Duck breast with raspberry sauce

Come Christmas and we find ourselves busy with a lot of activities that include sending postcard greetings to loved ones, decorating home with traditional lights and wreaths and most importantly rustling up a desirable Christmas dinner for a garnished finale to the festive year. As you celebrate the birth of Jesus and welcome the New Year with open arms, treat your family and guests to an elaborate meal, the taste of which shall linger for long. A refreshing cointreau cocktail at the outset will prepare your taste buds for the next big dish on the menu, i.e. duck breast with raspberry sauce that will surely appeal to your palate. Christmas butter and stollen bread as side dishes will make for an ideal pairing. Perfect your Christmas menu with the listed below well-instructed recipes shared by Executive Chef, Suresh Thampy and Pastry Chef, Sanjay of Courtyard by Marriott, Mumbai International Airport. Christmas Cosmo Ingredients: 15ml Cointreau 15ml cranberry juice 1 tsp. lime juice (fresh) 30ml vodka Mixing instructions: Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Option: To garnish, float a few frozen cranberries after pouring. Duck breasts with Raspberry sauce Ingredients 4 duck breast halves 2 teaspoons sea salt 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 4 teaspoons demerara sugar 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup creme de cassis liqueur 1 teaspoon cornstarch 4 ounces raspberries Method: -Preheat oven on broiler setting. -Use a fork to score the duck breasts through the skin and fat but not all the way through to the meat. -Heat a large heavy skillet on medium high. Fry the duck breasts skin side down, until the skin browns and fat runs out, about 10 minutes. Remove the breasts from the pan, and pour off most of the fat. Return breasts to pan, and fry skin side up for another 10 minutes. Remove breasts from pan, and allow resting on a baking sheet. -Mix the sea salt, cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle over the skin of the duck breasts. Pour most of the fat out of the frying pan. -Mix together the red wine, cassis, and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour into the pan, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened. -Add raspberries, and simmer for another minute until heated through. -Broil the duck breasts skin side up, until the sugar begins to caramelize, about 1 minute. Slice the duck breasts thinly, pour a little sauce over the top, and serve warm. Serves- 4. Christmas Butter Ingredients 250g butter 75g dried cranberries, finely chopped 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 4 fresh rosemary sprigs 3 few sprigs of fresh sage Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 Clementine Method: -Put the butter in a bowl and add the chopped cranberries. -Chop the herb leaves, and then add to the butter with a pinch of salt and pepper, and the finely grated zest of your Clementine. -Mix so the butter softens and everything is combined. Divide the butter roughly in half. -Get your turkey and use a spoon to work your way between the skin and the meat. -Start at the side of the cavity and work gently up towards the back so you create a large cavity. Pick half the butter and push it into the cavity you've created. Use your hands to push it through the skin so it coats the breast meat as evenly as possible. Do the same on the other side and then rub any leftover butter all over the outside. -Cover the turkey in cling film and put it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it the next day. Stollen Bread Sponge 1/2 cup milk 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 4-5 teaspoons (or 2 packets) instant or active dry yeast Fruit 2 cups dried fruit (raisins, golden raisins, dried cherries, dried apricots, etc.) 1/2 cup Grand Marnier, brandy, rum, or schnapps 1 tablespoon orange or lemon extract and/or grated lemon or orange rind Dough 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon sugar 3/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 egg 4 tablespoons (1/2 a stick) butter, softened 1/4 to 1/2 cups water 1/2 cup almond slivers or marzipan Topping Butter or oil Powdered sugar Method -Warm the milk. Mix the yeast into the milk and stir into the flour. Cover with plastic wrap and ferment for 1 hour until the sponge is very foamy. -While the sponge is fermenting, combine the dried fruit and the liqueur. -When the sponge is ready, combine the remaining flour, salt, sugar, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the sponge, egg, softened butter, and enough water to form soft but not sticky dough. Stir in the dried fruit and knead in a mixer or by hand for 5 to 10 minutes. -Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with plastic or a damp towel, and set aside to rise for 45 minutes to an hour. -On a floured surface, shape the dough into a rectangle, either by rolling it out or pressing it with your hands. -Place the marzipan or slivered almonds in the center of the loaf. Fold the dough closed and shape the loaf into something resembling a crescent. -Cover the loaf loosely with plastic and set it aside to rise for approximately an hour to an hour and a half. While it is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. -When fully raised, bake the stollen for approximately 20 minutes. Rotate it and bake it until the internal temperature is approximately 190 degrees. -Remove the stollen from the oven. While still hot, brush the top of the loaf with butter or vegetable oil and sprinkle with powdered sugar. A relishing food fare it promises to be!