Northern Hills Xmas 2014 December Xmas Issue 2014 | Page 22

A MERRY FESTIVE FEAST As South Africans, we don’t celebrate Christmas quite the same as our European folk. Clinton Morgenrood puts his own Christmas Cheer on a very traditional time of the year. PHOTOGRAPHS WILLIE FOURIE RECIPES CLINTON MORGENROOD “Coming from a family with mixed pallets, tastes and food preferences, Christmas lunch is always a very exciting time to gather. Whoever hosts the lunch has to cater for each individual’s likes and dislikes, which makes our lunch tables quite a banquet of different dishes. From a selection of different roasts to a variety of starch and vegetable dishes! I always seem to find myself back at the serving table, dishing up seconds, just to make sure I get to taste everything on offer… and of course, there’s dessert! This year I decided for my lunch table, to serve a roasted duck (with a kick) and a warm, yet fresh take on an old classic, warm chocolate cake… tried and tested, these two dishes will most definitely please even the stringent of food critics” THE DRUNKEN DUCK – ROAST DUCK WITH APPLE, RUM & CRANBERRY STUFFING The duck can be substituted with other white meats like Pork, Chicken or Turkey. Cooking times may vary - Serves 4-6 Sundried Cranberries 100g Rum 4 tablespoons Apples 4, 3 peeled, cored & diced; 1 whole for stuffing end Butter 2 tablespoons White Bread 200g, crumbed Ground Cardamom ¼ teaspoon Dried Sage ¼ teaspoon Salt & Pepper to taste Duck 1-2kg Clarified Butter 1 tablespoon White Wine 250ml • Preheat oven to 200°C • Rinse the dried Cranberries under cold water and drain well. Soak them in the Rum • Heat the 2 tablespoons of Butter in a large frying pan and fry the crumbed.Bread in it over medium heat until golden. Add the Cardamom, Sage, and Salt & Pepper. Place in a bowl to cool • Simmer the cubed Apples in the breadcrumb pan for 4 minutes, turning from time to time, until they soften. Add the breadcrumb mixture. Mix in the Cranberries and the Rum. Place in a bowl to cool • Wash the Duck under cold water and pat dry with kitchen towel. Rub the insides and outsides with Salt & Pepper • Heat the Clarified Butter in the pan over medium heat and sear the Duck in it. Stuff the Duck with the apple stuffing. Close the cavity with the whole Apple and tie the back legs together with kitchen string. Lay the Duck in a roasting dish. Deglaze the duck stock in the pan with a little water and pour it over the duck. Cover the dish and roast for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to roast for another 45 minutes, basting the Duck with its juices from time to time • Pour out the juices and combine it with the white wine. Boil for a few min utes in a small saucepan, seasoning with Salt & Pepper • Carve the Duck and serve with the sauce, white Rice and your choice of steamed Vegetables