Duck Breast with Sweet Corn Pudding

With the cool wind in the air, and the first fall showers bringing the colorful leaves to the ground, it is a great time to host a gourmet dinner party to celebrate the end of harvest. This week our chef shares her recipe for Duck Breast with Sweet Corn Pudding, Melted Leeks and Fennel with a Huckleberry Sauce. These recipes can be made individually as side dishes, or served together as a complete fall dinner. This warm and decadent dish pairs beautifully with a Pinot Noir, a lighter blend Cabernet, or a Sangiovese wine.

Sweet Corn Pudding

½ cup polenta

½ cup flour

10 ears sweet corn

2 cups half and half

5 whole eggs

½ tsp. grated nutmeg

1 bay leaf

4 thyme sprigs

6 Tbsp butter

salt and pepper

Cut corn off of cobs and place half of the corn into a pot with the half and half. Scrape cobs into pot with the half and half and then put the cobs into the pot. Put in the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, grated nutmeg and 1tsp. salt and ½ tsp. white pepper. Let simmer for 20 minutes, then strain and let cool to room temperature. Separate eggs and whip up whites in a mixer until soft white peaks form. In a mixing bowl combine egg yolks, polenta and flour and remaining corn kernels. Fold in whipped egg whites. Place batter in a baking dish. Put baking dish inside of another larger dish and fill the pan up to ¾ of the way up with warm water. Place in a 350 degree oven for 25-35 minutes or until the pudding has puffed up and is golden brown on top.

Melted Leeks and Fennel

2 bulbs fennel

2 stocks leeks

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. butter

salt and pepper

Cut green parts off from leeks and cut in half length wise. Put into a bowl of water and wash off dirt. Slice leeks 1/8 of an inch thick. Cut off green part from fennel bulb. Cut bulbs in half and slice the same thickness as the leeks (a Japanese mandolin works great for slicing fennel thin) Put leeks and fennel in a sauté pan with butter and olive oil, a pinch of salt and some fresh cracked pepper. Let cook on stove at a low temp until they are soft and tender but not browned—about 15 minutes. This can be done before hand and heated up to serve.

Huckleberry Sauce

3 cups Huckleberries fresh or frozen

1 cup pinot noir

½ cup sugar

1 cinnamon stick

½ tsp. grated cloves

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a stainless steel pan and simmer for 20 minutes. If the sauce is too thin, continue cooking until desired thickness. Remove cinnamon stick. This sauce can be made in advance and keeps well refrigerated. To serve heat to almost a boil and spoon over duck breast.

Pan Seared Duck Breast

4 duck breast (we recommend Liberty Farms Duck Breast, available in specialty food stores such as Sunshine in St. Helena)

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Salt and fresh cracked pepper

Dry duck breast and score the skin in a couple of cross hatch marks. This allows the skin to crisp up in a hot pan without pulling away from the breast meat. Generously salt and pepper both sides of duck breast. Heat oil in a pan and place duck breast skin side down until skin is golden brown. Remove from heat and let rest on a baking rack skin side up until you are about 8 minutes away from eating. To finish the duck breast put into a 350 oven to finish cooking and pull out at medium rare. Breast will feel firm to the touch) Let rest for a few minute before serving. To serve, slice across the breast into 1/2 inch pieces and serve on top of the leeks, fennel and sweet corn pudding. Top with huckleberry sauce. Serves 6-8.

Recipe by Emily Buller

Fall Comfort Food

It’s time for fall comfort food and this week we put together some recipes that are easy to make and create a hearty and warm fall meal for any occasion. Karen’s Spicy Cajun Beans with Rice & Sausage are easy to prepare and Linzi’s Spoon Corn Bread makes a great companion to the dish. We recommend pairing this meal with a medium-bodied Zinfandel or a Spanish Rioja - wines that will balance the spiciness and compliment the rich flavors of the dish.

Spicy Cajun Beans with Rice & Sausage

1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
1 can pinto beans
1 can kidney beans
1 onion diced
4 cups cooked rice
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 smoked sausage or vegetarian links
3 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons creole seasoning
Crushed red pepper to taste
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook 4-5 cups of brown rice and set aside. In a large saucepan, add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, beans, diced onion, sliced sausage, bay leaves and bell pepper and cook at a medium temperature for about 10 minutes. Add chili powder, garlic, creole seasoning and cooked rice. Add salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.

Spoon Corn Bread

2 lightly beaten eggs
1 - 8 ½ oz package corn muffin mix
1 - 8 oz can cream style corn
1 - 8 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 cup sour cream
2/3 stick butter
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Combine eggs, muffin mix, cream style and whole corn, sour cream and butter. Spread in 11x7x1 ¾ baking dish. Top with Swiss cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, just until it is a little brown on top.

Fall Recipe - Sweet Potato Gratin

Sweet Potatoes are more than just Thanksgiving Day filler - they are a delicious fall treat packed with nutrients and vitamins. Now that they are coming into season, they are making their way into all sorts of recipes—from appetizers and soups to desserts. The fascinating sweet potato is a Native American plant that was first mentioned by Columbus in the records of one of his voyages. Enjoy the delightful flavors of the sweet potato this fall with our recipe for Sweet Potato Gratin.

Sweet Potato Gratin

6 Sweet Potatoes

1 pint of cream

2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

3 garlic cloves finely chopped

2 shallots finely chopped

2 sprigs of rosemary

Combine shallots, garlic and rosemary sprigs with cream. Peel potatoes and slice on a mandolin, then place directly into the cream. Layer a casserole dish with sweet potatoes, salt, cracked pepper and cheese mixture. Repeat layers until you reach ¾ up the casserole dish. Pull out rosemary sprigs and pour cream over top. Finish with cheese mixture. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until firm. Gratin should be golden brown on top.

Recipe by Chef Emily Buller

October Festivals

Harvest is more than just cloudy days and the lingering smell of fermenting grapes in the air - it’s all about celebrating the fruits of our labor with family and friends. There are a lot of ways to celebrate throughout wine country—from pet parades to turkey shoots, or try hosting your own harvest party.

Host a pumpkin carving party, craft party or harvest dinner. There are an unlimited amount of possibilities here. I went to a pumpkin carving party a few years ago that was a lot of fun. Just provide one pumpkin per couple and plenty of carving tools (knives are just fine). This is a great way to involve both parents and kids. A craft party is a great way to get into the spirit of the season. If you are not a very crafty person or are short on time, consider picking up prepackaged crafts by Martha Stewart—available at most craft stores. A harvest dinner party is another way to get to enjoy the fall with friends and family. Tell everyone to bring their own favorite dish and a copy of the recipe. Have one last fire in your outdoor fireplace and provide plenty of hot drinks like apple cider and hot chocolate. Then later type out the recipes and email them out, or turn them into recipe books for Christmas gifts. The key to a successful party is planning it ahead of time so people don’t make other plans first, this can be a busy season. For a more formal party, typed or handwritten invitations are required. For more casual events, an email invite or even a phone call in advance is acceptable. It is all about having fun and being creative!

Here are a few favorite October Harvest Festivals and events in Napa Valley. Write us a comment and let us know what’s happening in your neck of the woods!

Oct. 18 - St. Helena’s 20th annual Hometown Harvest Festival and 14th annual Pet Parade starts at 8 a.m. Saturday on Oak Avenue and Adams Street with a children’s fun run, followed at 8:30 a.m. with an adult run/walk. The Pet Parade begins with a 9 a.m. registration at Pine Street and Oak Avenue and the Parade at 10 a.m. The Harvest Festival runs until 4:30 p.m. with activities for children, food and craft booths, wine tasting and music. Mark this one on your calendar-it is one event you won’t want to miss.

Oct. 21 - The annual Pope Valley turkey shoot will be held Sunday from 8 a.m. to sundown across from the Pope Valley Farm Center. A pancake breakfast will be held from 6 to 10 a.m. at the fire station. The shoot includes six traps, paint ball, bingo, a wheel of fortune, games for the whole family and a raffle as well as food — tri-tip sandwiches, hot dogs, nachos, sodas and water. Trap shells available. Rain date is Sunday, Oct. 28. No dogs allowed. Call 707-965-2295 for more information.

Oct. 25 - Harvest Festival at Connolly Ranch is full of family fun with farm animals, a large pumpkin patch, ice cream and live music. Located at 3141 Browns Valley Road in Napa. Call 707-224-1894 for more information.

Oct. 26 - Halloween Happenings at the Jelly Belly Visitor Center is an annual Munchkin Masquerade Parade Tour lead by Mr. Jelly Belly, at the Jelly Belly Visitor Venter. Visit www.jellybelly.com for more info.

Oct. 31 - The Calistoga Halloween Festival is an event full of games, music, costume contest, coloring contests, face painting, palm reading, storytelling, skits horse drawn carriage rides, snacks and refreshments. The event takes place on Oct. 31 from 7-9pm at the Fairgrounds. Cost is $2/person or $5/family.

Written by Karen