Home cooking

Air fryer duck breast

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

I recently replaced my toaster oven with an air fryer. I thought I’d try duck breast for my first meal in the appliance.

Recipe

Equipment

  • Air fryer
  • Microwave radiation oven

Ingredients

  • Duck breast
  • Salt – iodised cooking salt.
  • Pepper – freshly ground.
  • Garlic powder
  • French onion soup Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
  • Brown rice
  • Leftover pressure cooker cooked carrot

Instructions

Duck

  1. The day before cooking the duck, dry brine the duck.
  2. Season the breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
  3. Place the breast on some paper towel on a plate and then refrigerate it uncovered overnight.
  4. The next day before cooking, cut some hash marks in through the skin and fat to help the fat render more evenly when cooking.
  5. Take some of the French onion soup Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce out of the refrigerator and heat it using microwave radiation.
  6. Cook at 200 °C (400 °F) for 10 minutes in the air fryer and then remove the rack.
  7. Brush some sauce onto the skin and cook at 200 °C for 5 minutes.
  8. Remove the duck from the oven and allow the oven to cool down. Cleaning cool metal is safer.
  9. Slice the duck with a sharp knife.

Rice

  1. Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packaging. Yes, I use microwave radiation rice because I’m a lazy man.
  2. Fluff the cooked rice in a bowl to remove clumps.

Carrot

  1. Brush the carrot pieces with some of the sauce.
  2. Add the leftover carrot pieces to the rack with the duck when it returns for its final five minutes at 200 °C.

Plating up

  1. Place the rice on the dinner plate and place the duck breast on it.
  2. Add the carrot and then spoon over the warmed sauce.
  3. Give thanks to the Lord.
  4. Eat with a fork or chopsticks.

Thoughts on the meal

I typically cook duck breast in a heated water bath and then sear the skin. The air fryer is a quick and easy method. I’ll cook as I see fit. One of the advantages of sous vide is that I can cook meals well in advance to accommodate my work schedule. Pulling out a cooked bag of meat and enjoying it without too much fuss is easy.

For people who do not have a similar work schedule, I can see how the air fryer would be a great option.

Photographs

Dry brined duck breast
Dry brined duck breast
Dry brined duck breast
Air fryer duck breast
Air fryer duck breast
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce
Air fryer duck breast with brown rice and carrot drizzled with French onion soup and Buderim ginger marmalade reduction sauce

Lamb shank and potato mash

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader,

I hope you’ve had a good week.

Tonight’s meal isn’t anything special. Typically, I have some idea during the week what I’ll be cooking; however, this week, it wasn’t until I started grocery shopping that I decided to buy a pair of lamb shanks.

I reached a new minimum weight today, so I thought potato mash would be a nice treat.

Today's weight chart reveals a new minimum weight

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Microwave radiation oven

Ingredients

  • Lamb shanks – two “drumsticks.”
  • Ginger marmalade – one tablespoon
  • French onion soup mix – salt-reduced version
  • Birds Eye potato mash – one packet
  • Carrot – one carrot cut into chunks.
  • Celery – a couple of stalks
  • A brown onion ­– one roughly chopped.

Instructions

Lamb

  1. Put the celery, carrot, and onion in the pressure cooker.
  2. Empty the French onion soup packet mix into the pressure cooker.
  3. Add the marmalade.
  4. Pour in some boiling water.
  5. Add the lamb.
  6. Cook for one hour under pressure.
  7. Remove the lid.
  8. Remove the lamb, keep one warm, and refrigerate the other.
  9. Sieve the cooking liquor and simmer to reduce it to syrup.

Potato

  • Prepare the potato mash as per the instructions on the packaging.

Plating up

  1. Spread the potato mash on a dinner plate.
  2. Place a lamb shank on the mash.
  3. Spoon some of the syrup over the lamb.
  4. Give thanks to the Lord.
  5. Eat with a fork.

Photographs

Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce
Lamb shank with potato mash and carrot served with Buderim ginger marmalade sauce

Final thoughts

Have a good week. Catch you next Saturday.

Extras

I recently bought an air fryer so I will try duck breast in the air fryer tomorrow.

Dry brining duck breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder

I’ll cook this duck breast in a water bath sometime during the week. It’s currently in the freezer with some navel orange and golden syrup.

Duck breast with navel orange and golden syrup in a vacuum bag

Meaty legumes and pasta

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

Last week I shared a vegan legume soup. This week I’m adding meat and pasta. 

The meat will change its flavour profile, and rather than a soup; it will become a stew. 

I’m trying a low-carbohydrate and high-protein pasta to see what it tastes like. The CSIRO TWD lists San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta. 

Cans of Borlotti beans, lentils, and tomato

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Pressure cooker 
  • Stainless steel saucepan 

Ingredients 

  • 50 mL olive oil
  • Two stalks of celery 
  • One diced carrot 
  • One small onion, chopped 
  • Two cloves of garlic – chopped 
  • 240 g (drained) canned Borlotti beans 
  • 240 g (drained) canned lentils 
  • 750 mL vegetable stock 
  • 210 g crushed canned tomatoes 
  • Fresh rosemary, to taste 
  • 2–3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste 
  • Salt to taste 
  • Rolled boneless Australian lamb shoulder 
  • San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta 

Instructions 

  1. Add the oil into a high-sided saucepan, then add the chopped celery, carrot, onion and garlic clove.
  2. Sauté together over medium heat. Add the curry powder and rosemary leaves when the onion has become translucent.
  3. Pour a little stock to remove the fond from the saucepan and then decant to the pressure cooker.
  4. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, and vegetable stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  5. Place the lamb into the cooking vessel. 
  6. To add an extra kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid.
  7. Cook under pressure for about 60 minutes. 
  8. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally, and open the cover. 
  9. Take the meat out and break it up in a bowl. It should be tender enough to pull apart. 
  10. Transfer the remaining contents into a saucepan and bring to a simmer to reduce. 
  11. Add the meat and stir with a spoon when the soup becomes more like a stew. 
  12. Cook the pasta as per the instructions on the packaging. 
  13. Spoon the pasta into a bowl and add some meaty legume stew. 
  14. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  15. Eat with a spoon. 

Photographs 

Cans of borlotti beans, lentils, and tomato
Lamb shoulder rolled roast
San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta
Pulled lamb shoulder meat
San Remo Pasta Pro Multigrain Protein Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta
Pressure cooker lamb shoulder legume stew with San Remo Pro Pasta

Legume soup

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

It’s a cool, overcast Saturday during Easter. Good Friday was spectacular. I attended a most moving church service in the morning. In the evening, I enjoyed a piece of ribeye steak. 

Today, I’m grateful to Lorraine from Not Quite Nigella for this recipe. I’ve modified it by using a pressure cooker, because unlike Lorraine, my cooking is more about “speed and power”.

Legume soup

Recipe

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker
  • Saucepan

Ingredients

  • 50 mL olive oil
  • One stalk celery 
  • A diced carrot 
  • One small onion, chopped 
  • One clove of garlic, chopped 
  • 200 g canned Borlotti beans 
  • 200 g canned lentils 
  • 750 mL vegetable stock 
  • 100 g crushed canned tomatoes 
  • Fresh rosemary, to taste 
  • 2–3 teaspoons curry powder, to taste 
  • Salt to taste 

Instructions 

  1. Add the oil into a high-sided saucepan, then add the chopped celery, carrot, onion and garlic clove.
  2. Sauté together over medium heat. When the onion has become translucent, add in the curry powder and rosemary leaves.
  3. Pour in a little stock to remove the fond from the saucepan and then decant to the pressure cooker.
  4. Add all the legumes, tomatoes, stock, and mix with a wooden spoon. 
  5. To add some extra kick, grind some rock salt and whole peppercorns with a pestle in a mortar, and add to the pressure cooker before sealing the lid.
  6. Cook under pressure for about 30 minutes. 
  7. Allow the pressure to equalise naturally and open the lid.
  8. Spoon into a bowl. 
  9. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  10. Eat with a spoon and some buttered bread. I use Bürgen 85% lower carbohydrate, high protein, whole grain and whole seed bread spread with Flora ProActiv® spread.  

Thoughts on the meal

I anticipate this will become a favourite soup. It’s delicious and easy to make. I also expect my bowel microbiota will benefit too, especially those bacteria which produce gas from glucose and the lactose fermenters. Lactose fermentation isn’t so much about milk and dairy products, but lactose is a common energy source in agar plates used diagnostic bacteriology. The end result is carbon dioxide and methane and other gases.

What I’ve been reading and listening to lately

I mentioned a few weeks ago that I’d started listening to a new book series, viz., Monroe Doctrine. I’m currently in volume VI and World War III is in its advanced stages with the final push to defeat the People’s Republic of China and liberate the Republic of China. The amount of technical detail in this book series is tremendous, especially the descriptions of how artificial intelligence is being exploited to overcome obstacles and supercede the limitations of human capabilities. In volume VI, there is a strong Australian component as part of a NATO force used to assist the US Marine Expeditionary Force in its mission to liberate ROC from PRC.

In terms of podcasts I’m in a rich seam of listening to two well regarded evangelical pastors who are both well known for their teaching and preaching. I’m currently listening to Dr David Martyn Lloyd-Jones preach through Ephesians 6:10–14, and Dr Tim Keller getting through a series rooted in the period of lent.

What else have I been doing?

I’ve been thinking about replacing my non-stick cookware with alternatives. I have a couple of stainless steel frying pans and saucepans, but my daily frying pan is a nonstick Pyrolux fry pan. I’ve also got one cast iron fry pan which is useful for searing steak. While the cast iron pan is nicely seasoned, it’s a bit small in diameter for my daily requirements. While the Pyrolux fry pan has been good and relatively long lasting, I know it will not keep a nonstick surface forever. The beauty of a carbon steel pan is the development of a polymerised oil layer which provides a “natural” nonstick surface. A good quality carbon steel pan will outlive me.

I was watching an American Test Kitchen video on YouTube and took note of a review they did on carbon steel cookware. I decided to buy a Matfer sheet pan. It was pretty easy to initially season with potato peels, salt, and oil. I’ll use this pan every morning for my egg and spinach breakfast.

Carbon steel seasoning with potato peels, salt, and oil
Matfer pan
Instructions for seasoning Matfer pan
Carbon Steel Seasoned

Photographs

Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup
Legume soup

My first time with a whole duck

Posted by Gary

Dear Reader, 

I find myself in Brisbane for personal business. I cooked a whole duck while here. I’ve never done a whole duck before—bits of a duck, yes; a whole one, no. 

The duck had sat in a freezer for months. A home freezer means some temperature fluctuations, and being poultry, I’m thinking salmonellosis and campylobacteriosis. 

To overcome this concern, I’m using a meat thermometer to ensure I reach an internal temperature of 76 °C in the thigh. 

The duck took two days to defrost. After defrosting, I dried the skin with a paper towel. I then hung it by its neck over the kitchen sink for a while to get as much blood out as possible. Unfortunately, a new white shirt is now a wearing-at-home shirt. 

Recipe 

Equipment 

  • Meat thermometer 

Ingredients 

  • Duck 
  • Salt 
  • Ginger marmalade 
  • French onion soup mix (low sodium) 
  • Cabbage 
  • Broccoli 

Instructions 

  1. Defrost the duck and make sure it’s properly defrosted. Cooking partly frozen poultry is a point of failure regarding the risk of food-borne infection. 
  2. Dry the skin and hang it to let the blood and juices drain away. 
  3. Salt the skin so you are dry brining the duck. Do this the night before you plan to cook it. 
  4. Refrigerate the uncovered duck. 
  5. Turn the oven on and set it to 190 °C (fan-forced). 
  6. Place the meat thermometer into the thigh and put the duck on the middle rack. 
  7. Cook the bird until the internal temperature has reached 76 °C. 
  8. Rest the bird for at least 20 minutes before carving it. 
  9. While the duck was in the oven, make the marmalade and French onion soup sauce. 
  10. Boil a litre of water in a saucepan and add the soup mix. 
  11. Add a couple of tablespoons of ginger marmalade to the soup and gently boil until it reduces and thickens to a loose syrup. 
  12. Cut the cabbage and broccoli into small pieces and parboil for a few minutes. 
  13. Sauté the cabbage and broccoli in a frying pan. Help the process with some wine and maybe a teaspoon of marmalade. Cook these vegetables to the desired firmness or tenderness. I like my cabbage and broccoli firm in my mouth, but others like them mushy. I was cooking for some people with poor dentition, so we went with a softer version. 
  14. Carve the duck with a sharp knife and plate up. Drizzle some of the sauce over the duck and the cabbage. 
  15. Give thanks to the Lord. 
  16. Eat with a knife and fork. 

Thoughts on the meal 

I like eating duck. I like the fatty, oily, and gamey tastes and feel in my mouth. I also like eating the odd bits. I enjoy the uropygium and pygostyle of poultry. The uropygium is the fleshy protuberance, visible at the posterior end. It looks swollen because it contains the uropygial gland that produces preen oil. I also like eating the neck and dissecting out the œsophagus and trachea. Because of the limitations of available tools and photographic equipment, I couldn’t undertake the dissection on my plate like I have done previously.

The skin was crisp, and the meat was succulent. The marmalade and French onion soup reduction sauce accompanied the duck well. My dinner compatriots were pleased and I received 👍👍

Photographs

Whole duck. half price
Whole duck. half price
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Whole duck dry brining
Raw duck after dry brining overnight
Raw duck
Raw duck waiting to enter the oven
Roast duck
Roast duck
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. My plate with uropygium prominently on display and the severed neck.
Roast duck with cabbage and broccoli. Drumstick and thigh along with some air fried potatoes.