In visiting with Scott Romano, executive chef at Charlie Palmer at the Joule, we found out he enjoys his pigs. When visiting the restaurant you should consider the vast array of charcuterie offered by the downtown restaurant, but as today's recipe indicates, Romano's expertise is not just whole hog.
The following recipe is one of the more complex offering's from a chef in our series, but the heavily detailed recipe is not quite as complicated as it seems. We think.
Crisp Duck Breast
Assembling the Plate
Step One: Prepare the beluga lentils using the recipe below.
Step Two: Prepare the blackberry port puree per recipe below.
Step Three: Prepare duck. Recipe also below.
Step Four: Plate finished dish adding a good demi glace (available at Central Market or other fine food outlets).
Charlie Palmer Beluga Lentils
Ingredients: 1 ½ C beluga lentils 4 garlic cloves, minced 1 carrot, very small dice 2 celery stalks, very small dice ½ C white onion, minced 4 C pork stock ¼ C pancetta, small diced 2 tbsp thyme, fresh picked free of stems Olive oil as needed Salt and pepper as needed
Method: In a small sauce pot heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add pancetta, render well. Add carrots, onion, celery and garlic. Sweat until translucent. Add lentils and pork stock. Bring stock to a boil. Simmer about 30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Finish lentils with a drizzle of olive oil.
Blackberry Port Puree
Ingredients: 1 qt black berries ½ C port wine ½ C red wine ¼ C shallots, minced 2 garlic cloves, roasted 2 tbsp butter Salt and pepper to taste
Method: In a small sauce pot lightly brown butter. Add shallots and roasted garlic, sweat for one minute. Add black berries, port wine and red wine. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce to glaze consistency.
Caramelized Duck Breast
Ingredients 4 duck breasts 2 tbsp olive oil Salt and fresh black pepper
Method In a medium sauté pan add olive oil. Bring the oil to medium heat. Add the duck breast skin side down. Render the duck breast until the skin is golden brown. Remove the duck breast from the pan and place on to a sheet pan, skin side up. Roast the breast in a 325-degree oven until medium rare.
