Duck Confit

Duck Legs

4 Cloves Garlic

3 Shallots

6 Sprigs Thyme

Salt

Two Cups Duck Fat (!)

Ingredients per two legs

Welcome back to the world of dishes that take a lot of patience,

 but very little effort.  So, this might seem like it's a chore.  The reality is, this is amazingly easy to make.  Added bonus, your kitchen will smell more amazing than it ever has.

Here's the most challenging part of the dish- finding duck legs!  You'll be able to get them fresh at upscale markets like Whole Foods.  Ask the butcher if you don't see any out there.  You'll also be able to find them frozen at most decent grocery stores.

Once you've acquired the legs, it's time to cure.  Give them a decent coating of salt, rub it all over.  Crush garlic and shallots, stuff some under skin with half the thyme.  Place the remainder on the flesh side.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 48 hours.  Yup, patience.  After 48 hours, rinse the duck.

Now for something you've never done before...cooking in duck fat!  Where you find the duck, you'll find the fat.  Melt the fat over low heat, add the duck, and place in a 225F oven.  Let the duck cook slowly for about 3 hours.  Trust me, you're going to be a happy camper.  My whole apartment smelled like heaven.

Remove the duck from the oven, remove from fat, pat dry.  Happiness.

If you're totally against cooking in duck fat, you can use olive oil.  Fear not, the duck will still taste great.  Perhaps not as great, but pretty great nonetheless.  If you do (and you should!) go for the fat, you can strain it and refrigerate.  A little duck fat when cooking will make everything taste better.  My chef friends agree!

Pot Roast

4lb Top Round Roast

5 Carrots, quartered

5 Stalks Celery, quartered

1 Large Onion, quartered

2 Parsnips, quartered

1 Turnip, quartered

5 Cloves Garlic, smashed

2 Cups Red Wine

2 Cups Beef Broth

1 Cup Pureed Tomatoes

4 Carrots, quartered

1 lb. Boiling Potatoes, Yukon Gold if Possible

Begin by rinsing beef, and salting genrously. In a deep pan or dutch oven, brown all sides until deep color is achieved. This is important in both forming the braising liquid, and developing the flavor of the meat. There's not too much work for you to do after this, so take your time.

While the beef is browning, transfer the vegetables to a roasting pan. Toss with a little vegetable oil and salt, and roast in a 400F oven for 20 minutes, until veggies just begin to show color.

When beef is browned, deglaze pan with red wine, making sure to scrape brown bits off sides and bottom of pan. Add broth, tomatoes, roasted veggies (with pan juices), and beef. Cover, and simmer for 2.5 hours.

At this point you have two options. You can allow to cool, then refrigerate overnight. This will result in a deeper flavored sauce. Or, you can continue to the next step straightaway.

Remove beef from pan, and transfer to a cutting board. Strain braising liquids through a sieve, then return strained liquid to pan. Remove onions, puree spent veggies, mix with some of the beef, and serve to your dog. She will be happy.

Slice the beef, against the grain, into medium thick slices. Return to pan, along with 2nd batch of carrots. Simmer, and after an hour, add potatoes. Total second cook should be 2-3 hours, depending on your patience. Make sure potatoes are cooked through.

Smoked Maple Rosemary Pork Loin

Pork Tenderloin

For Brine:

4 Cups Warm Water

1 Cup Ice

1/4 Cup Kosher Salt

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

4 Sprigs Rosemary, Bruised with Back of Knife

1/8 Cup Garlic Powder

1/8 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Wood Chips for Smoking

4 Sprigs Rosemary

3 Shallots, Chopped

1/4 Cup Pure Maple Syrup

1/8 Cup Grapeseed or Other Neutral Oil

Alright, back to form, this is a LONG cooking dish. Three days, if done right! Fear not, friends.  Most of the work is done by Father Time.  You get to sit back, and, if you have the patience, eat something that will blow you away.

Start by combining all brine ingredients, except ice. Mix to incorporate salt and sugar, then add ice to cool. Add tenderloin, and allow to brine at least 8 hours, better if longer, up to 24 hours.

Remove pork from brine, rinse, and pat dry. Smoke at 250F for 1.5 hours. I used a combination of hickory and cherry woods.

Place smoked pork, shallots, rosemary, maple syrup, and oil in aluminum foil, wrap, and cook for 1 hour in a 350F oven. At this point, you can allow it to cool and place overnight in refrigerator. This will allow smoke and maple/rosemary flavors to penetrate into the loin. It's an optional step, but it's worth it! (Proceed straight to glaze if step skipped)

Return wrapped pork to 350F oven and heat for 30 minutes. Then, open foil, glaze the top of the pork with juices, and allow to cook for about another 15 minutes, until a rich, deep glaze develops. Slice at a 45 degree angle, spoon over a little of the leftover juices, and serve.

I realize this takes a lot of time. It doesn't take too much work, though, and, to be frank, it's one of the tastiest things I've ever cooked.