Tea smoked duck
Memo to files: two things went right in the kitchen last night.
- I tried the fennel broth again, using half a sweet onion, a small fennel bulb that was past its prime, 4C water, some fennel seeds, an allspice berry, 4 cloves of garlic, and 3/4t each sugar and salt. This time, I served it plain, in small servings, maybe 6oz a person. It looked nice in the bowl, and it was pleasant to eat.
- I rubbed some duck breasts with sugar and salt and a little coriander and juniper, and left them in the refrigerator for a few hours. Then, I put them in the smoker over a little bit of hickory and a the contents of an teabag, and smoked them for 15 minutes before finishing them on the grill. The smoking step added a lot of taste, and it was much easier than usual to get them cooked through without completely charring the edges.
We also had some cute baby brussels sprouts, seared in a the fat from a strip or two of bacon, braised in balsamic vinegar and veal stock, and sprinkled with the bacon, and a few grapes roasted with olive oil and salt. The brussels sprouts worked nicely, the grapes need further study and, probably, a hotter oven.