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I’ve been interrupted by being in the hospital again.  Sent last Thursday to get a transfusion and they kept me until late yesterday.  I am told today is Thursday 1-11.  We are going to return to a couple days after Christmas.  Jim was finishing up Oyster stew and I have to admit to not feeling well and not eating.  But after he finished the soup, I made the rest of Christmas dinner.

Roast Duck Breast with Dried Cherries and Port

Orzo with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

Brussels sprouts

Our friend Al goes duck hunting every year.  I don’t know what happens to the rest of the duck, but he brings me the breasts with no fat.  Almost every recipe starts with scoring the fat and browning on that side, reducing the liquid fat as needed.  Also if you want to make Duck Confit, you need a whole duck.  Think I will need to buy a domestic duck for that.  Anyway I finally read that if you don’t have the fat of the duck to use a mild EVOO.  I cut this recipe in half as I only had 1# of duck even through I had 4 breasts.

Ingredients:

2(1#) or 4 (8 oz.) duck breasts

Kosher slat and black pepper

1 T canola oil

2 T unsalted butter

1/2 T good sherry wine vinegar

3/4 C ruby Port wine

1/2 C good chicken stock, preferably homemade

1/2 C dried cherries

1/4 C creme fraiche

1 t grated orange zest

1/4 C freshly squeezed orange juice

Directions:

1. Wrap each duck breast in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until each breast is about 1” thick.  Place the duck on a plate, sprinkle both sides with a total of 4 t salt, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or over night.  (Skipped this, my breasts were already thinner than 1” and i don’t feel the need for extra salt.)
2. When read to cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. 
3. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, making a crosshatch pattern but no cutting down to the meat.  (No fat on my breasts.)
4. In a large heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Place the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down.  Cook uncovered over medium het for 12-15 minutes, discarding the fat from the pan occasionally, until the skin is very browned.  Turn the duck with tongs, place the skillet in the oven, nd roast for 12-18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the duck is 120 degrees F for rare.  (Mine did not need the oven to reach 120 degrees.  Also I cooked in a light EVOO, read that somewhere.)
5. Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan.  Add the shallots and sauté for 2 minutes, until tender.  Add the vinegar and cook for one minute.  Add the Pro, chicken stock, cherries, 1 t salt, and 1/2 t pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.  
6. Stir in the creme fraiche, orange zest, and orange juice and keep warm over low heat.  
7. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice diagonally, fanning the slices out on 4 dinner plates.  Spoon the sauce generously on top, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.  

This was delicious and from Cook Like a Pro: A Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.  

While watching Stanley Tucci’s show on Venice, I learned that the Venetians eat a lot of duck with pasta.  So the choice of Orzo with Blue Cheese and Walnuts was perfect.  The recipe for this dish can be found under NYE Celebration 1-2-2012.  I would add a little more blue cheese.  

Don’t overcook your Brussels sprouts, 6 minutes tops.  

Christmas Eve I prepared this breakfast.  I have made in the past overnight French toast but never with Eggnog.  This was extremely filling.  Don’t know how Jim ate 2 large helpings.  I was so full, we only made the soup for dinner and not the main course.  It looked beautiful coming out of the oven.  This photo is after we had cut into it.  Definitely a great brunch course.  this recipe is from Food Network Kitchen.  

Ingredients:

8 large eggs

2 C half-and-half

1 C eggnog

2 T granulated sugar

2 T packed light brown sugar

1 T pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 t freshly grated nutmeg (divided)

1/2 t ground cinnamon

1/4 t salt

1 loaf challah bread, sliced1/2” thick (I used Pantone bread)

3 T turbinado sugar

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl.  Whisk in the half-and-half, eggnog, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, 1 t nutmeg, cinnamon and salt.
2. Arrange the bread slices in 2 lengthwise rows in a 9 X 13 inch baking dish, shingling the slices.  
3. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and gently press down.  
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Combine the turbinado sugar and remaining 1/2 t nutmeg in a small bowl.  Uncover the bread and sprinkle with sugar mixture.
6. Bake until browned and puffed, 35-40 minutes.  Let sit 10 minutes.
7. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.
8. Serve with syrup.

Christmas dinner this year was only Oyster Stew.  It is Jim’s favorite so he did not mind eating bowl after bowl.  I have made the same recipe for years.  Jim’s grandmother used to just warm up cream and add oysters.  This is more involved, less fat, less cholesterol, and depends on special kitchen equipment.  

You can find the recipe by date, May 8, 2015, or by name, Celery, Leek and Oyster Bisque.  

I was going to follow this with a main course of duck and Brussels sprouts, but we decided to just stick to the soup.   

Christmas Eve we had Barbara and Joel over for Shrimp Pizza.  Have made this over and over so just look it up under that name.  

These were a definite improvement on pigs in a blanket.  Ina says she came up with this recipe during the pandemic.  I can’t remember the side dish as we are now approaching Christmas and so insanity sets in.  

Ingredients:

All-purpose flour

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator 

4 t Dijon mustard, divided

4 all-beef hot dogs

1 egg beaten with 1 T water for egg wash

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Dust cutting board lightly with flour and unfold one sheet of the pastry on the board.  Roll lightly with a floured rolling pin to smooth out the folds.
3. Cut 2 (5 1/2” X 4”) rectangles of pastry.  With the 5 1/2” side facing you, brush 1 t mustard across the lower half of each rectangle.   Place a hot dog on top of the mustard toward the lower edge and roll the pastry up and away from you over the hot dog.
4. The hot dog should be totally encased in pastry.  Brush the far inside edge with the egg wash to seal the pastry and place it on the prepared sheet pan, seam side down.  Repeat with the remaining puff pastry and hot dogs to make four rolls total.  
5. Brush the tops and sides of puff pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle generously with the sea salt and pepper.
6. Bake for 25 minutes to 35 minutes, until the pastry is browned and cooked through.  Serve hot with extra mustard on the side.