Sundays with Chef Peter….
Todays Special
Good Morning Daahlings!
I got up this morning and thought what happened in the world of significance this week to mention here and just couldn’t think of anything, guess I have been too wrapped up in Peters World, hope you’ve had a similar week completely ignorant of all goings on in this busy world we live in today!
I do know though through my little friend Olie that School is out for summer, do you remember your school summer holidays sweeties, hot, long and fun, they seemed to go on forever, not knowing that we would be denied this pleasure in adult life, truly unfair daahlings!
Anyway there seems to be a mass exodus of expats from Phuket, all off to the homelands to see families and friends or off to exotic locations for rest or adventure. If you are one of those lucky people….ENJOY, wish I were there and do tell me of anything you discovered AMAZING!
If you are however stuck at home with the kids and the weather is, as usual crap and you just can’t wait till the first day of next term here is a dish that you can serve up for supper which will shut them up with pure content for at least 10 minutes!
Duck Cottage Pie, one of the dishes I served up last week for my menu tasting and by far the most popular also very simple to make. You can even get the kids involved and have them mash the potatoes and grate the cheese which should get rid of a bit of that pent up energy!
I am using duck for something different but you can use really any minced meat you fancy, beef and pork or chicken, all make great results, just a slight difference in the cooking times will be needed (of course depending on the quality of the mince your using also)!
I don’t really use a recipe as such but for 4 servings of this delicious dish, I suggest the following:
2 Tablespoons cooking oil (maybe a little more if using chicken)
1 Onion Chopped
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
450 grams Minced Duck Meat
3 large Carrots diced
1 good tablespoon Tomato puree
1 Tablespoon Flour (optional but I like it as it helps bind everything together, must be the pastry chef in me!)
Chopped Fresh Basil or Tarragon
1 good splash of Worcestershire Sauce
600 ml Duck Stock
500 grams Potatoes
50 grams Butter
50 ml Cream
Grated Cheddar and Parmesan to your liking
To prepare:
1) Give the potatoes a scrub and put on to boil till soft and cooked. They will be ready about when you’ve put the duck on to simmer.
2) Heat the oil in a large pan and add the chopped onion and garlic and sweat them (cook with no colour) for 5 minutes.
3) Add the minced duck and cook out for 5 minutes till starting to colour.
4) Add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes
5) Add the tomato paste, and flour and cook out stirring for a couple of minutes (should be looking good and smelling delicious by now darlings)
6) Add the herbs, stock and Worcestershire sauce bring to the boil then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 30-40 minutes (keeping an eye and giving it a stir every so often) till the duck is nice and tender and you have a lovely rich mixture.
7) While this is cooking out your potatoes should be ready and cooked (check with a knife that should slide in easily to the potatoes). Drain off the water and run under cold water for a couple of minutes till cool enough so they can be peeled.
8) Peel and mash the potatoes (I pass mine through a medium sieve as I don’t like lumpy mash)
9) Now if you have a kitchen aid or food processor put the potatoes in, add the butter and cream with salt and pepper and give it a good mix till the potato is light and fluffy. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning. This is also great for mash to serve with any main!
10) Take your lovely duck mix off the heat and give it a final seasoning with salt and pepper to taste and divide it up into 4 serving dishes. (you’ll have to excuse my foil containers in the picture but I was making for take away which is also a great idea for this dish)
11) Top with the mash and sprinkle with the cheeses.
12) This a great point to keep them in the fridge for later or freeze which they do very well.
13) When ready eat cook them in a hot oven (180̊ c) for 20-30 minutes till golden brown.
14) Decorate with a sprig of parsley and serve…..
15) Sit back and watch your satisfied loved ones stuff their darling little faces!
Hope you enjoy!
Happy cooking!
And Thanks to image Source Page: http://funny-comedy-pic.blogspot.com/2009/11/funny-duck-picture-4.html and Bib for the pictures!
Chef Peter