Michael Symon Pickled Red Onions Recipes

DUCK PASTRAMI, PICKLED RED ONION, MUSTARD, RYE TOAST

Steps:

• For boning whole duck: Remove the first joint of the wing and reserve for stock. Remove the legs and thighs. Remove the feet from the legs and add to the stockpile. Remove the excess skin and use for rendering duck fat.
• Remove the breasts from the breast bone. Trim any excess fat and add to the pile that needs to get rendered. Break down the neck and add to the carcass to make duck stock. Reserve 1 breast with skin off for the pastrami and reserve 1 breast with skin on for the roasted duck breast recipe. Reserve the legs and thighs for the duck confit. Reserve duck livers for the Dirty Quinoa. Reserve duck fat to render. Reserve carcass for stock.
• Place a deep hotel pan or roasting pan over medium-high heat. Place 2 handfuls of soaked wood chips into the bottom of the pan and top with a perforated hotel pan or cooling rack placed over the roasting pan.
• Add 2 tablespoons blended oil and all the reserved fat from the duck to a large cast iron pan and place over medium heat to render. After about 10 minutes, remove the solid fat (cracklings) and carefully strain out any impurities. If not using right away, allow the reserved rendered duck fat to cool to room temperature and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
• Season the duck with salt, pinch sugar, toasted ground coriander, allspice, and peppercorns. Flip and repeat. Drizzle both sides with extra-virgin olive oil.
• Place the duck breast into the perforated part of the smoker or on the cooling rack and seal with foil. Place over high heat and smoke, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan and let rest.
• For the bull's blood salad: To a large bowl, add the shallot, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, whole grain mustard and whisk in the warm duck fat. Taste and re-season, if necessary. To a medium bowl, add the pickled onions, julienned apples, Bull's Blood greens, about 1/4 cup dressing around the sides of the bowl, and season with freshly ground black pepper. Toss to combine and taste.
• For the toast: Place a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons duck fat and 4 to 5 bread slices and add to the pan and toast. Remove from the pan and slice into croutons.
• For each serving, place the salad onto the middle of a plate. Slice the duck thinly on the bias and place over the salad. Garnish with croutons, sliced cracklings, and drizzle with more dressing.
• For the pickled onions: Pack the onions in 2 (1-quart) jars and cover with enough water to come within 1/2-inch of the rim. Pour the water out into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half of the water and replace it with vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every 3 cups of liquid.
• Pour the vinegar mixture into a nonreactive saucepan, add the garlic, bay leaves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, and mustard seeds, and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow the liquid to boil for 2 minutes, and then remove it from the heat.
• Divide the mixture between the jars, pouring the liquid to cover the onions and then screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.

PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• Pour boiling water over onion in a small bowl and let stand until softened, about 10 minutes. Drain onion well and return to bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.

GRILLED SKIRT STEAK WITH STICKY BARBECUE ONIONS

Steps:

• Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only to medium-high heat.
• For the sticky barbecue onions: Heat a cast-iron skillet over direct heat. Melt the butter. Add the onions with a pinch of salt and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Whisk together the ketchup, vinegar, mustard, sugar, cayenne, cumin and paprika in a small bowl (see Cook's Note). Add the sauce to the onions. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces and begins to get sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. Move over indirect heat to keep warm while you cook your steak.
• For the steak: Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper on both sides and bring to room temperature. Drizzle the steak with the oil and sprinkle with the oregano and paprika on both sides. Place the steak over direct heat and cook until it gets a nice char, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.
• Add a splash of oil, a pinch of salt and some pepper to a cutting board. Place the steak on the seasoned oil on the cutting board, flip and rest 5 minutes. Slice the steak against the grain and serve topped with the onions.
• (Alternatively, you can cook the onions over medium-high heat on a stovetop, and the steak in a grill pan or cast-iron skillet over high heat on a stovetop.)

THE LOLA BURGER

Steps:

• *Cook's Note: Michael's favorite mix of meats for this burger is chuck, sirloin, and brisket
• Build a medium-hot fire in your grill or preheat a stovetop grill pan.
• Cook the bacon in a saute pan over medium-high heat, turning once, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
• Form the ground beef into 4 patties, each about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. Season the patties with salt and cracked black pepper, to taste. Put the burgers on the grill or in the grill pan and cook for 3 minutes. Flip and top each burger with a slice of cheese. Grill for 3 minutes for medium- rare. Remove them to a plate. Add the English muffins to the grill or grill pan and toast for 1 minute.
• Cook the eggs sunny side up in the bacon fat while the burgers rest.
• Build the burgers by sandwiching them between the muffin halves along with pickle slices, red onion, bacon, an egg, and some spicy ketchup.
• Pack the onions in 2 (1-quart) jars and cover with enough water to come within 1/2-inch of the rim. Pour the water out into a measuring cup. Note the volume, pour off half the water, and replace it with vinegar. Add 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons salt for every 3 cups of liquid.
• Pour the vinegar mixture into a nonreactive saucepan, add the mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, garlic, and bay leaves, and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow the liquid to boil for 2 minutes, and then remove it from the heat.
• Pour the hot liquid into the jars to cover the onions and screw on the lids. Refrigerate for up to 1 month.
• In a nonreactive 2-quart saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, and a large pinch of salt. Saute until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the Fresno chiles, ancho chile, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the brown sugar, cumin, cinnamon, tomato paste, and vinegar and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in 3 cups of water, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook over low heat for 2 hours.
• Remove the ketchup from the heat and let cool for 15 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Puree the mixture in a blender and strain through a sieve, pushing down on the any solids. Let cool and pour into a storage container. Cover the container and refrigerate for up to 1 month.

PICKLED RED ONIONS

Steps:

• In a bowl, whisk together the first four ingredients until sugar and salt dissolve. Place onions and optional ingredients, if desired, into large glass jar; pour vinegar mixture over onions. Seal and let stand at least 2 hours at room temperature. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.