Recipe(tried): Grilled Duck Breast with Mango Salsa, Gingered Sweet Potatoes,Radicchio and Butter Lettuce Salad with Goat Cheese, Dried Cherries and Toasted Walnuts Vinaigrette Dressing

Gingered Sweet Potatoes, Steamed Asparagas, and Radicchio & Butter Lettuce Salad with Goat Cheese, Dried Cherries & Toasted Walnuts, Apple Pie

Well, my DH & I finally got a chance to cook a real Saturday night meal after getting our 2 girls off on their new adventures.

Grilled Duck Breast (Since it was just the 2 of us, we only cooked one duck breast)

Score the skin sides of the breast with a sharp knife. Add to the marinade and turn to coat.

Marinate duck over night in the following: (double recipe for up to 6 duck breasts)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp cayenne
1/4 c. dry red wine
1/4 c. canola oil
1/8 c. chopped garlic

Prepare grill. Grill the breast(s), fat side down over medium - low heat until brown and crispy, 10 to 12 min. My husband did 10 min. Turn and cook other side about 2 to 3 min. for medium rare. You don't want to over cook the duck. Cooking it is similar to cooking a steak. Allow the breasts to rest for 3 min., then cut diagonally into 4 to 6 slices. (I think we got 8 slices out of a .75 lb. breast). Also, I thought that the duck was really good by itself, without the salsa but the salsa was tasty too.

Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, finely chopped
1/8 c. fresh lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Gingered Sweet Potatoes (from Ming Tsai's Blue Ginger Cookbook) Try these if you try nothing else. They were outstanding!! Last night was the first time I made these and they were delicious!

6 Tbl. butter
6 garlic cloves, peeled
2 Tbl. finely chopped fresh ginger
1 1/2 c. heavy cream
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled & roughly chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat a small saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbl. of the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add garlic and ginger and saute, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is brown, 3 to 4 min. Add the cream and reduce by 1/3 over low heat, about 10 min. (Be careful when you reduce the cream since it will boil over really, really easily). Keep warm.

Meanwhile, combine the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them completely. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until they can be easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 20 - 30 min. (Mine only took about 11 min. Maybe I cut mine up smaller than he does). Drain, then evaporate all of the rest of the water from the pan by shaking it over low heat. Transfer to a food processor. Add the cream (you might not need all of it...you don't want the potatoes to be too mushy) and process until well blended. Add the remaining butter, season with salt and pepper, and puree until smooth. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
(I froze the leftovers & think that they will freeze okay).

Steamed Asparagas Hmmm - We probably would have had steamed broccoli if we hadn't been eating steamed broccoli all week, We were just tired of it but it definitely is a more fall like vegetable than asparagas. I just got a Tupperware steamer for the microwave and I like it a lot.

Radicchio and Butter Lettuce Salad with Goat Cheese, Dried Cherries & Toasted Walnuts Vinaigrette Dressing

I used the stuff in the bag, putting enough for each serving on a salad plate. I topped each plate with some "crumbled" goat cheese and some dried cherries. I served the toasted walnuts on the side so they wouldn't get soggy in the refrigerator while we were making everything else.

For the walnuts, just spread some in a single layer on a small cookie sheet. Toast at 350 degrees F for 6 to 8 min.

Vinaigrette (This is better if you can make it a day ahead. I just keep it in the refrigerator most of the time so I have it on hand).

1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
4 Tbl. red wine vinegar
1 Tbl. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. canola oil

As for the Apple Pie, we were too full to eat it but I'll admit that I bought it at a local market that makes wonderful pies. The price just went up so I may have to go back to making my own again. Serve it with a slice of cheddar cheese or a good vanilla ice cream.

We each had a glass of 1998 Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel from Sonoma County, CA. Red wine for this meal:-)!