Oyster Mushroom Timbales With Smoked Duck And Hazelnuts Recipes

AN EVERLASTING SYLLABUB

Steps:

• Grate the lemon rind finely, squeeze the juice and mix both with the white wine, Madeira and sugar.
• Add nutmeg and beat in the heavy cream gradually with an electric beater or wire whisk. Beat until the cream forms soft peaks, but don't overbeat or the cream will become too dense.
• Spoon the mixture into parfait or Sherry glasses and chill or serve at room temperature. If you want the cream and liquor to separate, make syllabub several hours ahead.
• When ready to serve, garnish each glass with a sprig of rosemary, mint, lavender or a twist of lemon.

OYSTER MUSHROOM TIMBALES WITH SMOKED DUCK AND HAZELNUTS

Steps:

• Skin the duck breasts and remove all fat and connective tissues. Set aside.
• For the sauce, mix the stock, wine, shallots and thyme in a saucepan and reduce by about two-thirds, or until the mixture coats a spoon evenly. Remove from the heat and whisk in two tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine mesh and keep warm.
• For the timbales, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and butter the interiors of eight muffin cups. Whisk together the half-and-half, stock and eggs, season with salt and pepper and strain. Place a tablespoon of the chopped mushrooms in each of the muffin cups and press down. Fill the cups with the timbale mixture. Cover the entire muffin tin with a sheet of buttered foil. Place the muffin tin inside a larger pan and fill with hot water to a level halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted near the center of a timbale comes out clean. Remove the timbales from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Heat two tablespoons of butter and the oil in a skillet over high heat and saute the duck breasts, browning them on both sides until medium rare, or about five minutes a side. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• In the same skillet, saute the whole mushrooms. Season them and set aside.
• To serve, run a knife along the edge of each timbale and unmold by inverting onto a cookie sheet. Place each timbale in the center of a plate. Cut the duck breasts into thin strips lengthwise and wrap them around the outer edge of each timbale. Ladle the sauce in a circle around the strips of duck. Garnish with mushrooms, hazelnuts and herbs.