Place dishes in a shallow pan, adding water to cover the bottom 1/3 of the dishes. Place in oven and cook until set, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the depth of the dishes. Allow to cool completely; can be made a few days in advance.
Originally Published: February 1, 2010
