Mixed Microgreens Salad with Soft Cheese, Toasted Almonds, and Poached Duck Egg

Poaching eggs is a lot more difficult than it seems. There are numerous different methods: with or without salt, with or without vinegar, in plastic wrap (as shown here ) or dropped into water that has been stirred creating a "tornado". It will take some practice before I get good at poaching eggs because you have to get the timing exactly right and make sure that the egg keeps together when it cooks. However, I'm very pleased with the flavor of duck eggs - it's stronger than that of chicken eggs, just as duck meat is stronger in flavor than chicken meat (at least the white meat). The other difference is that duck eggs are larger in size. So far, I have been poaching the duck eggs, but in the future, I plan to experiment with baking with them in cookies or cakes, or using them in other recipes that require eggs. But first, I want to get poaching them down - I feel like it's one of those basic skills that a chef or a good home cook has to master.

Mixed Microgreens Salad with Soft Cheese, Toasted Almonds, and Poached Duck Egg Ingredients: • 1 pound mixed microgreens (pea shoots, micro mesclun, etc) • ½ cup soft white cheese, crumbled • ½ cup toasted almonds • 1 tablespoon black pepper • 1 tablespoon salt • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 4 free-range duck eggs • a pinch of paprika Directions: 1. Wash and spin the microgreens to get rid of excess water. 2. Bring a pan of cold water to a boil and stir the water, creating a "tornado". Drop an egg into the center of the tornado and cook for 4-6 minutes, depending on how running you want the yolk to be. Remove the egg from the heat and drop it into a bowl of ice water, to stop the cooking. 3. Dress the microgreens with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, then sprinkle with almonds. Place a poached duck egg on each salad, and add a pinch of paprika. Season the entire salad with salt and pepper, according to taste.

Duck Confit with Creamy White Beans

I love love love French food. The French have definitely earned their place as one of the world's most delicious cuisines. They are huge fans of duck, one of my favorite meats, if you couldn't already tell (I have a relative who started a successful duck farm, knowing he would make good business among the French)... and duck confit is one of my favorite preparations of duck (another favorite is the famous Chinese dish of Peking duck). It's also one of my man♥'s favorite meals, of all the meals I've prepared for him. Anyhow, the leftover duck fat keeps for at least 6 months in the refrigerator, provided that you strain it properly after cooking with it, and is wonderful for frying vegetables, potatoes, and steak with. Another thing I love about duck confit: The confit process takes about two days, but once prepared, the duck will keep in the refrigerator for two to three weeks! I paired the duck confit with creamy white beans. Any leftover beans can be used as a spread for toast!

Duck Confit with Creamy White Beans Adapted from Alice Waters' Chez Panisse Café Cookbook Duck Confit Ingredients: • 6 duck legs (drumsticks and thighs, attached) • 6 bay leaves, crumbled • 4 juniper berries, crushed • 1 tablespoon dried thyme • 6 tablespoons salt • 1 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns • 3 quarts rendered duck fat or homemade lard Directions: 1. Trim the duck legs of excess fat, leaving the skin intact. Make a small incision at the base of each leg, severing the tendon and cutting through the skin all around the bone. Combine the salt, bay leaves, juniper berries, thyme and pepper, and season each leg generously with the mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 2. The next day, melt the duck fat over medium heat in a large, wide, heavy-bottomed pot. Gently slip the duck legs into the fat, making sure they're completely submerged. Raise the heat slightly. Stir with a wooden spoon as the fat comes up to temperature. Adjust the flame to maintain the barest simmer the fat should never boil, but should swirl lightly sending up the occasional small bubble. 3. Cook the duck legs, uncovered, for about 1½ hours. Test a leg for doneness by inserting a skewer into the thickest part of the drumstick; they should be almost falling apart. Carefully transfer the duck legs to a dish. Ladle the duck fat over the legs, making certain they are covered by an inch of fat. Cool the legs in the fat, then cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. 4. When you are ready to eat the duck legs, heat a cast=iron skillet over medium heat. Add the duck legs in one layer, skin side down, and cook over medium heat until crisp and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the legs and cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Creamy White Beans Ingredients: • 3 cups cannellini beans • bouquet garni of parsley, thyme, and bay leaf • 2 medium onions, diced fine • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (optional) • salt • 4 garlic cloves, chopped fine • red pepper flakes (optional) • 1 teaspoon fennel seed, finely powdered • 2 teaspoons rosemary, chipped fine Directions: 1. Soak the beans overnight in water to cover. The next day, drain the beans and put them into a large heavy-bottomed pot. 2. Add the bouquet garni, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, and skim any foam that has risen to the surface. When the beans begin to soften, after an hour or so, add a generous amount of salt and continue to cook gently until they are very tender. When they are fully cooked, remove from the heat. 3. While the beans are cooking, heat a sauté pan and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and carrot, season with salt, and cook over medium heat until tender. Set aside. 4. Purée 1 cup of the cooked beans in a blender with a little of their cooking liquid. Drain the remaining beans, reserving the liquid, but discarding the bouquet garni. Heat a large sauté pan and coat the bottom with olive oil. Add the garlic and a pinch of red pepper, and warm briefly before adding the diced onion and carrot, the bean purée, beans, powdered fennel seed, and rosemary, if you wish. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are hot. If the consistency seems too thick, thin with some of the reserved bean cooking liquid. Taste and season with salt as necessary. Finish with a generous drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and serve.