Gastrique Recipe 385

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally as the mixture heats. Let the mixture boil for 10-12 minutes or until reduced by half.
• Reduce the heat to low so the vinegar simmers. Stir in the thyme, sage, bay leaf, rosemary, and peppercorns and let the gastrique simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
• Strain the gastrique into a glass bowl and let it cool to room temperature. At this point, the gastrique should be the consistency of light syrup, and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon . Use right away or cover and store at room temperature for up to 10 days. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Dissolve sugar in 1 tablespoon water in small saucepan over medium heat. Increase heat; boil without stirring until amber, brushing pan sides with wet pastry brush, about 5 minutes. Add vinegar and crushed pepper (mixture will bubble vigorously). Stir until caramel bits dissolve. Cool.
• Pour 2 cups oil into heavy medium saucepan. Attach deep-fry thermometer to side of pan and heat oil to 350°F. Working in batches, fry shallots until golden brown, stirring occasionally, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towels. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
• Heat drippings with 1 tablespoon peanut oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of greens and sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper; toss until wilted. Add remaining greens; toss to wilt, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until greens are tender, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 45 minutes. Season with coarse salt and pepper.
• Rewarm gastrique. Transfer greens to large shallow bowl. Drizzle some gastrique over and sprinkle shallots over. Serve, passing remaining gastrique.

Steps:

• Render fat Using a sharp knife, trim away excess skin from the duck (leaving enough to amply cover the breast) and score the skin, first cutting diagonally in one direction and then the other in a crosshatch manner. Cut all the way through the skin and most of the fat but avoid the flesh. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place in an unheated 10-inch skillet with the skin side down. Cook over medium-low heat until a small pool of fat forms in the pan. Use tongs to turn breast over and then cook the other side 1 minute. Turn breast over again (skin side down) and pour out fat into a heatproof bowl. (Reserve fat for another use; allow it to cool before storing in an airtight container at room temperature.) Continue cooking duck until the skin is nicely browned and crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, spooning off and reserving excess fat as necesary.
• Sauté Turn duck once more, skin side up and cook until duck is medium rare, 8 to 12 minutes. It should register 125°F on an instant-read thermometer (insert into thickest part). Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to rest for 5 to 8 minutes. The duck will continue to cook slightly during this time.
• Make gastrique Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add orange zest and simmer for 2 minutes, then drain. (This will remove some of the bitterness and also help soften the the zest.) Heat sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat without stirring. Once the sugar has started to melt, swirl the pan (to redistribute the melted sugar so it caramelizes more evenly) and continue cooking until it is uniformly amber, about 5 minutes more. Pour in vinegar and stir with a wooden spoon to combine, then continue simmering (and stirring every so often) until slightly reduced and syrupy, about 5 minutes. Pour in orange juice and add zest; simmer until reduced to a thick syrup and a foam forms on top, about 5 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.
• Serve Slice duck crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, fan out on serving plates, and drizzle with sauce before serving.

Steps:

• For blood orange gastrique:
• Place sugar in heavy medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until sugar begins to melt. Stir until sugar dissolves, then cook without stirring until deep golden, about 5 minutes. Gradually add vinegar (mixture will harden). Stir until caramel melts, about 1 minute. Add orange juice; boil until mixture begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Add broth; boil until gastrique coats spoon and is reduced to generous 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm over medium heat.
• For scallops and brussels sprouts:
• Mix orange segments, parsley, mint, and tarragon in medium bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil; toss to coat. Season salad with coarse salt and pepper.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add brussels sprouts and toss until just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer brussels sprouts to bowl. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to same skillet. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and cook until browned and just opaque in center, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Arrange scallops and brussels sprouts on plates. Drizzle gastrique over scallops. Garnish with salad.

Steps:

• Heat sugar and water mixture over medium high heat until sugar is dissolved and bubbly. Swirl gently as it begins to caramelize (lighter color lighter in flavor darker color deeper in flavor). Add in vinegar quickly and all at once. Continue to cook until sugar re-dissolves, and is a liquid state. Add flavoring; if adding a liquid reduce further.