Duck, Pear Poached in Ypocras, Cameline Sauce & Gratin Dauphinois
Posted on Fri, Nov 20, 2009
I think I'm drawn to this recipe because I love how the name of it just keeps going on and on. And when I get to the end of it and have extra time on my hands, I start over at the beginning again... Just saying it outloud makes me feel like I can cook.
The recipe (see below) was contributed to the Lionbridge cookbook by Estelle Martin, in our Valbonne office. It's really interesting to me, because it's not one big dish, but rather a collection of simple treats that she serves together to make a meal. That appeals to me because I love thoughtful culinary variety. And also, if I screw up one part of the recipe, the rest of the meal should still be edible.
One ingredient is "Duck (sauté)." When I asked Estelle if she had any specific tips on sauteeing a duck, she provided some background and a few tips:
This recipe is not really an invention, but a gathering of different know-how gathered here and there. I chose duck because I know that at the medieval period the meat was "gibier," so the duck is suitable. The easiest to find (at least in France) is a piece of "magret de canard" or "duck breast."
Seasoning: pepper (salt should be added at the end only, once it is cooked, to avoid absorbing all the humidity that is contained in the meat).
Cooking: Rare. Duck meat should preferably remain slightly pink. Fat on the bottom first so you don't need to add any oil or butter. Then slice it.
Interestingly, duck breast is $22/pound at my Bellevue butcher shop. Right, I know. So I bought the whole duck for like $4/pound and we'll just figure out how to chop it up - an effort that I'm sure will be worth the $18/pound difference.
You have to start this recipe 4 days ahead of time, so plan ahead! My husband and I will make it this weekend and if it's as delightful as it sounds, we'll make it again for a slightly non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner next week. We have a bunch of friends coming over, and thought we should practice on ourselves first. Suffice it to say, we've learned this lesson from experience.
I invite you to make it, too, and then we can compare notes here.
Without further adieu, here's the recipe for...
Duck, Pear Poached in Ypocras, Cameline Sauce & Gratin Dauphinois, by Estelle Martin
Duck
Ypocras (medieval wine, did you know that?) Ingredients
- 40 grams cardamom
- 10 grams cinnamon
- 10 grams ginger
- 10 grams nutmeg
- 10 aniseed
- 10 cloves
- 250 grams sugar
- 1 liter red wine
Ypocras Instructions
Crush spices into powder. Take 15 grams of this mixture; add sugar and 1 liter of wine. Leave to infuse 2-3 days. Filter.
Pear Poached in Ypocras - Ingredients
Pear Poached in Ypocras - Instructions
Peel the pears, boil gently in Ypocras until they are soft.
Cameline Sauce - Ingredients
- 50 grams raisins
- 80 grams almonds
- 80 grams honey
- 6 ginger slices
- nutmeg
- bread crumbs
- Ypocras
Cameline Sauce - Instructions
The day before: soak raisins in Ypocras.
On cooking day: mix almonds, spices, sugar then raisins and bread crumbs. Add 1/4 liter of Ypocras. Boil gently, stirring continually for 10 minutes. Add wine if needed to obtain a very fluid sauce.
Gratin Dauphinois - Ingredients
- 1 kilogram potatoes
- 1/2 liter milk
- 1 egg
- 100 grams grated cheese
- nutmeg
- salt
- pepper
Gratin Dauphinois - Instructions
Dispose a layer of finely sliced potatoes, topped with grated cheese. Pour half the milk. Add a second layer of potatoes, salt, pepper. Bake 30 minutes (210 degrees Celsius). In a bowl, stir egg, nutmeg and remaining milk. Pour on gratin, add remaining grated cheese. Bake 15 minutes.
Believe me when I say I cannot wait for this meal. I'll let you know how it goes!
-- Jen Hofer