Inaugural Luncheon: Food, Glorious Food! Menu,

[pax]

I don't know if any of you read the political blog site Daily Kos. I do and I came across this today. The author agreed to let me link it because I thought some of you might enjoy it. There is no controversial political debate, unless you want to get into the merits of foods from different parts of this great country.

Here is a link to author dmhlt66's diary from this morning.

dmhtlt66's "Inaugural Luncheon"

Inaugural Luncheon: Food, Glorious Food! Menu, Recipes & More Hotlist

by dmhlt 66

Sat Jan 10, 2009 at 02:40:58 PM PST

"I thought it'd be fun to just take a break and visit a few of the details that will be going in to the Inaugural Luncheon celebration, now just ten days away.

Like many of you, I got my official Inaugural Invitation yesterday in the mail.  It's on heavy, ecru paper with embossed script and the raised medallion seal in gold.  But I'm sure we hoi polloi will be feasting on some very different fare than the select group invited to the Inaugural Luncheon."

In addition to menus, there are recipes, flower arrangements, crystal, place settings, etc, etc, etc. It's a very fun read.

The following is is one of the recipes.

Second Course

Duck Breast with Cherry Chutney

Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup chopped onion (1 small)

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon ground cumin

Scant ¼ teaspoon dried hot red pepper lakes

¾ teaspoon salt

½ cup coarsely chopped red bell pepper (½ medium)

1 plum tomato, coarsely chopped

¼ cup dry red wine

1 ½ to 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 can (3 cups) Bing cherries, quartered *Oregon brand

½ cup Golden Raisins

10 (6 oz.) boneless duck breasts with skin

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or chives

Method for chutney and glaze

Heat oil in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onion, garlic, and shallot, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste, black pepper, cumin, hot pepper lakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium and add bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. 

Stir in wine, vinegar (to taste), and sugar and simmer approx 5 minutes. Stir in mustard, 1 1/2 cups cherries, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer 1 minute.  Allow to cool slightly and reserve all but ¼ cup of the mix to the side. Place1/4 cup mix in a blender and puree until very smooth, about 1 minute (use caution when blending hot liquids). Reserve for glazing duck.  To finish the chutney, add the remaining 1 ½ cups of cherries, tarragon, chives and all the golden raisins. Can be prepared one day ahead.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern with a small sharp knife and season duck all over with salt and pepper.

Heat water in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over low heat until hot, then add duck, skin side down. Cook duck, uncovered, over low heat, without turning, until most of fat is rendered (melted) and skin is golden brown, about 25 minutes.

Transfer duck to a plate and discard all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Brush duck all over with cherry glaze and return to skillet, skin side up.

Roast duck in oven until thermometer registers 135°F, about 8 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Holding a sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, cut duck into slices.  Serve with cherry chutney and molasses whipped sweet potato.

Almost all of the information contained in the Kos diary, including this recipe is also available from the Senate's own site, here, but I think it's fun to read from the author's perspective, and I do owe him credit 'cause I'd never have seen that Senate site without him.

I hope you enjoy.

Edited January 24, 2009 by chrisamirault (log)

[maggiethecat]

I enjoy. I salivate. And Mary Todd Lincoln had great taste in china.

(Ah, that gorgeous heavy engraved invitation. Be still my heart -- so elegant and craftsmanlike. My parents once received an invitation for lunch with Charles de Gaulle, and I remember the creamy heft of the paper and the for real raised copperplate type. I'll ask my father to look around for the invite, but I remember the menu as longer, more elaborate and just as locovore as Obama's. The wine was French, of course.)

Edited January 12, 2009 by maggiethecat (log)

[Abra]

It's so tempting to "cook along" as that menu looks really French. Is anyone planning to make it all?

[Busboy]

It's so tempting to "cook along" as that menu looks really French.  Is anyone planning to make it all?

←

Speaking of French, we're having cassoulet at my house.

Just the thing after a cold 12 hours waiting for the motorcade to roll by.

[pax]

I have been thinking of the many, many possible uses for cherry chutney, especially with Valentine's Day around the corner.