Duck Tartare

300 g duck breast
3 Tbsn Unripened goat cheese
1 Tbsn minced shallot
1 Tbsn minced scallion
1 Tbsn soy sauce
1 Tbsn canola oil
1 tsp truffle oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. Using a sharp knife, remove all the connective tissue and excess fat from the duck breast. Cut into very small cubes and reserve.

2. Add the remianing ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well.

3. Add the duck to the marinade and combine.

4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour.

Serve with crustini and salad.

Scallop Ceviche

12 large sea scallops
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
Zest of one lime
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsn minced cilantro root
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 birds eye chili pepper (halved and seeded)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt

1. Rinse scallops in cold water and dry thoroughly. Remove the abductor muscle from each scallop and discard. Slice the scallops horizontally into 3-4 pieces.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Mix well.

3. Add the scallops to the bowl and gently mix so that the scallops are evenly coated by the lime marinade.

Cover and refridgerate between 1-3 hours. Remove from marinade and serve.

Black Sesame Soy Vinagrette

Another of Chef Scott Adams' great dressings.

1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp minced ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp black sesame seeds

Place all ingredients in a mason jar and shake to combine.

Truffle Vinaigrette

This recipe is by Chef Scott Adams of Benny's Bistro. Taught to us at a raw cooking class at Urban Element, Ottawa.

1 cup canola oil
1/4 cup white balsamic
1 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp dijon Mustard
1 Tbsp Truffle oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Place ingredients in a mason jars, shake well to combine.

Pickled Jalapeño Peppers

When I think of the amount of canned pickled jalapeños (Escabeche) that I've bought over the years, and then look at how simple these are to make, how cheap this pepper is (approx $3/lb) at this time of year I get a little giddy at the thought of having them on hand at all times. Thanks to this wonderful post on Simply Recipes, I now know the fundamental recipe for jarring my own.

I've made 2 batches and they are honestly better than any pickled (nacho style) jalapeño I have ever had. If you like experimenting with mexican food at home, or if you have a semi-regular taco night, this recipe is for you. You just need some of the most basic pickling ingredients, 1 pound of jalapeño peppers, a few mason jars, and about 45 minutes time in total. The process timing can creep a bit if you're having wine while doing this, but it makes it that much more fun.

The following is copied and pasted without permission. So be sure to visit Simply Recipes as it is one of my favourite inspirational food blogs.

Ingredients

• 1 lb jalapeño (and serrano if you wish) chile peppers
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 2-3 medium white or yellow onions, thickly sliced
• 2-3 medium carrots, peeled and thickly sliced
• Florets from half a small cauliflower (optional)
• 1 head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
• 4 cups apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Kosher salt or sea salt
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 sprigs of fresh marjoram or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• 1 Tbsp sugar

METHOD

1 Wash the chiles, leaving the stems intact. Cut a cross in the tip end of each chile so that the vinegar will be able to penetrate the chile.

2 Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the chiles, onions, carrots, cauliflower if using, and garlic. Fry over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning them over occasionally.

3 Add the vinegar, salt, herbs, and sugar and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes for serranos or 10 minutes for jalapeños. Make sure the chiles are entirely cooked through before canning.

4 Pack 4 pint-sized sterilized jars with the chiles and vegetables. Top with the vinegar and seal. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes.

Once opened, can keep for one to two months in the refrigerator.

Jerk Chicken

prep time: 25 minutes

Marinate for: 12-16 hours

Grill: 2 hours

Marinade

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

8-10 scallions, chopped

3 habanero peppers

3-4 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 tbsp fresh thyme

1 tbsp ground allspice (grind the berries for best result)

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp ground cinnamon (best to grind from a cinnamon stick)

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

3 pounds bone-in chicken (drumsticks and thighs)

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a food processor until you've got a good liquidy marinade.

2. Trim your chicken of any excess skin/fatty bits.

3. Place the chicken and marinade into a ziplock bag or other container (16 hours).

4. Set up your bbq (charcoal 2-zone fire is the best!) FOR AROUND 250 degrees.

5. Make sure you let your chicken sit out at room temp for about 1/2 hour or so so you aren't cooking cold chicken.

6. Cook the chicken over Indirect Low Heat (See this for information on grilling)

7. Simmer the reserved marinade to kill any raw chicken bacteria for about 1 minute.

8. Brush the chicken with marinade while grilling.

9. Let chicken rest for about 1/2 hour. It can be served the next day after refrigeration for even better results.

Recession-Proof Eating : Braised Pork Belly

Good food doesn't have to take up much of your time or finances. You just have to know where to get your ingredients and create the right things that can be used in other recipes (which I like to call progressive meal planning) and also provide a satisfying experience at every step of the way.

For example, today we decided finally take advantage of Tom Collichio's {Braised Fresh "Bacon"} recipe which is included in his absolutely fantastic food lovers book titled 'Think Like a Chef'. The reasons to create this recipe were very evident, but the only one that triggered the the steps involved were the fact that it just looked KILLER. Other reasons included cheap ingredients and a surplus of byproducts like brown chicken stock.

Basically, we had to make white chicken stock, then brown chicken stock (which includes the white stock as an ingredient) and then slowly braise a pork belly. This entire process would take all day, but it was worth it for the smells alone.

I don't want to post every step here because I think you can get to this recipe if you already know how to make brown chicken stock. If you don't, the fundamentals can be found here, via google, or nearly any french or contemporary cookbook. I did follow Tom's recipe this time around since he was the inspiration for dinner.

The main reason that I wanted to post about this meal was because it only cost about 7 dollars worth of ingredients to make and a bit of time (and thyme). This meal will give about 2 days worth of meals for 2 people and also some extra brown stock to use in multiple recipes for the rest of the week.

Chinatown, which is the best place to get fundamental ingredients if you have access, supplied us with 2 lbs pork belly for $5 and also 6 chicken carcasses for $1 (for the white and brown stock). The rest was just simple ingredients that we've either grown like herbs, or come from our organic Bryson Farms weekly delivery.

So here is the recipe for the pork belly by the Top Chef. It's still braising in the oven and the smell is creating an incredible anticipation that can only be enjoyed by putting passion into creating meals.

from Chowhounds: http://www.chow.com/recipes/10762

GQ magazine voted this their favorite meat dish of the year, after strenuous debate over whether I should call it “fresh bacon” or “pork belly.” Whatever you want to call it, it is rich and delicious. When you buy pork belly, be sure to have the butcher leave the skin on.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 pounds pork belly, skin on
• 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 celery stalks, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 leek, white part only, trimmed and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• About 3 cups brown chicken stock

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat until the oil slides easily across the pan. Salt and pepper the pork, and add it, fat side down, to the skillet. Cook until the skin is browned, about 15 minutes, then transfer the pork to a plate.
2. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of fat and add the onion, carrots, celery, leek, and garlic to the skillet. Cook the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until they are tender and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes. Return the pork belly to the skillet, fat side up, and add about 2 cups of stock (it should surround but not cover the meat). Bring the stock to a simmer, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Gently simmer the pork, uncovered, for 1 hour, then add another cup of stock. Continue cooking until the pork is tender enough to cut with a fork, about 1 hour longer.
3. Allow the pork to cool in the braising liquid. Remove the pork from the liquid, then gently lift off and discard the skin (use a small knife to separate any pieces that don’t come away from the fat easily). Score the fat, making crosshatch incisions, then cut the pork into 4 equal pieces.
4. Turn up the oven to 400°F. Strain the braising liquid, discarding the solids. Return the liquid to the skillet, bring it to a simmer, and skim off the fat. Return pork, fat side up, to the skillet. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook, without basting, until the pork is heated through and the fat nicely browned, about 20 minutes. Serve the pork in a shallow bowl moistened with a bit of the braising liquid.