Do you have what it takes to cook like the chef of a 3 star Michelin restaurant? Test your techniques with this recipe for duck confit with sunflowers, chocolate and white pumpkin soup from Chef Curtis Duffy of Grace in Chicago. Recently featured on Grace’s menu for a Disciples d’Escoffier event in which he was inducted into the prestigious culinary society, this Thanksgiving-inspired dish from the James Beard Award winning chef is the perfect way to use your culinary school skills and get a taste of the cuisine of one of America’s most notable chefs.
Photo courtesy of Grace Restaurant
CHEF CURTIS DUFFY’S THANKSGIVING DISH
White Pumpkin Soup
finger lime, duck leg confit, pumpkin leaf
Chocolate Ganache
950g Heavy Cream
100g Water
100g Sorbitol
50g Glucose
70g Black Pearl Cocoa Powder
7g Agar
125g Cocoa Paste
175g 71% Chocolate
3ea. Sheet Gelatin
Method:
1. Mix heavy cream, water, sorbitol, glucose, cocoa powder and agar together in a small pot. Bring to boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then add cocoa paste and 71% chocolate.
2. Remove from the heat and add gelatin. Strain onto a tray that will yield in .25 in thickness.
3. Chill and cut into thin strips 4 in x ½ inches in measurement.
Duck Leg Confit
The Cure:
35ea. Duck Legs
Spice Blend:
3500g Salt
80g Star Anise
10g Black Cardamom
7g Green Cardamom
25g All Spice
12g Clove
35g Fennel Seed
10g Blade Mace
20g Black Peppercorns
40g Coriander
Method:
1. Toast spices in sauté pan and blend in vita prep to powder.
2. Coat the duck legs with salt spice mix and cure for 3 ½ hours.
3. Rinse salt spice mix off duck and dry the legs.
4. Sous vide in duck fat for 5 hours at 88 C. Cool to room temperature and de-bone the duck, making sure to keep the muscle as large as possible. Reserve in the fat until ready to use.
Chef Curtis Duffy, owner of Grace restaurant in Chicago
White Pumpkin Chip
1ea. Small White Pumpkin
Method:
1. Peel pumpkin, cut in half, remove the seeds and pulp.
2. Slice on the slicer to make rings that are very thin. Deep fry the rings in grape seed oil at 270 F until crispy.
3. Remove from oil, shape, and put in dehydrator overnight.
Pumpkin Seed Oil
100g Water
1g Xanthan
500g Pumpkin Seed Oil
To Taste, Salt
Method:
1. Blend water and xanthan slowly, then add pumpkin seed oil to thicken. Season and transfer to a small squeeze bottle.
Additional Garnish:
Season Apples Slices
Crispy Duck Skin
Pumpkin Leaves
Purslane Leaves
Finger Lime Cells
Sea Salt
Pumpkin Seed Oil
