Duck and Wild Rice Casserole

There is nothing better on a winter's eve than a duck casserole.  Nothing.  I'm going to give you my recipe and at the same time inject some humor to have you all "quacking up"!  This is really very easy but tell everyone that you slaved all day.  I'll give you a list of ingredients first, and then we'll proceed to waddle over to the kitchen and stir this up.

If you don't have any ducks flying over your house, or you are just a bad shot, go to the store and get:

1 large duck

3 stalks of celery

1 onion

1 package long grain and wild rice 6 oz.

a buttload of wild mushrooms

1/2 cup chopped onion

1.2 cup melted butter

1/4 cup flour

1 1/2 cups half and half

chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup slivered almonds

salt

pepper

Stick Daffy in a pot and cover with water. Add the stalks of celery roughly chopped, 1 onion cut in quarters, salt and pepper.  Simmer a little over an hour until Daffy is tender.  Remove him from the pot, let him cool down and then remove the meat off the bone, cut into chunks and set aside.  I always strain my stock and save it for other recipes. Cook the rice according to the package but use duck stock instead of water.  Saute the 1/2 cup of onion and the mushrooms in the butter.  I hope you actually bought a buttload.  You may have to add a bit more butter.  Add the flour and stir until smooth.  Gradually stir in some more duck stock until it is thickened and bubbly.  Mix in your duck, rice, half and half and parsley.  Dump it all into a greased 2 qt. casserole dish.  Sprinkle almonds on top.  Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Uncover it and bake 10 more minutes.  By now all of your neighbors will be smelling this and beating a path to your door.  Maybe you should have made 2!  Serve with a nice Pinot Noir a simple salad and put on Looney Tunes.

You are going to LOVE this!

Not The Same Old Same Old Stuffed Pepper

I have been missing comfort food from the past.  I used to make stuffed peppers, but need to kick it up a notch.  So, I scanned the net, and found one from Robert Irvine that sounded interesting.  It was a vegetarian version though, and I wanted MEAT in mine.  So this is what I did.......

New and Improved Stuffed Peppers

6 green bell peppers, tops removed and seeded

1/2 lb. ground beef

1/2 lb. ground pork
1 white onion, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons freshly chopped garlic
1 zucchini, diced
1 yellow squash, diced
2 cups cooked wild rice
1 (14-ounce can) tomatoes, drained
1 cup diced red and green peppers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup fresh arugula or spinach
2 teaspoons freshly chopped tarragon leaves

Shredded Mozzarella
1/2 cup grated Parmesan, to finish 

 

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wrap the peppers in aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until tender, but not falling apart, about 15 minutes.  If you are out of foil (like I was) put them in a dutch oven with a bit of water in the bottom, fit with a tight lid and bake for about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the beef and pork and brown. Then add the onions, mushrooms and garlic and saute until the mushrooms are golden brown. Add in the zucchini, yellow squash, wild rice, tomatoes, red and green peppers and continue to cook until the vegetables are tender. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste, and stir in the tomato paste. Remove from the heat and fold in the fresh arugula or spinach and the fresh herbs. Spoon the vegetable mixture into the cooled peppers. Transfer the peppers to a heat-proof serving dish and top with shredded mozzarella a little Parmesan. Bake until the peppers are heated through, about 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve.

Robin's Note: This can be served on a bed of fresh tomato sauce or on its own. Enjoy.

This made too much for just 6 peppers, so I froze what was left for another day.