Fatty Duck
Just do what I did - crack open that jar of foie gras you brought back from your last French skiing holiday, stuff a couple of duck breasts and voilà - a quick meal for three. Assuming you already have a starter, some braised red cabbage, mango sorbet and creamy diplomats on hand.
Celery Parmesan Salad
Celery Parmesan salad with cannellini beans and toasted almonds
starter salad cheese
The original recipe called for 8 celery stalks, but then the salad ends up being mostly celery so I've reduced the number.
But feel free to add as many as you like.
Go easy on the currants, unless you really like them!
It takes quite a while to deeply toast the sliced almonds in a dry frying pan, so start that first. You just need to shake them occasionally as you prepare the rest.
If you want you can make your own celery salt by drying (baking) celery leaves until crispy then crumbling them up with regular salt.
Go easy on the currants, unless you really like them!
It takes quite a while to deeply toast the sliced almonds in a dry frying pan, so start that first. You just need to shake them occasionally as you prepare the rest.
If you want you can make your own celery salt by drying (baking) celery leaves until crispy then crumbling them up with regular salt.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
- 5 large celery stalks, stripped of strings
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
- 1½ cups / 10 oz / 285g cooked cannellini or garbanzo beans, heated
- 3 tablespoons currants (or golden raisins)
- ½ cup / 1½ oz / 40g sliced almonds, deeply toasted
- sea salt or celery salt
- freshly chopped herbs (or herb flowers), or reserved celery leaves
Slice the celery stalks quite thinly: 1/8-inch or so.
Then, in a small bowl, make a paste with the olive oil, lemon juice, and Parmesan.
Set aside.
In a large bowl toss the heated beans with the olive-Parmesan mixture.
When well combined, add the celery, currants, and most of the almonds. Toss once more. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed.
Serve in a bowl or platter topped with herb flowers and/or celery leaves.
When well combined, add the celery, currants, and most of the almonds. Toss once more. Taste and add a bit of salt if needed.
Serve in a bowl or platter topped with herb flowers and/or celery leaves.
Not bad.
Best served at once while there is still some warmth from the beans. It gets a bit claggy when it cools down.
Best served at once while there is still some warmth from the beans. It gets a bit claggy when it cools down.
I dunno, Derek (if that's your real name??) I would think that as a starter for a duck-breasted meal, duck eggs would be more appropriate :)
#2 – 30 July, 2013 at 1:03 am
Karl - long time no see, thought about adding eggs to this? quail would seem the way to go...
Keep the faith.
Derek
#1 – 22 July, 2013 at 5:10 pm