What should I make to serve with duck confit?
March 24, 2009 10:33 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for relatively foolproof and delicious appetizer to serve before duck confit.
My bf is cooking the main course for a fancy dinner party tonight, and a friend who's already proven herself a worthy dessert maker is bringing something sweet. I've been assigned the appetizer, and I'm afraid of a fail.
He's making duck confit that's been stewing in our fridge for about two weeks now. I think it's gonna be served on top of a red cabbage salad type thing.
No dietary restrictions for my app, but I'd like something that won't break the bank and something that'll impress without demanding advanced kitchen skills.
The grocery stores in my neighborhood are mostly Mexican supermarkets, so fancy ingredients are out of the question unless they're South American (which is probably a bad idea anyway given the main course). I currently own bell peppers and goat cheese but don't necessarily need to employ them.
I have nothing to do today other than this chore, so needless but impressive labor is fine though not totally necessary.
Ideas?
My bf is cooking the main course for a fancy dinner party tonight, and a friend who's already proven herself a worthy dessert maker is bringing something sweet. I've been assigned the appetizer, and I'm afraid of a fail.
He's making duck confit that's been stewing in our fridge for about two weeks now. I think it's gonna be served on top of a red cabbage salad type thing.
No dietary restrictions for my app, but I'd like something that won't break the bank and something that'll impress without demanding advanced kitchen skills.
The grocery stores in my neighborhood are mostly Mexican supermarkets, so fancy ingredients are out of the question unless they're South American (which is probably a bad idea anyway given the main course). I currently own bell peppers and goat cheese but don't necessarily need to employ them.
I have nothing to do today other than this chore, so needless but impressive labor is fine though not totally necessary.
Ideas?
More of an hors d'oeuvre than an appetizer, but:
Pitted dates
- Stuffed with almonds (or goat cheese!)
- wrapped with a half srip of bacon
- and broiled.
Or
Yellowfoot or chanterelle mushrooms
-sauteed in butter with garlic, shallots and fresh thyme
-add a splash of cream
- reduce slightly
- serve on crostini
posted by dersins at 10:55 AM on March 24, 2009
Pitted dates
- Stuffed with almonds (or goat cheese!)
- wrapped with a half srip of bacon
- and broiled.
Or
Yellowfoot or chanterelle mushrooms
-sauteed in butter with garlic, shallots and fresh thyme
-add a splash of cream
- reduce slightly
- serve on crostini
posted by dersins at 10:55 AM on March 24, 2009
I like this recipe from The French Laundry cookbook:
1. Grate parmesan cheese. Place in a 2-inch mold (or otherwise shape into a circle) on a non-stick baking sheet. Repeat for as many crisps as you want to make or can fit on the sheet. Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
2. Let them cool for half a minute and then press them into the hollows of an egg carton, to mold them into the carton hollow's shape. Wait until they are cool and firm enough to remove.
3. Make a goat cheese mousse by adding the cheese to a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup heavy cream. Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
4. If you have a pastry bag, use that with a star tip and pipe into the parmesan crisps. Otherwise, just put it into a sandwich bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze the bag to pipe into the crisps.
5. (Optional) Decorate with finely chopped chives.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2009 [3 favorites]
1. Grate parmesan cheese. Place in a 2-inch mold (or otherwise shape into a circle) on a non-stick baking sheet. Repeat for as many crisps as you want to make or can fit on the sheet. Bake at 325° for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
2. Let them cool for half a minute and then press them into the hollows of an egg carton, to mold them into the carton hollow's shape. Wait until they are cool and firm enough to remove.
3. Make a goat cheese mousse by adding the cheese to a food processor or blender with 1/4 cup heavy cream. Add chopped parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
4. If you have a pastry bag, use that with a star tip and pipe into the parmesan crisps. Otherwise, just put it into a sandwich bag, cut off a corner, and squeeze the bag to pipe into the crisps.
5. (Optional) Decorate with finely chopped chives.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:00 AM on March 24, 2009 [3 favorites]
Warm goat's cheese salad. Roast the peppers, slice and add them.
posted by essexjan at 11:08 AM on March 24, 2009 [2 favorites]
posted by essexjan at 11:08 AM on March 24, 2009 [2 favorites]
i would think a sightlier meatier appetizer is in order since duck confit isnt always large portions....
i like roast beef on toast with roasted red pepper sauce. cheap, simple, impressive looking, simple. prepared RIGHT before its served so its easy. these are awesome for 2-20 superbowl party to refined dinner (as in this case)
groceries:
baguette
deli roast beef (buy the nicest stuff, you dont need more than 1 peice per person, each peice makes about 2 of these things...)
capers (optional)
flakiest salt (kosher, seasalt doesnt matter) - NOT optional
fresh garlic
1 bottle roasted red pepper dressing
-OR-
1 jar roasted red bell pepper (about 1-2 cups is fine)
2-3Tbs olive oil for each cup red peppers
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper for each cup red peppers
-OR-
make your own favorite red pepper dressing...
my dressing:
put roasted peppers, olive oil, black pepper in blender. blend until pink (you can always add a little more olive oil). an egg can be added for creamier consistency but i like it without
assemblage:
1. bias cut the baguette in 1 inch (not too thick) and BROIL until golden brown.
2. rub a fresh clove of garlic (peeled etc) like its a pat of butter on the freshly toasted toast
3. small dollop of roasted red pepper dressing
4. folded peice of roast beef just the size of the toast and about 4-4 folds thick.
5. small dollop of red pepper dressing on top.
6. 2-3 capers MAXIMUM
7. small (even MODEST) pinch of flaky salt (think literally 10-15 flakes)
8.plate on one serving platter and done.
let us know what you've done and how it came out.
posted by chasles at 12:00 PM on March 24, 2009 [1 favorite]
i like roast beef on toast with roasted red pepper sauce. cheap, simple, impressive looking, simple. prepared RIGHT before its served so its easy. these are awesome for 2-20 superbowl party to refined dinner (as in this case)
groceries:
baguette
deli roast beef (buy the nicest stuff, you dont need more than 1 peice per person, each peice makes about 2 of these things...)
capers (optional)
flakiest salt (kosher, seasalt doesnt matter) - NOT optional
fresh garlic
1 bottle roasted red pepper dressing
-OR-
1 jar roasted red bell pepper (about 1-2 cups is fine)
2-3Tbs olive oil for each cup red peppers
1/4 Tsp fresh ground black pepper for each cup red peppers
-OR-
make your own favorite red pepper dressing...
my dressing:
put roasted peppers, olive oil, black pepper in blender. blend until pink (you can always add a little more olive oil). an egg can be added for creamier consistency but i like it without
assemblage:
1. bias cut the baguette in 1 inch (not too thick) and BROIL until golden brown.
2. rub a fresh clove of garlic (peeled etc) like its a pat of butter on the freshly toasted toast
3. small dollop of roasted red pepper dressing
4. folded peice of roast beef just the size of the toast and about 4-4 folds thick.
5. small dollop of red pepper dressing on top.
6. 2-3 capers MAXIMUM
7. small (even MODEST) pinch of flaky salt (think literally 10-15 flakes)
8.plate on one serving platter and done.
let us know what you've done and how it came out.
posted by chasles at 12:00 PM on March 24, 2009 [1 favorite]
These bourekas are incredibly delicious and easy to make. You can serve with a cream sauce drizzled on top.
posted by watercarrier at 1:08 PM on March 24, 2009
posted by watercarrier at 1:08 PM on March 24, 2009
Response by poster: Thanks guys! All of your suggestions sound amazing. Dinner got moved to Thursday so I have a little bit of time to prepare.
posted by macrowave at 2:14 PM on March 24, 2009
posted by macrowave at 2:14 PM on March 24, 2009
A delightful complement to duck is a Danish dish: Oven baked prunes and apples with just a touch of paprika. Put it in a well buttered nonmetallic pan, bake for around 30 minutes.
posted by forrestal at 3:23 PM on March 24, 2009
posted by forrestal at 3:23 PM on March 24, 2009
I would make profiteroles (google for a recipe; choux looks daunting but is actually easy as all fuck to make) stuffed with a mousse made of Brie (or camembert) and (fresh) cherries. Right before the profiteroles are done cooking, pull them out, brush the tops really lightly with a thin egg wash, and sprinkle with sea salt or rock salt (like you'd use on a pretzel).
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:50 PM on March 24, 2009
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:50 PM on March 24, 2009
This simple and delicious recipe via Bittman: La Zucca Magica’s Orange and Olive Salad (video). With a chef's knife, I chopped and crushed the olives (a few times to achieve the right texture) -- I did not want to soil the food processor. Good ingredients are key. For something so simple, the recipe was a revelation. Under any circumstances, do not skip the fennel seeds. Plate individually for extra points.
posted by Dick Paris at 7:11 PM on March 24, 2009
posted by Dick Paris at 7:11 PM on March 24, 2009
Keeping it nice and simple, and making use of the goat cheese you already have: Goat cheese and Sundried Tomatoes Crostini. It's Martha approved!
This is just a recipe I've found, but it's so simple you don't really need it, and the flavors work really well together.
posted by dnesan at 10:43 PM on March 24, 2009
This is just a recipe I've found, but it's so simple you don't really need it, and the flavors work really well together.
posted by dnesan at 10:43 PM on March 24, 2009
By the way, here's Mark Bittman's 101 Simple Appetizers in 20 minutes or less.
posted by dersins at 8:56 AM on March 25, 2009
posted by dersins at 8:56 AM on March 25, 2009
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Zambrano at 10:45 AM on March 24, 2009