2014 BFS Food Show Culinary Competition Recipe
Chef Mychael Harris ~ Olives at Atlantis
Pan Seared Maple Leaf® Duck Breast with Creamy Carrot Risotto and Fried Broccoli with a Roasted Shallot Port Wine Reduction
FIRST PLACE competition winner
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SERVES 4
Creamy Carrot Risotto
- 2 tablespoons Whole Harvest® vegetable oil, divided
- 45g Anchor® unsalted butter, divided
- 6 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- Badia® sea salt
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1.25 litres Major (Rest. Pride) chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 300g Roland® risotto rice (Arborio)
- 125ml dry white wine
- 60g Vermont Creamery® mascarpone cheese
- 250g freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, divided
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme, chopped
- white pepper
Method
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 15g butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrots and mix well with a wooden spoon, until the carrots are evenly coated with oil. Add 125ml water, a bit of salt and sugar, cover and cook for about 5 minutes until the carrots are tender.
- Uncover and continue cooking for a few minutes while stirring constantly until all the liquid has evaporated and the carrots just start to brown. Take out carrots, set half of them aside and puree the other half with 150ml hot water in the food processor. Leave pot as is.
- Pour chicken stock in a separate pot, cover and simmer over low heat.
- Add the remaining oil and remaining butter into the pot where the carrots were cooked and heat. Add onions and saute for 3 minutes until soft and translucent. Add rice and stir for 1 minute with a wooden spoon, so rice is well coated with oil. Add wine and cook while stirring constantly until all the wine has been absorbed.
- Stir in carrot puree and cook until it thickens and no longer looks like soup.
- Add 125ml chicken stock and stir until almost all liquid has been absorbed. Add the next 125ml chicken stock and stir. Continue until all most of the stock is used up and the rice is cooked al dente, about 20 minutes. You should have at least 250ml chicken stock left.
- Add the remaining carrots (keep a few for garnish). Then stir in mascarpone, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon parsley and thyme. Add the rest of the chicken stock (upto 250ml) in small amounts in order to make the risotto more liquidy. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Plate risotto and sprinkle with Parmesan, 1 tablespoon of parsley and carrot pieces. Serve immediately.
Crispy Duck Breast
Sautéeing a duck breast:
- Thaw duck breasts and remove from package. Pat duck breast dry with paper towels.
- Trim skin to the shape of the meat.
- Score skin into 1/4 inch intervals. (Do not cut into breast meat). Rotate breast and score again, making a criss-cross pattern. Season with salt/pepper or preferred seasoning/marinades.
- Preheat griddle to 325° F or nonstick pan to low-medium low.
- Place breast skin-side down for approximately 8-12 minutes or until fat is rendered and skin is crisp and brown. Low and slow is the way to go.
- Turn breast over and cook 1-2 minutes. (Duck breast can be refrigerated at this point, then finished at a later time.) Place duck breasts in 400° F oven for 3-4 minutes. Let product rest 2-3 minutes before slicing. Final internal temperature should be 165° F.
Roasted Shallot and Port Wine Reduction Sauce
- 15 peeled shallots, cut in half
- Basso® olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 3 cups port wine
Method
- Heat oven to 450° F. Toss the shallots with the olive oil and seasonings.
- Place shallots in a large saute pan and roast for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally and cook until the shallots get a nice brown colour.
- Cover the shallots with the port wine and reduce by half.
Fried Broccoli
- 3 heads fresh broccoli, cleaned
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon creole seasoning
- 3 -4 cups canola oil, enough to fill deep fryer (or vegetable, canola oil is best)
Method
- Heat oil in deep fryer or large pot on stove to 350° F. Mix seasonings together and set aside.
- Place each broccoli piece in hot oil and cook until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
- Sprinkle seasonings on hot broccoli and toss to distribute evenly.
- Best served hot out of the fryer, may also be tossed with grated Parmesan cheese.
