Duck Confit

Duck Confit - Image Petrina Tinslay - Style Geraldine Muñoz

Confit is a french culinary term meaning to cook and preserve in oil or fat. While it is now served wherever the French are appreciated, duck confit originated and is emblematic of the Gascony region in the South West. The same technique can be used for a goose (if you are so fortunate) and secondary cuts of pork. On that note: this technique is perfect for relaxing a tougher cut, which is why it’s used for legs and shoulders. This recipe can be consumed immediately, but it is far more complex when left to cure for 2–3 months. Kept in a cool dark place this will last for 12 months, which is entirely the point.

*The true gift of this recipe is the fat. Fry slices of waxy potatoes in it and serve with a chicory (endive) salad with a sharp vinaigrette to be deliciously traditional.

• 2 teaspoons white peppercorns

• 2 teaspoons coriander seeds

• 1 bunch of thyme

• 4 bay leaves

• 2 teaspoons juniper berries

• 1 garlic bulb

• 2 oranges

• 100 g coarse sea salt

• 8 free-range duck leg quarters (marylands),

• 1 kg duck fat

1. In a bowl, combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, thyme, bay leaves and juniper berries.

2. Crush the garlic bulb, remove the stem and add it to the spices.

3. Peel the oranges and use a small, sharp knife to remove the pith. Add them to the spices.

4. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process to a fine paste. Add the salt and pulse to combine.

5. Rub a good amount of the spice mixture into the flesh side of the duck leg quarters, then place them on a plastic tray. Sprinkle over the remainder of the spice mixture and refrigerate overnight.

6. The following day, drain the liquid and rub away any remaining salt crystals using paper towel.

7. Heat the duck fat in a large casserole to 90°C (194°F).

8. Add the duck and maintain at this temperature for 1 1⁄2–2 hours until the thigh bone starts to loosen from the flesh. Remove from the heat to cool.

9. To do this, place the legs in layers in a non-reactive container – a wide-mouthed mason jar is perfect. Pour over the cooking fat to cover and knock the jar to remove any air bubbles. Make sure the fat covers the flesh by 2–3 cm.

10. To serve, remove from the fat and grill until the skin is crisp.

Chocolate Tart

Chocolate Tart - Image Petrina Tinslay - Styling Geraldine Munoz

This Chocolate Tart is based on one of the great tarts in the tart lexicon and originates from his eminence, Chef Joël Robuchon R.I.P. His recipe is a lesson in simplicity and elegance. I have changed the traditional pastry to a very short chocolate crust. Why? Because I think it’s better and that’s how cooking works.

The chocolate does the heavy lifting in texture and flavour. It should only be eaten freshly prepared, for its lustre is tarnished by time and refrigeration will render the filling as hard as a landlord’s heart.

makes two tarts because this is a time when too much chocolate is barely enough.

TART SHELL

• 150 g salted butter, softened

• 75 g caster (superfine) sugar

• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• 125 g plain (all-purpose) flour

• 50 g rice flour

• 50 g best quality unsweetened cocoa powder (Valthona, Callebaut)

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

FILLING

• 200 g best-quality chocolate (72% cocoa solids) (Valthona, Callebaut) etc

• 190 ml pouring (single/light) cream

• 80 ml milk

• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. To make the tart bases - put the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until pale and creamy.

2. In a bowl, sift together the salt, flours and cocoa powder.

3. Using a spatula, fold the flours into the butter mixture until just coming together.

4. Do not mix them using the electric mixer or you will overwork the dough with the risk of shrinkage.

5. Tip the rough contents onto a work surface and, using the heel of your hand, press down and away from you to spread the dough in a fluid motion. Repeat three times.

6. Scrape the dough together and divide it into two balls. Flatten each ball slightly and wrap individually with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

7. Roll one ball of dough into a circle about 5 mm (1⁄4 in) thick. Place a 22 cm
   (83⁄4 in) tart ring on the dough and run the tip of a knife around the inside of
   the ring. Remove any excess dough. Remove the tart ring. Repeat with the second ball of dough.

8. Place the tart bases on a baking tray and refrigerate for another 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F).

9. Bake the tart bases in the oven for 10–12 minutes until the dough is dry. It will firm up once it cools.

10. Lightly beat the egg and use a pastry brush to paint a thin layer across the cooled bases. Return to the oven for 3 minutes to set the egg. This will prevent the base from going soggy once the filling is added.

11. To make the filling, coarsely chop the chocolate and place it in a medium heatproof bowl.

12. Bring the cream and milk to the boil in a small saucepan. Pour the hot milk mixture over the chocolate and stir until melted.

13. Whisk in the egg until fully incorporated.

14. Reduce the oven temperature to 100°C (210°F).

15. Place the two tart rings back over the baked bases. Pour the filling evenly between the two rings. Bake for 8–10 minutes until the filling is just set. It should still have a slight jiggle. Leave to firm at room temperature for 1 hour.

16. Serve at room temperature within 2–3 hours.

Orange and Polenta Cake with Mandarin Sherbet

Orange and Polenta Cake with Mandarin Sherbet - Image Petrina Tinslay - Style Geraldine Munoz

This ageless middle eastern recipe first came to western prominence in ‘A Book of Middle Eastern Food’ by the inimitable Claudia Roden. It was published pre food processor in 1968 when you had to rub the cooked oranges through a sieve - which still works perfectly well.

Google pulled up 1,240,000 results for this cake in 22 seconds.  The cake recipe is as sound as it is common and I’ve cooked it for 25 years. My version includes polenta (which is a Sicilian variation) and adds a kick with the syrup and Chartreuse chaser. Any citrus fruit is suitable, but obviously make sure to maintain a similar weight. Two mandarins will - a dry cake make. Likewise the sherbet can be made of any citrus, orange goes very well with the cake but I find the mandarin more floral and prefer it. Serve each slice with a great pile of sherbet on top like a sand dune of icing.

The Cake

• 2 small oranges

• butter for greasing

• flour for dusting

• 5 large eggs 55–60 g

• 170 g caster (superfine) sugar

• 170 g ground almonds

• 50 g polenta

• 1 teaspoon baking powder (make sure it is fresh!)

  SYRUP

• 1 vanilla bean

• 230 g caster (superfine) sugar

• 4 cardamom pods

• 2 star anise

• 50 ml Chartreuse

1. To make the syrup, split the vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into a small saucepan over medium–low heat – throw in the pod as well.

2. Add the sugar, 1 cup of water and the remaining spices.

3. Bring to a gentle simmer, cook for 5 minutes then remove the pan from the heat. Add the Chartreuse and allow to infuse for 30 minutes.

4. Strain into a clean container.

5. Put the oranges, unpeeled, in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil over medium–high heat. Reduce the heat to medium–low, cover and simmer for 11⁄4 hours until the oranges are very soft.

6. Drain and cool for 30 minutes.

7. Preheat the oven to 190°C

8. Butter a 24 cm springform cake tin and line the base with a disc of baking paper. Butter the tin again, including the paper, and lightly dust with flour – shake out any excess.

9. Coarsely chop the boiled oranges, removing any pips, then transfer them to a food processor and purée.

10. Whisk together the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes.

11. Stir in the ground almonds and polenta and sift in the baking powder.

12. Add the puréed oranges and mix well.

13. Pour the mixture into the tin and bake for 40–45 minutes until light golden and just firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

14. Transfer the cake to a serving plate and use a skewer to prick it all over.

15. Spoon over some of the syrup and allow it to soak in before adding more. Continue until all the syrup has been used.

The sherbet

Before the internet, kids had fireworks night, a long walk home from school and sherbet. The liquorice straw in the sherbet gave out with the first suck but continued to give good service as a dipping stick. It wasn’t a sharing thing. We also had Wizz Fizz with tiny plastic spoons and a little plastic ring that would only fit a monkey. The sherbet can be given an AO rating by simply using the skin of a grapefruit instead. Kids and the dull of mind do not like bitter. Also amazing with chocolate or vanilla ice cream.

Mandarin Sherbet - Image Petrina Tinslay - Style Geraldine Munoz

• 4 mandarins

• 95 g icing (confectioners’) sugar

• 3 g citric acid

• 3 g tartaric acid

1. Peel the mandarins and eat the flesh

2. Put the peel on a baking tray and cook overnight in a 55–60°C oven to dry until crisp.

3. Different peels will vary in drying time. You are looking for crisp

4. Put the dry mandarin peel in a spice grinder with the tartaric and citric acids and blend to a very fine powder.

5. Add it to the icing sugar in a bowl and combine.

6. Pass the mixture through a fine sieve.

7. Store in an airtight container until required.