Confit Of Duck And Sun Dried Tomato Over Pasta Recipes

FUN IN THE SUN-DRIED TOMATO ALFREDO OVER PENNE WITH CAJUN STEAK

Steps:

• Rub Cajun spice into the surface of the meat. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit while you prepare the sauce and pasta. (The rub will actually begin to "cure" the meat.)
• For the sauce, melt butter in a large saucepan which will be large enough to accommodate the pound of cooked pasta, and saute onion until it becomes translucent. Mix in the flour to make a roux. Gradually add chicken broth and allow thickening. Remove from heat and whisk in Parmesan. Immediately cover surface of sauce with a sheet of plastic wrap and set aside briefly.
• Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta.
• Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Cook the sun-dried tomatoes for a few minutes, then with a slotted spoon transfer them to the cheese sauce and whisk in. Cover the pot of sauce and set aside. Reserve the skillet and all the bits in it for the meat.
• Boil the pasta until al dente and drain. Add the cooked pasta to the saute pan containing the sauce and fold to coat pasta. Season with salt and pepper, as needed. Keep covered in a warm place while you cook the steaks.
• Over medium high heat, sear the steaks, about 3 minutes per side and cook to your liking. Slice steaks into bite sized pieces and serve over pasta.

PASTA WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

Steps:

• Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water with a splash of oil to keep it from sticking together. Boil for 12 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Drain well and allow to cool. Place the pasta in a bowl and add the tomatoes, olives, mozzarella, and chopped sun-dried tomatoes.
• For the dressing, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, olive oil, garlic, capers, salt, and pepper in a food processor until almost smooth.
• Pour the dressing over the pasta, sprinkle with the Parmesan and basil, and toss well.

ASPARAGUS WITH SUN-DRIED TOMATOES OVER PASTA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a saucepan and saute the asparagus for about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper. Saute an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Pour the vegetables over the cooked pasta and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top.

PASTA WITH TUSCAN DUCK SAUCE

Steps:

• Trim visible fat from duck legs, then lay them, skin side down, in a 10-inch skillet. Turn heat to medium; when duck begins to sizzle, turn heat to low and cover. Cook undisturbed about an hour (check once to be sure legs aren't burning); the skin should be golden brown. Turn and cook until duck is very tender, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove duck and set aside. Add onion to skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Set a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta.
• Add wine to skillet and raise heat to high; cook until liquid is reduced by about half. Add tomatoes and some salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is saucy, about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• Meanwhile, shred duck from bone and add it to sauce as it cooks. A few minutes after adding tomatoes, cook pasta. When it is tender but not mushy, drain it and serve it with sauce, along with cheese.

CONFIT OF DUCK

Steps:

• The day before you want to make the dish, scatter half the salt, half the garlic and half of the herbs over the base of a small shallow dish. Lay the duck legs, skin-side up, on top, then scatter over the remaining salt, garlic and herbs. Cover the duck and refrigerate overnight. This can be done up to 2 days ahead.
• Pour the wine into a saucepan that will snugly fit the duck legs in a single layer. Brush the salt off the duck legs and place them, skin-side down, in the wine. Cover the pan with a lid and place over a medium heat. As soon as the wine starts to bubble, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and cook for 2 hours, checking occasionally that the liquid is just barely simmering. (If you own a heat diffuser, it would be good to use it here.) After 2 hours, the duck legs should be submerged in their own fat and the meat should feel incredibly tender when prodded. Leave to cool.
• The duck legs are now cooked and can be eaten immediately - or you can follow the next step if you like them crisp. If you are preparing ahead, pack the duck legs tightly into a plastic container or jar and pour over the fat, but not the liquid at the bottom of the pan. Cover and leave in the fridge for up to a month, or freeze for up to 3 months. The liquid you are left with makes a tasty gravy, which can be chilled or frozen until needed.
• To reheat and crisp up the duck legs, heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Remove the legs from the fat and place them, skin-side down, in an ovenproof frying pan. Roast for 30-40 mins, turning halfway through, until brown and crisp. Serve with the reheated gravy, a crisp salad and some crisp golden ptoatoes.

CONFIT DUCK

Steps:

• The day before cooking, put the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan and toast until they are slightly coloured and aromatic. Remove to a board and crush them with the blade of a knife. Crush the juniper berries and mix with the spices and the salt. Rub the mixture over the duck, scatter with thyme, rosemary and sliced garlic and chill for 24 hrs, turning two or three times as they marinate.
• Next day, heat oven to 150C/130C fan/ gas 2. Wipe the duck with kitchen paper and pat dry, but don't wash off the marinade. (The salt extracts the water from the meat cells, which will be reinflated with fat as the duck cooks gently. If you wash it, you will simply reinflate the cells with water.)
• Put the duck in a cast-iron casserole and cover with the goose fat or duck fat. Add the bay leaves and peppercorns and cook for about 2½ hrs, or until the meat is almost falling away from the bone. You can store the duck very simply by placing it in a pudding bowl, covering it with the fat and keeping it in the fridge: as long as it stays covered with fat it will last for weeks.
• To cook, remove the confit duck legs from their fat. Put an ovenproof frying pan on the stove until it is hot. Add the duck legs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 mins. Turn the legs and transfer the pan to the oven for 30 mins, until crisp.