MUMBAI, 22 DECEMBER, 2021 (GPN):

With Christmas coming up here are two easy-to-make recipes that can be used to dress up your Christmas lunch or dinner.

Chef Sebastian Breitinger, Professor of Culinary Arts at V.M Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), shares two of his favourite recipes which champion this holiday.

The deletable poached red wine pears is a refreshing take on Christmas sweets that goes outside the norm of what one would expect.

Rillettes are traditionally made with pork, this modern take on rillette uses duck and is guaranteed to impress your guests this Christmas season

POACHED RED WINE PEARS: 

(Serves 10 pax)

INGREDIENTS: 

1.8	kg	Pears(10 nos)
2	litres	Red wine
400	g	Sugar
100	g	Orange (zest to taste)
5	g	Cinnamon stick
200	g	Apple
20	g	Mint leaves
500	ml	Vanilla ice crem

PROCEDURE:

• Peel the pears and poach them in red wine, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon zest, until well cooked through.
• Take the pears from the pan. Boil the remaining liquid to reduce it by half so that it’s syrupy.
• Serve each pear with the cooled syrup, a slice of orange, and mint.
• Accompany with vanilla ice cream
  

  DUCK RILLETTE

  DUCK RILLETTE 
  (Serves 5 pax)

  INGREDIENTS: 

1.8	kg	Duck (leg)
500	g	Duck fat from the same duck
200	g	Garlic
10	g	Bay leaf
20	g	Thyme fresh
20	g	Pepper corn(crushed)
40	g	Salt
250	g	Onion

PROCEDURE: 

• Clean the duck legs from the excess fat and reserve the same in a pot.
• Place the duck legs in a dish, skin down and sprinkle salt, pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. Cover it and let it rest for 12 hours.
• Add little water to the fat and melt it on slow fire then pass it through a fine strainer.
• After marinating, debone the legs and place them skin down in the fat, so they are fully covered (add some oil if you do not have enough duck fat).
• Heat the fat and let the legs confit at 70-80°C until nice and tender.
• Cut onions in brunoise and confit them separately in some duck fat.
• Remove legs from fat and mash with a potato masher, add onions.
• On an ice bath stir slowly the required fat till observing a nice paste consistency.
• Once done, let it rest for some time in the refrigerator and serve on toast with fresh onion rings.