Posted by johngl
I like duck. You may even have seen the duck burger I whipped up a couple of weeks ago. Well, I had the breast left over and last weekend, I made it up for our 18th wedding anniversary lunch. Not a bad thing to cook for someone who’s put up with me for a lot of years.
People tend to rush cooking a duck breast. It is really a relatively long, slow frying process.
Posted by johngl
Labor Day is upon us! Time to wrap up this Burger Quest.
You might wonder: Why would anyone in their right mind grind a duck into burger meat?
Well, I like duck and I think duck is under-appreciated in this part of the world. Why not burgers? We burger everything else! Is it really such a stretch? I’ve roasted it, confit’d it, grilled it, and made stock out of it. I hadn’t yet tried burgering it (spell check is trying to turn “burgering” into “buggering” which would give that last statement a whole new meaning).
So when Brittany (aka: Stems) suggested that for my finale, I should do “duck burgers and fries cooked in duck fat” it took about 10 seconds before I said: “OK! You’ve got something there.”
I hereby introduce to the world: The Maple Leaf Farms Duck Burger!
What do you mean it looks just like a hamburger? Of course it does, that is the whole point.
Posted by johngl
Back in 1942, a retired Wall Street stock broker, Lemuel Benedict, stated that he had wandered into the Waldorf Hotel in 1894 and ordered “”buttered toast, poached eggs, crisp bacon and a hooker of hollandaise” (I think hooker had a different meaning in 1894). He further claimed that Oscar Tschirky, the famed maître d’hôtel, was so impressed with the dish that he put it on the breakfast and luncheon menus but substituted ham and a toasted English muffin for the bacon and toast.
Whether this is true is up for debate, but this morning, I put my own spin on it:
Duck Eggs atop Toast Rounds and Crispy Bacon Smothered in Duck Yolk Hollandaise
Posted by johngl
A few days ago, my friend and fellow Austin food blogger, Charlie Hills posted breakfast as one of the five food groups (Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and Cheeseburgers are his others). He asked his audience for their favorite breakfast fixins. Mine just happens to be duck eggs over easy, toasted sourdough bread, apple wood smoked bacon, and pan-fried (spicy) potatoes.
Charlie’s sister, Biz, said I was uppity because I mentioned duck eggs, then goes on to say that her fave is “herbed goat cheese scrambled eggs with baby spinach.” Herbed goat cheese and baby spinach? Aren’t we pretentious. I’ll have to try it.
So, back to green duck eggs and sow belly…
Posted by johngl
By now you are probably thinking, “Duck, again? You need to get some variety in your life johngl!”
What, the pig head wasn’t enough of a diversion? I got some interesting comments on that one: “a bit much” said one friend. “Awesome!” said another. Yet another proclaimed, “THAT’S DISGUSTING!” Hey, I do what I do and if you want to come along for the ride, so much for the better.
Anyway, this is about duck, not pig heads…so, let’s get started with the basics. First, you need a couple of ducks:
Meet Muscovites George and Ringo. George knows what’s coming. Ringo is clueless.
A spirited and irreverent journey into the world of food, alcoholic beverages, and the innovative use of construction materials
