Ducklava

[Guest]

Ducklava

Serves 6 as Appetizer.

If you buy a whole duck and separate it into magrets and legs for separate preparation, poach the carcass and remove remaining meat for this recipe. Or just use meat leftover from a roast duck. Ducklava is an elegant and thematic prelude to a duck main course, for duck fanatics.

• 2 c cooked duck meat
  
• 1/2 c almonds, pecans, or walnuts
  
• 1/4 c bourbon
  
• 1/2 c dried cherries
  
• 2 T minced shallot
  
• 1 T honey
  
• 1/2 pkg phyllo, thawed
  
• 1/2 c melted butter
  

Soak cherries in bourbon for 1/2 hour. While cherries soak, pulse nuts and duck meat in food processor until combined (or chop by hand).

Add cherries to duck/nut mixture, reserving bourbon. Briefly pulse to combine.

Add shallots and three tbsps. bourbon to mixture, pulsing to incorporate. Add more bourbon by the tbsp. until mixture coheres in a thick, chunky spread. Taste for salt; mix in scant tbsp. of honey to flavor, if desired.

Preheat oven to 375.

With a pastry brush, brush butter on the top layer of two sheets of phyllo. Fold in half to form a long rectangle. Brush top lightly with more butter.

With your hands form a "log" of duck mixture about as long as a short end of phyllo, using about 1/2 cup of mixture. Place duck log one inch from short end of phyllo, leaving about 1/2 inch on each side. Roll duck and phyllo into a thick cigar. Place seam-side down on baking sheet, tucking in phyllo at ends. Brush lightly with butter. Repeat until mixture is depleted.

Can be prepared in advance to this point; wrap ducklava on baking sheet tightly in cellophane and refrigerate for up to 6 hours.

Bake ducklava about 20 minutes until golden, or according to phyllo package directions.

Remove from oven and slice cigars into two-inch sections, if desired. Serve hot.

Keywords: Intermediate, Dinner, Duck, Hors d'oeuvre, Appetizer

( RG606 )