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Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

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This soup is my “to go to” soup when I have leftover duck or goose (yesterdays roast duck) . It is quick and easy and oh so delicious. The vegetables and noodles are interchangeable with any vegetables and pasta you might have at hand, such as cabbage, bok choy, shiitake or spinach, or egg noodles, rice noodles, mung bean noodles. Use whatever is at hand and tickles your fancy 🙂
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Chop up the carcasse and other leftover bones and bits of meat and simmer with garlic, ginger, salt, lime slices, a bit of sugar and sriracha sauce for 45 minutes. Skim of all foam which rises during this time. Strain stock and discard solids. Adjust seasoning to your liking. Place hot udon noodles and blanched vegetables in a serving bowl, top with sliced duck pieces and cover with broth. Drizzle with some hot chili oil. Serve with a side dish of hoi sin sauce and sriracha sauce to dip the duck.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

: Mise En Place

: Simmer Stock

: Strain Stock

: blanch vegetables

: Asian Inspired Duck & Udon Soup

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“Enten Braten” (Roast Duck)

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Yesterday’s lunch reminded me of the sundays of my early youth. It was tradition in our home that my dad prepared sunday lunch at least once a month. Usually this was a “Braten” – a roast, such as a pork but, a fresh duck from the butcher shop or a freshly butchered chicken from the neighbor, who to the horror of all us kid’s to see, chopped off it’s head on a wooden block in front of his house that very morning. My father prepped all the food, then popped the roast into the oven , got himself a chair right next to it and read the sunday paper for the next two hours, all the while basting the roast with beer every 10 minutes or so. The result was a heavenly feast, enjoyed by the whole family on the table in our eat-in kitchen.

These memories came to mind while this beauty was roasting in my oven. It made me happy for the memories and sad for the fact that I could not share both the memories and the duck with my beloved Maria……..
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Season duck inside and outside with with kosher salt and cayenne pepper. Fill a roasting pan with a half bottle of red wine and the same amount of chicken stock, add a generous amount of chopped garlic and some large diced onions. Top with a roasting rack on which you place the duck. Cook at 325F for 2.5 to 3 hours, depending on the size of the duck. The duck should be cooked through, tender but still very juicy. Remove duck to a carving board. Strain the jus from the roasting pan into a small pot, skim of all the fat, add the orange filets and the jus from the oranges and simmer for one minute. Remove from heat and thicken with fresh butter (mount the butter). To serve, carve the duck into your preferred cuts and nape with the orange sauce.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !

Note: Save the duck fat to use for your next sautéed potatoes !
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“Enten Braten” –
Roast Duck In Orange Jus

: Duck Fat

: “Enten Braten” – Roast Duck In Orange Jus

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Breakfast Of Champions # 25 – ” Ham & Egg ”

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What would sunday morning be without a special breakfast………
Sour dough bread sauted in garlic butter, boursin cheese,
coppa ham, fried egg, chili flakes, sea salt. Ahhhhhhh…… 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Ham & Egg “

Ham & Egg

Coppa Ham

Boursin Cheese

Sour Dough Bread

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Bone-In Rib Eye, Naan With Gorgonzola, Tomato & Walnut

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This morning at work Gene and I were talking about steaks and how great a good steak would be for lunch. Well, don’t just talk about it, do it ! S0 I went to the market and bought two great bone-in rib eyes, 80 oz in total weight. After work, straight home and put these babies on the heat, seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Got fancy with the naan too. Instead of doing the more traditional thing and putting the gorgonzola on the steak, I put it together with walnuts, grape tomatoes, scallions and lot’s of black pepper , then baked them in the oven for about five minutes. This would have been a great meal just by itself, but together with the meat and all the juices the bread soaked up – unbeatable 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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: Bone-In Rib Eye

: Naan With Gorgonzola, Tomato & Walnut

: Bone-In Rib Eye, Naan With Gorgonzola, Tomato & Walnut

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Shell-Less Apple & Pear “Pie”

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I had some apples and pears lying around and frozen puff pastry in the freezer.
So, how about this quick and easy dessert or snack, served with crème chantilly or vanilla ice cream (or both) 🙂
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Hollow out the apples so that there is a shell of about 1/3rd ” thickness. Saute the peeled, diced pears in butter, add sugar and let lightly caramelize. Flambe with cognac and add a dash of vanilla. Brush outside of apples with egg wash (so that puff pastry adheres). Fill pears into hollow apples, cover with puff pastry lattice, brush with egg wash and bake at 375 F. Bake until apples are soft but not falling apart.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Shell-Less Apple & Pear “Pie”

: Shell-Less Apple & Pear “Pie”

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Pot Au Feu

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My butcher had these beautiful, fleshy beef neck bones which begged me to take them home and transform into a tasty dish. Since I had some nice baby carrots and beans in the fridge, what else then a rich “pot au feu” with pasta.
As usual, simple is best 🙂
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Pot Au Feu

: Pot Au Feu

: Pot Au Feu

Ingredient’s :

Beef neck bones,
Penne rigate
Baby carrots,
Baby beans,
Onion, large dice
Bell pepper, large dice
Cilantro, finely chopped
Garlic, paste
Ginger, grated
Cayenne pepper,
Kosher salt,
Maggi seasoning,

Method :

Cover neck bones with cold water, add salt, pepper, garlic and ginger and slowly bring to a simmer, skimming of all scum and most fat which surfaces.
Meanwhile, blanch and shock all vegetables. Cook pasta until al dente, drain. When beef is very tender but not falling of the bone, add vegetables to heat through. Adjust seasoning if necessary.
To serve, place pasta in bottom of serving dish, ladle pot au feu on top and sprinkle with cilantro.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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“Schweine Braten” (Roast Pork Butt)

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Yesterday morning at 7.00am I put this beautiful hunk of meat in the oven at 325 F for 6 hours. (Seasoned with kosher salt, sriracha, granulated garlic, cumin seeds an caraway seeds).
I had the first portion for lunch with the red wine jus and bread dumplings. Wonderful.
Then in the evening I made the rest into a sandwich on sourdough bread with a bit of jus to moisten the bread and freshly grated horseradish with lemon juice to give it a bit of a kick 🙂

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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“Schweine Braten” (Roast Pork Butt)

: “Schweine Braten” (Roast Pork Butt)

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Seafood Pizza & Salsa Mexicana

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I just loved this pizza my friend Leo and I had last night.
According to Leo, the best pizza he ever had.
(Unfortunately, he is not exactly a food expert, so the verdict is still out 🙂 )

Pizza Dough Recipe Here

Toppings : Mascarpone cheese, squid, crab meat, scallions, chili flakes,
dried oregano, asiago cheese finely grated, garlic paste, salsa mexicana.

Note : Add the salsa and scallions after cooking, just before serving.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good ! >
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Seafood Pizza & Salsa Mexicana

: Seafood Pizza & Salsa Mexicana

Spaghetti With Chili, Tomato, Basil, Parmigiano Reggiano, Cream & Red Wine

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Saturday night dinner with friends. Good times 🙂
Spaghetti With Chili, Tomato, Basil, Parmigiano Reggiano, Cream & Red Wine
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Saute chicken until done. Remove from pan, reserve. Saute onion, garlic paste and chilies, add red wine and cream. Simmer until lightly thickened. Add freshly cooked al dente spaghetti, tomato, butter, parmesan cheese, kosher salt and pepper. Mix well until all spaghetti are coated with a light , creamy sauce. If too thick, add a bit of the spaghetti cooking water. If too thin, add a bit more cheese.

Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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Spaghetti With Chili, Tomato, Basil, Parmigiano Reggiano, Cream & Red Wine

Spoiled Brat ! (Bella)

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Monster Bone-In Rib Eye

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Finally found the proper cast iron grill pan and saute pan I was looking for 🙂
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I don’t believe this need’s any more words. Just look at it and drool…….
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Bon Appetit ! Life is Good !
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