Spicy Duck & Black Cherry Salad & Peach Cobbler

RECIPES FROM CHEF TORY MCPHAIL - EXECUTIVE CHEF AT COMMANDER'S PALACE IN NEW ORLEANS - as presented on Good Day Alabama on Friday, August 3, 2012

SPICY DUCK & BLACK CHEERY SALAD
1 LB NORTHWEST CHERRIES, PITTED
1 LB SPICED DUCK CONFIT
1 LB ARUGULA, OR MIXED SUMMER GREENS, WASHED
4 OZ BLUE CHEESE
4 OZ SPICED PECANS
2 OZ HONEY
1 OZ SUGARCANE VINEGAR
1 OZ VEGETABLE OIL
2 OZ SAZERAC COCKTAIL

1 OZ SWEET POTATO CHIPS, OPTIONAL
SALT & PEPPER TO TASTE

METHOD: START FIRST BY MAKING YOUR VINAIGRETTE. IN A LARGE COCKTAIL SHAKER WITH ICE, COMBINE YOUR SAZERAC COCKTAIL WITH HONEY, VINEGAR, OIL, SALT & A PINCH OF PEPPER. SHAKE VIGOROUSLY TO COMBINE. PLACE YOUR WASHED GREESN IN A MEDIUM SIZED MIXING BOWL AND LIGHTLY SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER AND A SPLASH OF THE DRESSING. COMBINE WELL AND PORTION ON SMALL SALAD PLATES. CONTINUE DRESSING THE SALAD BY ADDING THE CHERRIES, DUCK, BLUE CHEESE, SPICED PECAN, AND CRISP SWEET POTATO CHIPS. SHAKE THE LAST OF THE DRESSING AND POUR AROUND THE SALAD PLATES IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE DRESSING.



"THE PEACH BUSINESS"
COMMANDER'S COUNTRY PEACH COBBLER - YIELDS 12 PORTIONS

FOR THE PEACH:
8 OZ RIPE PEACHERS (YET STILL FIRM)
2 TBSP SUGAR
2 TBSP MAKER'S MARK WHISKEY

FO THE BATTER:
1 ½ CUPS CAKE FLOUR
2 TSP SALT
3 TBSP SUGAR
2 TBSP BAKING POWDER
2 EGGS
3 TBSP MELTED BUTTER
½ TSP VANILLA
1 ¼ CUP BUTTERMILK

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
½ LB DARK BROWN SUGAR
¼ LB UNSALTED BUTTER
¼ LB ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
¼ LB PECAN PIECES

GARNISHES:
12 PORTIONS OF BUTTER PECAN ICE CREAM
12 OZ PEACH & WHISKEY JAM
12 OZ CHERRY COULIS

METHODS:
FOR THE PEACHES:
WAS AND SLICE THE PEACHES AND PLACE IN A BOWL. ADD SUGAR & BOURBON AND LEAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE TO MARINATE.

FOR THE BATTER:
SIFT THE DRY INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A MIXING BOWL. BLEND THE WET INGREDIENTS TOGETHER IN A BLENDER FOR 20 SECONDS UNTIL FROTHY, THEN POUR INTO THE DRY INGREDIENTS. USING A WHISK, FOLD THE BATTER TOGETHER UNTIL ALL LUMPS ARE GONE. (NO MORE THAN 20 SECS). LEAVE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE.

FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
USING THE BOWL AND ATTACHMENT ON A SMALL MIXER, ADD FLOUR & SUGAR TOGETHER AND BLEND ON LOW FOR FOUR MINTUES UNTIL BUTTER IS SMOOTH AND LIGHTER. SCRAPE DOWN THE SIDE OF THE BOWL A FEW TIMES TO ENSURE ITS INCORPORATED FULLY. ADD THE FLOUR AND PECANS ALL AT ONCE AND MIX UNTIL INCORPORATED - ABOUT 30 SECONDS. SCRAPE THE BATTER INTO A SMALL BOWL AND SET TO THE SIDE.

TO ASSEMBLE THE COBBLER:
PRE-SET AN OVEN TO 350 DEGREES. GREASE AN 8"X12" CASSERONE DISH AND POUR INTO THE BATTER. USING A PALETTE KNIFE AND THE BACK OF A SPOON, SPREAD THE BATTER EVENLY ACROSS THE BOTTOM. PLACE THE PEACHES EVENLY ON TOP OF THE BATTER TO COVER THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE DISH. USING YOUR FINGERS, EVENLY CRUMBLE THE STREUSEL ACROSS THE TOP OF THE PEACHES. BAKE IN THE OVEN AT 350 FOR 20 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE TOP IS GOLDEN BROWN. REMOVE THE COBBLER FROM THE OVEN AND LET REST FOR 20 MINTUES TO SET. TO FINISH, SPOON A PORTION OF COBBLER ONTO A DESSERT PLATE, AND DRIZZLE THE PLATE ATTRACTIVELY WITH PEACH COULIS AND WHISKEY JAM. PLACE A PORTION OF ICE CREAM ON TOP OF THE COBBLER AND SERVE.