Roasted Vegetable Frittata

They say opportunity will never come knocking at your door. I'm here to tell you- that is totally not the case. Sometimes, rare as it made be, that is exactly what happens. In my case, I was recently approached by the general manager of one of Des Moines' newest and trendiest restaurants and asked to help collaborate on a brunch menu for the new weekend brunch they were planning to add. Talk about thrilled! My brain immediately started kicking into overdrive. Ideas flooded my head, but I couldn't go with just any old brunch dish. This had to be really special, something I haven't seen in every other brunch spot in the city. I proposed a number of unique dishes, but this one was my favorite.

Many restaurants and chefs are embracing the "farm to table" ideal. Here in Des Moines that is also the case. In Iowa we have some of the most beautiful and varied produce you can find. We also have four seasons, so the availability of fresh fruits and vegetable is always changing. Farmers are going organic more and more often. There are a couple large well-known local farms that provide a good chunk of produce, especially salad greens, to some of the metro's best dining spots. Local chefs are developing relationships with local meat producers as well, which means the chef has an eye on their meat literally from birth to butcher- they can see how the animals are raised and fed, and if you think that doesn't make a difference, you need to have a side by side tasting and see for yourself. Iowa is home to several notable meat producers like Rustik Rooster Farms, owned by Carl Blake, who raises the amazing Swabian Hall hogs. Rustik Rooster has even been featured on Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods (I will spare you the details of what they were eating......). Beef and pork from the Niman Ranch make their appearances on many menus in the city.

And then........we have the market. Our farmers' market. Des Moines is home to one of the biggest and most visited and diverse farmers' markets in the country. It's even become a summer tourist destination- for real! What once was a line of stands along Court Avenue filled with your typical garden produce in downtown has grown into a huge market encompassing many blocks, several streets, sidewalk brunch in the many restaurants, live entertainment, ethnic food stands, produce of every kind imaginable, fresh flowers, baked goods, snacks, arts, crafts, jewelry, even farm fresh eggs and meats. It's crazy how much our market has grown over the years, and every year it just gets bigger and better. With the growing market, of course the variety of produce has grown and evolved. For me, this means a whole wide world of delicious things to play with.

Let's face it, I am a veggie nut. I'm definitely a meat eater, don't get me wrong, but I am perfectly happy with a few bites of steak and a whole plateful of something that grew in the soil. I'm sure I've told you that growing up my mom boiled the life out of every veggie my dad lovingly grew in their garden. Not so with me. I prefer to roast my veg. Roasting brings out the earthy flavors, creates crispy edges and caramelized goodness, retains texture and color and nutrients, and they're just so GOOD when they're roasted! Roasted veg get incorporated into a lot of dished at our house, even though they are just as amazing on their own. While we rarely have leftovers, they make great additions to salads and soups and pizzas and just about anything you can create.

Ewwwwwww !! Powdered cellulose! That's WOOD!

Today we're making a roasted veggie frittata, which, incidentally, was one of my suggested recipes for this restaurant's weekend brunch menu. It's just a fancy Italian word for a big fat omelet/quiche hybrid that you start in a skillet and bake in the oven. Mine is going to be loaded with roasted vegetables and not overloaded with cheese- just enough. Choose whatever cheese you like. I love so many cheeses it's nearly impossible to choose just one, and for this recipe I chose Jarlsberg and Asiago. Jarlsberg is one of my very favorites for cooking because it melts so perfectly and Asiago is so intense- it adds a lot of savory impact without a ton of cheese. If you can't find it, Parmesan is a great substitute. I highly recommend using FRESHLY SHREDDED Parmesan or Asiago in this dish, instead of the dry grated stuff in the plastic jar. You get a much better flavor and appearance using shredded, and for the very very best results, buy a hunk and shred it yourself right before using it. You will not regret the extra time or the extra little bit it costs to buy good cheese. The stuff in the bags and jars at the store- I know we all use it, even I do on occasion- is usually loaded with cornstarch and anti-caking agents and other fillers. It'll work, but it's not the best option. Also, I often lecture people on the butter vs. margarine debate. Please please please if you never listen to another word I say just please I beg you, use real butter. Butter melts into this lovely flavored liquid fat that's a real dairy product. It's real. Margarine melts into an amalgamation of horror that's mostly water. It will ALWAY affect the consistency of your finished dish and the fake butter flavor never is the same.

Sinful Food's amazing olive oils are key to adding flavor to this dish. In this dish, you can use the basil oil, garlic or Italian herb, whichever you like. You can buy yours HERE.

Roasted Vegetable Frittata

1 small bunch asparagus

1 small to medium zucchini*

1 or 2 bell peppers- choose red, orange or a purple variety

1 lb. baby potatoes- choose a colored variety

6 cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped basil

salt and pepper

10 eggs

3/4 cup half and half

1 cup shredded Jarlsberg

1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese, plus more

1/4 cup butter

Sinful Food olive oil- garlic, basil or Italian herb 

* I used baby zucchini and cut them into bite sized chunks.

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the vegetables into one inch pieces. Chop the garlic. Toss together in a large bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, one teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. I tossed the red pepper, asparagus and garlic in a separate bowl because they take less time to cook. Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment, spread out into a single layer and roast for 15-25 minutes until just tender and some edges are beginning to brown, adding the reserved vegetables halfway through. You can also pop under the broiler for a quick minute to get some browning if needed. Set aside.

Beat together the eggs, half and half, herbs and cheeses.  

Heat a large heavy ovenproof skillet such as cast iron over high heat until hot. Add 1/4 cup of butter and melt, swirling to cover the bottom. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the vegetables to the skillet, spreading evenly. Pour the egg mixture over and cook for about 2 minutes without stirring. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until set. Sprinkle with additional Asiago cheese during the last 5 minutes of baking.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.

Talk about the perfect lunch, brunch or picnic dish- this is it! It's filled with good for you ingredients and lots of protein-rich eggs. You can make it ahead and warm it in the oven, covered tightly with foil, and it travels like a pro. The recipe is also super flexible so you can use up whatever bits and bobs of cooked veggies you have hanging out in the fridge, and you can add bacon, sausage, ham, seafood- whatever you like. Have extra taco meat? Use potatoes, bell peppers and onions and top with a little dollop of sour cream, guacamole or salsa. Go Italian with ham or sausage or ground beef, veggies and a little spoonful of marinara over each serving. Use your imagination and create the perfect brunch dish for you!
 


Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." As a Brand Ambassador, the company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift or something of value. Regardless,  I only recommend products or services I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Dinner for Two- Eggs in Purgatory

Farmers Market season is just a mere five days away now and I can hardly wait! Des Moines is home to the number two  of The Best 101 Farmers Markets in the nation as ranked by The Daily Meal. That's pretty exciting! This year the market opens with 288 vendors, selling everything from produce, to crafts, to meat and eggs, to home baked goods and so much more. Hard to believe our amazing farmers market began with just fifteen vendors, so long ago in 1976. Seems a lifetime ago. Now it's a destination, a great spot for a date, a family outing, and with all the condos and lofts in downtown, a fantastic place to grocery shop!

Some of my farmers market goodies from seasons past

So, it's time for the 2017 farmers market. I've been reading up on what's new this year. Forty seven new vendors, that's what!! The market averages 97 farmers and produce growers. I love the fresh produce, not just the everyday stuff, but the unusual lettuces and greens, carrots in every color, all kinds of unusual mushrooms, just everything you can think of. Livestock farmers bring some of the most amazing meat products and eggs from pasture-raised chickens. Have you ever had a true farm fresh egg? Yes, the yolk is bright orange and not the dull yellow of commercially produced eggs, but the shells- the shells are not usually white! Most often you'll find brown eggs but many chickens produce "Easter eggs" in all shades of blue and green. They are beautiful and delicious. Ever try a duck egg or a quail egg? You can find them at the market.

Iowa is a rising star in the winery and brewery worlds and those businesses make their place at the market too. Iowa is a wonderful state for grape growing and we have some fantastic varieties. Brianna, Edelweiss, Marechal Foch and Frontenac are just a few. Need something to go with that wine? You can find artisinal cheesemakers at the market too. In fact, with some of the gourmet food producers, you can assemble a pretty darn good charcuterie plate from goodies you bought at the market. Grab a baguette from one of the many bakers that have stands, and take home a jar of jam or jelly too.

The changing seasons give you an ever rotating selection of fresh produce. Spring vegetables like asparagus, spinach and morel mushrooms are among the first to appear. The warm summer months bring bushels of green beans, onions, more salad vegetables, Iowa sweet corn, and the joy of the market- the Iowa summer tomato. I can taste them now. Summer gives way to the cooler days of autumn, and that means last season crops, greens, onions, potatoes, squash and pumpkins. Soooo many beautiful squash and pumpkins. You might even find a pumpkin pie or two.

Hungry now? You're in the right place, and you don't have to munch on your fresh produce. The market is packed with great food to eat as you stroll. Egg rolls, pupusas, Nepalese dumplings, breakfast burritos, pastries, gelato and breads, and if you are in a people watching mood, the Court Avenue District has a host of restaurants with sidewalk seating, so you can enjoy the gorgeous sunshine, sip a mimosa or Bloody Mary or an iced tea and watch the action. You will always find some live entertainment too. Musicians, street performers, dance troupes- there is always something fun going on.

I had a couple handfuls of sliced scallion and chopped
tomatoes in the fridge- tossed them in there too.

Before we get to our recipe, let's go back to the tomatoes. If you have ever had a garden, if you've ever tasted a juicy tomato fresh off the vine and still warm, if you've ever had to settle for a supermarket tomato in the middle of February, you know what I'm talking about. Summertime is also when we are the busiest, and least likely to want to come home and cook a big meal. As a kid we would even have dinners of sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, and maybe some sweet corn. Believe me we weren't poor, but Dad was a gardener, and those home grown tomatoes....... mmmmmmm. Anyway, the farmers market is the perfect spot to grab the ingredients for this simple dinner. Basics- tomatoes, eggs, herbs. This classic Italian egg dish is so quick to get together whether you use fresh tomatoes or a can of crushed tomatoes. Grab a box of those beautiful Easter Eggs and some fresh herbs, a head of garlic, and a baguette. Now you're all set! The origin of the name "Eggs in Purgatory" is a little fuzzy. It's very similar to the African "shakshouka" and not all that removes from Huevos Rancheros if you think about it. Maybe it's the slightly spicy tomato sauce the eggs are simmered in, I don't really know, but I do know this- it's delicious, easy and good for you! Let's make some.

A drizzle of olive oil is the perfect finish for this dish, and Sinful Food's garlic olive oil is perfect. Get your Sinful Food olive oils and Signature Seasoning by clicking HERE.

Eggs in Purgatory

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

big pinch crushed red pepper flakes

4 eggs

Signature Seasoning

Parmesan cheese

Sinful Food garlic olive oil

crusty bread for serving

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of olive oil and add the garlic. Cook and stir until garlic is softened but not brown. Add the Italian seasoning and crushed red pepper, and cook for about a minute until fragrant.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet. Reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, cut 4 slices from the crusty bread. Brush each side with olive oil and toast on both sides. Place two toasts on each of two plates and set aside. Reserve remaining bread for serving.

I had dinner for one, so I spooned a small amount of the
sauce into my mini cast iron skillet for one egg.

With a spoon make 4 wells in the sauce. Break the eggs into a small bowl, one at a tie, then slip each egg into a well. Season with Signature Seasoning. Cover and cook to desired doneness. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Use a slotted spoon to place the eggs on the toast slices, sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Drizzle with a small amount of garlic olive oil. Serve with additional bread for sopping up the sauce.

My yolk was soft but not runny, and it was still delicious.

Since The Chef was not home for dinner, mine was actually dinner for one. I soooo love breakfast for dinner, and trying new ways to prepare eggs. Normally I am not a  runny egg yolk kind of person but I am really trying to embrace them, especially since May is National Egg Month and Iowa is one of the top producing egg states in the U.S. The slightly spicy Italian sauce and crusty bread helps. This easy meal is perfect for busy nights and needs nothing more than a little salad with a vinaigrette on the side to complete your feast.

Tex Mex Chile Lime Rice Bowls

My nephew moved away this week. My fun foodie nephew Jeremy who you all have met in a few posts over the years, as a guest chef, and when we visited the World Food Festival. I'm both sad and a little envious at the same time. Sad, because Jeremy and I shared a special bond with our interest in food and cooking and the Transformers, and envious because his path of life has led him to The Lonestar State, Texas, the first state I moved to as a young adult. My first big move away from home. The biggest city I had ever lived in at the time. The state where I would teach myself to master crepes, pate choux, brining a turkey and won my first cooking competition.

Jeremy and I had a great chat the day before he left. I'm proud of all of my nephews but especially proud of Jeremy for taking control of his destiny and hitting the road for new adventures. How many of us toil away day after day and yet wish we had to chance to do the same thing? The company he works for offered a transfer to Texas and he embraced the opportunity. He shared regular updates from the road, where they were, and also what they were eating. The first day of travel got him all the way to Norman, Oklahoma where they stopped for some sleep and some kickass ramen. His first meal in the Lonestar State was, what else? Barbeque! The Goat (my secret nickname for Jeremy) had his first Texas barbeque from Dickey's Barbeque Pit in San Antonio and the picture looks like he had some pretty tasty grub.

The next day meant more miles to drive and more sights to see. He shared pics of the Texas Motor Speedway, the Dallas skyline, which made me horribly homesick for Fort Worth. Jeremy is headed for San Antonio, where I have never been, so I'm super excited to see pictures of where he lives and where he hangs out. Texas is a fantastic place for a foodie to live. Austin is widely considered the Food Truck Capital of the World. Texas is also a huge beef producing state with cattle ranches dotting the landscape outside of the cities. Then you have Texas style barbeque which is HUGE, and Tex Mex everything. I'm a big fan of Tex Mex flavors and I think this regional cuisine has really evolved over the years.

REALLY better- and not salty either. My favorite brand.

Tex Mex is one of those delicious fusions of cuisines- southwestern American and Mexican. It's been around for well over a century and takes cues from Mexican, American and Spanish dishes to create a whole new world of flavors. Texas chili, street tacos, giant burritos and fajitas are just a few of the dishes included in Tex Mex cooking. Lots of cilantro is used and that's definitely an acquired taste for some people. Things can get pretty cheesy too, and sometimes a little too cheesy, so for our recipe today we are taking the focus away from the cheese and making some Iowa pork the star.

I started with a pork loin roast and cut it into cubes.

I'm taking my newest Tex Mex dish in line with another new trend- the rice bowl. Pinterest is loaded with rice bowl recipes and they are perfect for lunch bowls and meal prep days. I am braising tender chunks of pork loin with garlic and chili spices, combining with zesty lime and serving with rice and all kinds of tasty and healthy toppings that add lots of flavor and texture but not a lot of extra calories- avocado, chopped tomatoes, onion, whatever you like. I'm going to go with some pan-roasted corn kernels, avocado, chopped tomatoes and onion. I might add cheese.....but you really don't need it.

Chile Lime Pork Rice Bowls

1 boneless pork roast, about 2 lb.
6 cloves garlic
salt and pepper
2 cups chicken broth
1 lime
2 bunches scallions, sliced
1-2 tablespoons chili powder, to taste
oil
cooked rice for serving
toppings: avocado, chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, cheese, sour cream, salsa or pico

Heat oven to 325 degrees.

Cut the pork roast into one inch cubes and season well with salt and pepper. Set aside for now.

Mince the garlic cloves. Zest the entire lime and juice. Slice the scallions. Set aside.

Heat a couple tablespoons of oil in a heavy Dutch oven. Add the pork cubes in small batches and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and continue until all pork is browned, adding more oil if needed. Remove last of the pork and set aside.

Add the garlic to the pot and cook, stirring for a minute or two until softened. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the chili powder and continue cooking one minute until fragrant. Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to boil, stirring to bring up the stuck on bits at the bottom. Return the pork and any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Stir in the lime juice, half the scallions and zest. I threw in the squeezed lime halves as well, and removed them after cooking. Cover and place in the oven. Braise for 2 hours until very tender. You can also cook this on the stovetop at very low simmer.

Prepare the rice and other toppings while the pork is braising. Slice avocados, coarsely chop cilantro, chop red onions and tomatoes. Shred some good cheddar or Mexican cheese. 

Remove the pork from the oven. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry (1 Tb cornstarch and 1 Tb water).

Serve the meat over rice in bowls with the toppings of your choice.

We had our pork with brown rice, pan-roasted Iowa sweet corn that I had frozen in the summer, avocado, tomato, sliced scallions and just a little bit of shredded cheese. You can customize your rice bowl with the toppings you like. The pork was so tender and flavorful. Even The Chef raved about it and threatened to steal the recipe! 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Jackfruit- finally!!

Holy cannoli I FINALLY got a jackfruit! Now, you're probably wondering why in the world I am this excited about a fruit, and for that matter who in the world gets that excited about a fruit? I get it, but folks, this is not just another kind of apple or berry I'm talking about- this is a JACKFRUIT. Time to let you in on a little secret- I watch Food Network (insert sarcasm, please). A lot. More than a lot. Probably the bulk of my television time is spent on Food Network programming, but that's ok, right? At any rate, I've seen this fruit on numerous cooking shows, usually in competition shows on which the idea is to stump the contestants because who in the world really knows what the heck to do with a jackfruit? Well, we are going to find out.

A couple months ago The Chef and I were browsing the local mid-size supermarket looking for inspiration. We were feeling a bit in a food rut. Whenever that happens we like to meander around the store and looks at food items we have not yet cooked with or haven't for a long time, or something from our childhood- like La Choy chow mein in a can. Don't laugh- a lot of people in our generation have fond memories of our mothers making this for dinner with those brown crunchy noodles and Minute Rice. We usually start in the produce section because it's right by the front doors of this particular store. On this occasion there was a large display of tropical fruits- rambutans, carambola, cherimoya, and things like that. Different kinds of papayas and mangoes. Baby red bananas. Lots of fun things including......... this monstrously gigantic kinda prickly and HUGELY heavy jackfruit. I immediately wanted to take it home with me but with a $40 pricetag that wasn't going to happen today so I sulked around the store the rest of the time and bemoaned my poor luck- having finally found a jackfruit but a limited budget.

Fast forward to now and I pop into Whole Foods, more for snooping around than for shopping, as we don't normally go there unless I'm looking for an unusual grain or type of rice, and lo and behold, right there, in the produce section (again the first department I wandered through) was once again the object of my intense obsession- the jackfruit, but this time it was not a $40 million pound globe of fruit to feed 50, it was cut up and sold by the slice. Jackpot! Now that my wish has been fulfilled my grandson Nathan and I are going to play with this fun fruit and learn a little about it at the same time.

Jackfruit, top, and durian, bottom. Photo from Wiki.

The first thing we noticed about our slice of jackfruit was the smell. I guess I should say fragrance or aroma because this thing smelled beautiful. So fruity and floral like pineapple and tropical flowers. A lot of people confuse this fruit with it's terribly stinky lookalike, the durian, but this jackfruit smells like heaven. I also read about a very sticky sap and was warned to oil my hands and utensils to prevent the sap from getting all over, as it's very hard to remove. That must happen more when you're cutting open a whole jackfruit because while we did oil our hands, we didn't encounter any sticky sap and didn't re-oil after handwashing.

The skin of the jackfruit is pretty thick and tough, but I was able to cut through it with no difficulty at all. The core was very pronounced and easy to remove. The fruit itself looks like little pods and each one contains a seed. Nathan and I learned that the jackfruit is actually just a giant flower with the petals on the inside and the fruit bulbs are flower petals- kind of cool to think about. There is a big seed in each bulb, about as big as an olive. We also learned that the seeds are also edible. The seeds smell like chocolate and if you dry them you can grind them as use them like cocoa. You can also boil the seeds or roast them, and they taste like water chestnuts. 

The funky stuff around the bulbs is also edible. We learned that it can also be cooked and shredded to use like meat- like in a pulled pork or pulled chicken sandwich, and that many vegan and vegetarian people do use the jackfruit as a meat replacement. Just imagine, a tree that can maybe eliminate starvation. We read that each jackfruit tree, which is the largest of all fruit-bearing trees, is capable of producing 100 to 200 fruits per year, and that each fruit can weigh up to 80 pounds. That is a lot of food!

Looks like chicken!

Our bulbs and our seeds.

What else did we learn about jackfruit? Lots! We learned where the trees grow- mostly Asian countries and South America where it doesn't get cold. They originated in rainforests. They cannot survive winter like we have here in Iowa. If you live in Florida and are very lucky- you might be able to grow a jackfruit tree. They are the national fruit of Bangladesh. Like the fruits we are used to eating in our part of the world, the jackfruit relies on bees to pollinate and produce fruits. We did collect 13 seeds, most of them are whole seeds and a couple were "nicked" by the knife. Nathan and I are going to try and sprout them and see if we can grow a jackfruit tree just for fun. We know it won't survive outside but we can grow an avocado pit into a nice house plant, so why not try this? I figure we'd also try the nicked seeds in case it makes it easier to germinate like some of the tough seeds require.

Our fruit bulbs went into a zip top bag and in the freezer so the next day we could make smoothies with them. It was very sweet and definitely had the mango and banana flavors. The next time we try jackfruit we will probably get a couple slices or maybe canned jackfruit and try THIS RECIPE for BBQ Pulled Jackfruit from the More Vegan Blog. A little bit of research online and we found all kinds of different dishes to use it in, both sweet and savory. We had fun and learned a lot about this weird fruit you don't see in Iowa very often. I wonder what weird food we will find next?

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 55: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

The Chef's cooking duck breast!!

It's not very often The Chef and I get duck breasts to play with so you can imagine how excited I was when he decided he would be preparing duck breast for his Friday special. As you know, The Chef cooks at The Wine Experience, a locally owned restaurant and wine bar that is a small bistro-style restaurant tucked into a high end shopping mecca. Each Friday he prepares an off-menu special with seasonal, locally produced (when possible) ingredients that usually are purchased that same day. It's been a lot of fun for to watch him work on his meal plans, grocery lists and prep sheets. Sometimes we collaborate on an idea and bounce things around until he has exactly what he is looking for but he is the creative mind behind the weekly Friday special. Over the months he has worked there he has created some amazing and delicious dishes, every week it's a sell out. His past specials have included cioppino, Italian pasta dishes, and shrimp picatta. It's not uncommon for him to receive requests for his recipes, and he is usually happy to oblige.

Duck breast is something he is not normally excited to work with. Let's face it, there are a lot of steps involved when making duck breast. Scoring the skin is critical to rendering out all that crazy delicious duck fat. Salting the breasts and storing uncovered for 24 hours seasons the meat. Rendering the fat is a bit time consuming but it's absolutely essential. Not only does it make the duck breast completely delicious without being overly fatty, you get all that rendered golden goodness to save and use for cooking other dishes. You haven't lived until you have experienced duck frites! So, with that in mind, what's on the menu for Friday?

Pan Seared Duck Breast with Blueberry Champagne Sauce

Trio of Roasted Baby Potatoes

Green Beans Amandine

So to get everything ready for service, The Chef has to arrive at the restaurant several hours before service begins to start working on the duck. Like I said, he scored and seasoned the duck the night before and has had this in the cooler overnight. 

Scoring the skin is crucial. The melting fat escapes and
the skin doesn't curl up.

To properly render out the fat, place the duck breasts skin side down in a COLD skillet. Place the pan over medium heat and slowly allow the fat to melt and render out. Keep a bowl or jar handy to scoop that delicious fat into. You definitely want to save the fat. 

You can see the pattern of the scoring as the skin crisps
and just look at all that amazing and delicious duck fat!

When the skin is crispy and the fat is rendered out, remove the breasts from the pan and place on a sheet pan to cool.

Never crowd the breasts in the skillet or they will steam and never brown. You're looking for a light golden brown at this stage. Remember- this is restaurant cooking, not how you would prepare them at home. Once you've rendered the fat successfully, remove the breasts to a clean baking sheet. skin side down, and store in the cooler until time for service.

The sauce is also made ahead, using the skillets used to render the fat. Spoon out as much of the fat as you can, and deglaze the pan with an entire bottle of champagne. Bring to boil, scraping up the delicious fond from the bottom of the skillet. Reduce the champagne to about half. Add a little chicken broth, some chopped fresh thyme and fresh blueberries. Cook until the berries have burst and cooked through and the sauce is further reduced. Add a little orange zest if you like and thicken with a cornstarch slurry. Add more fresh blueberries at this stage so you will have plump whole berries in the sauce. Taste for seasoning and adjust. Keep the sauce warm.

When it's time for service you will want to start with a cold pan again. Place the duck breasts skin side down and cook until deep golden brown. Flip over and sear the underside for a couple minutes, then place on a sheet pan and pop in 375-400 degree oven until the internal temperature is 135 degrees for medium rare. Remove and let rest while you plate up the vegetables. Slice the breast diagonally into thick slices, arrange on the plate and spoon sauce over.

Beautiful! Beautiful and delicious. Duck breasts are a wonderful choice for entertaining. Now you might scoff at the idea of a medium rare to rare piece of "bird" meat, since we would never eat chicken or turkey this way. Duck is a whole different kind of meat. It more closely resembles beef that any poultry and has the best flavor and texture when treated like beef. Roast duck, however, is still roasted like chicken or turkey except you MUST prick the skin all over to release the fat as it roasts. It's all about the preparation. If you are not comfortable eating medium rare duck, stick with roasting. Duck is a rich meat with a lot of flavor, and makes all kinds of dishes interesting and delicious- duck tacos is a favorite of mine. Ducks harvested from the wild do have a slightly different taste and texture than commercially farmed ducks but both are very delicious and highly recommended.

Foodie Field Trip- Small Town Iowa and the Kitchen Outlet Store

Springtime is springing all around Iowa so Katie, who I would describe as my little sister, suggested we go on a Saturday road trip to somewhere fun. Nothing we have to pack for, or overnight, just a short drive, some interesting sights to see, lunch in a new spot, and maybe a little shopping if we find anything cool. Our original plan called for a very early, up-with-the-chickens day, on the road by 6:30 and headed to Owatonna, Minnesota for some shopping at Cabela's, the outlet mall in Faribault, lunch at Nick's Pizza and then a leisurely drive home. Mother Nature did not agree and her plans for the day included severe thunderstorm watches and warnings, and not wanting to be hundreds of miles from home driving in tornado strength wind, we opted for something a little closer. 

We made our plans Friday night. We'll sleep in a little later and drive about 30 miles away to Ames and then Boone. Lots of things for both of us to discover in Ames, and Boone is home to a very well known bakery. Surely we would find antique shops and cute gift type stores and things like that along the way. We are both chefs' wives so we wanted to track down something good to eat for lunch along the way. Both Ames and Boone have lots of great foodie spots, like The Cafe and Hickory Park.

Our trip started out with a quick stop at a toy store so Katie could pick up her little boy's Easter gift. It just so happens that the toy store was pretty close to a new coffee and bagel shop we've both been wanting to try, 5 Borough Bagels, was right up the street. Every day we have seen them advertising very tempting coffee flavors and since we're both coffeeholics, that had to be the kickoff for our day. Katie got the Birthday Cake latte and I got the Scotcheroo. They were......ok. The coffee flavor was good, but the Birthday Cake latte was awfully sweet even though it's flavor did remind me of birthday cake.The Scotcheroo latte didn't really have that peanut butter/butterscotch flavor at all. It just tasted like a regular latte. Not overly sweet it was good, but not great, and came with a big pile of whipped cream on top, which is something I would rather leave off. Another drawback- the coffee only comes in a 16 oz size. No small, medium, large. No tall, grande or venti. Just one size. It was worth trying but since it's out of the way for most of my running around town, I don't know if I'll go back or not.

We hit the highway after the toy store and while chatting decided to it up and head east instead of north and check out the outlet mall in Williamsburg. Talk about happy happy happy- they have a kitchen outlet!! Foodie heaven! It's a good hour drive and by the time we got there we figured it would be best to feed our young traveling companion before hitting the shops so we headed into the town of Williamsburg, just south of Interstate 80. It's a cute little Iowa town, postcard perfect with a coffee and antique shop in an old Victorian house. Businesses such as banks, shops and restaurants circle to town square which is a grassy park. I'm so glad we visited when we did. The recent spring rains have changed the grass into a lush green carpet and spring flowers are blooming everywhere.

Just off the square is the Sundown Bar and Grill. After googling options in the area we decided to check out the place. Now, I have been to many many mom and pop small town eateries over the years and some are barely mediocre with a menu packed full of deep fried everything but that was not the case here. There were a number of fried things, like onions rings, breaded mushrooms and cheesesticks and fried pickles, but they also offered a nice selection of hand pattied burgers, breaded or grilled pork tenderloins, steaks, broasted chicken and even a wood fired pizza menu. Since we were there at lunch they had not yet fired up the wood oven, so Katie chose a generously sized and juicy cheeseburger with fried mushrooms and I went with the Iowa classic- the tenderloin. The tenderloin was fantastic- one of the best I have ever had and it came with crinkle fries- the absolute BEST crinkle fries I have had in forever. If our simple sandwiches were any indication of the care and quality of the rest of the food, this town has a goldmine right on the main street. 

After lunch we headed up to the outlet mall. Kitchen Collection was our destination and I wasn't five feet in the door before I found something I have been wanting- a mandolin. A few feet later was a wall of cast iron. Knives, utensils, linens, gadgets, seasonings, small appliances, cookware, dishware, coffeemakers and tea pots- everything a foodie could possibly want and at incredible prices. A few items mysteriously fell into my cart of course.  After the kitchen store we hit a couple clothing stores, jewelry, chocolate and sporting goods shops, and an Amana store where you can get Amana products like pickles, jams cheeses and so on. 

The sky was darkening and storm clouds threatened so we headed back towards the city, thankfully missing the crummy weather. We didn't make it to the winery because we had Pupcake with us so we made plans to head that way again soon, and you know we'll tell you all about it.

So what did I buy at the kitchen outlet? Just a couple things. A handy small blender for making smoothies and shakes- so I probably will share some recipes and suggestions with that in the future and I also purchased a mandolin. Now, just to get you up to speed about ten years ago I bought a mandolin. LOVED that thing, I was so excited to use it and its many exchangeable blades for different types of cutting. The very first time I used it, I was slicing onions and cucumbers for salad. Silly me, holding that onion, I didn't think I needed that safety guard- I'm a seasoned pro, right? WRONG! I ended up cutting my thumb in a very horrible way which ruined the salad and absolutely ruined my day, and many to follow as the pain was one step away from unbearable. I threw the mandolin away swearing them off for life. Seeing chefs on cooking shows using them with their unprotected hand gave me the creeps- seriously, like it made me queasy. They always WHIZ through slicing things and I fear for every finger on their hands.

Fast forward ten years and here I am again. Wiser. Much wiser, and also very willing to accept the fact that the safety guard is provided for a reason, and I will be using it. I have a couple veggies to play with so let's play with the new mandolin. Since I am such a sucker for a good potato, that was my first vegetable to play with. I had a sweet potato and russets, so I went with the russets. I carefully unpacked the mandolin from its packaging, where it was all safe and snug in a relatively small box. I knew right away this was NOT going back in the same box- no way, no how. Anyway, the unit comes with the v-shaped cutting blade in place. There is a safety cover on and to be honest, I damn near cut mu hand off trying to get the safety cover off. Whoever designed this- let's just say I don't like you much. I did NOT touch the blade but eyeballed it from a safe distance. The attachments include a julienne slicing blade (I left that securely wrapped up) and two more slicing adjuster things- basically you swap them out on the unit for thick, normal and super thin slices. The unit is set up for super this straight out of the box. Those attachments are easy to remove, there is a push button and they pop right off. The base and "runway" are sturdy and don't slip around on the counter.

The food safety guide thing- I wouldn't even think of not sing it this time around. Following the instructions that came in the box I cut the potatoes in half first then stuck them on the pins in the food guide. There are a bunch of pins in there and they held the potatoes firmly in place. I gathered my guts and started slicing and guess what? I got potato slices with NO FINGER MEAT!! So excited! Since I had left the thinnest slice attachment in I had slices you could easily have made homemade potato chips with. Instead, since I don't like deep frying at home, I made a dish similar to Potatoes Anna but I call it Potatoes Erika because my mom always made this.

I used a medium skillet and added a good swirl or rosemary Sinful Food olive oil and heated until the oil was screeching hot and very fragrant, then I placed the slices in the pan overlapping and covering the bottom and built up until I had used all the potatoes and seasoned well with salt and pepper. I turned the heat down to mediumish and covered the pan to make sure the potatoes cooked through. I left them untouched for about 10 minutes and then checked them- the bottom was nicely browned and crisp. Grab a big spatula and flip them over (after drizzling a touch more oil over) and cook uncovered until the bottom is also browned and crisp. Slide out of the pan and slice into wedges to serve.

Get your Sinful Food oils by clicking HERE.

I ate the whole thing. Ha!! It was only two potatoes to begin with so it wasn't piles of food, and you know what? I wasn't that scared! I actually like how this mandolin performed and cleanup was super easy- I used running water and a brush on a LONG handle- piece of cake! As I predicted, it did not go back into the box so I'll have to figure out a good way to store this but I guarantee I'll use this again and again, in fact........ I have something in mind for a post in the very near future! Stay tuned!