CRIZ BON APPETITE

I love roasted duck, especially those that have been prepared perfectly without the intrusive and overpowering ducky taste. The usage of duck meat can be quite versatile. You can have the duck meat served as an appetizer, a main course, a topping for your grain byproducts such as pasta, noodles or even rice and lastly as snacks for your breakfast, tea or supper. Since I could hardly find any snacks around my region with duck meat, I had decided to create my own and it was a hit amongst my family members and friends. Thus, I now share with you my recipe for ROASTED DUCK PUFF. Do enjoy~ 🙂

Basically the filling for the puff consisted of my own version of mushroom gravy which I had shared earlier, together with other ingredients of my choice. As for the puff pastry, you can use Gordan Ramsey’s Rough Puff Pastry recipe but this time I’ve decided to use the prepacked version since it was the fastest way to come out with some delicious snacks within the shortest period. I’ve a long line of hungry people waiting my creations you know? 😛

INGREDIENTS:
2 packs of frozen puff pastry (40g x 10 x 2, 4” x 4”)
3 roasted duck/chicken drumsticks (remove bones & slice to bite sizes. You can substitute with smoked duck breast meat but it can be a bit more oily and chewy)
1 cup mushroom gravy (please refer to my earlier recipe, just use a scissor to dice the mushroom slices evenly)
1 big onion (finely dice)
1 small carrot (finely dice & blanch – 2mm x 2mm)
2 potatoes (finely dice & blanch – 5mm x 5mm)
2 tbsp parsley (finely chop)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt & black pepper to taste
Some meat stock
Brandy/red wine (optional)
Softened butter
1 egg yolk (beaten)

PREPARATIONS:
• Blanch the carrot and potatoes dices separately until 75% cooked (approximately about 4-5 minutes each). Drain well.
• Heat up 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and sauté the onion dices until translucent.
• Add in the mushroom gravy, carrot and potatoes dices and stir until cooked. You may add in some meat stock if it becomes too dry.
• Add in the roasted duck meat and chopped parsley. Stir fry evenly for about 5 minutes.
• Add salt and black pepper to taste. You may add in more brandy/red wine for that extra boost.
• Scoop out onto a bowl and leave to cool before wrapping. (Note: Please ensure that the filling is cooked very dry to avoid excess fluid from oozing out while baking)
• Place the square puff pastry on your palm with the pointed corners facing up. Fill up about 2 tablespoons of the filling. (Note: Try to avoid letting the edges touch any of the filling as it would not seal properly)

• Join the top and bottom corners while pressing hard and holding it up like a bag.
• Press the left and right sides firmly and accordingly to seal the filling properly.
• Place the pastry on a flat surface and use a fork to press on all the sides to secure the filling even more.
• Use your fork to make 3-4 punches on the top.
• Brush your baking tray with some butter and place the pastry on it.
• When you have arranged your pastries with an allowance of 1” apart, slightly brush the pastries with some softened butter and then some beaten egg yolk.

• Preheat your oven on 200°C for 5 minutes.
• Place your baking tray inside and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
• When the pastries are baked, take out and place on some kitchen towel to soak any excess oil.
• Serve hot.

(Makes: 16-20 pieces)

YOU CAN CHECK HERE FOR MORE RECIPES.

Most people would love to have sweet desserts for tea. For my case, savory items would suit me better as it’s another way to control my blood sugar level. Nobody would believe that I created these yummy snacks for tea mostly with leftovers~ Haha! Well, I have some puff dough left in my freezer as well as some mushroom gravy I have in stock from my previous grilled meat dishes. I just added some finely cut chicken slices to the mushroom gravy and that became my filling for my CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PUFF BOAT.

I learned the puff pastry from Gordan Ramsey’s Rough Puff Pastry recipe. Let me show you my mushroom gravy recipe instead which would serve as a great sauce for any grilled, batter coated or breadcrumb coated meat dishes. As for the balance of the cut dough, I simply wrap around some boiled cocktail sausages to come out with another snack I called COCKTAIL PUFF. Another bonus snack~ 😛

INGREDIENTS FOR MUSHROOM GRAVY: (Make about 4 cups)
250gms dried Shitake mushrooms (soak in hot water & slice thinly) or 400gms fresh mushrooms (slice thinly)
60gms butter (about 1/8 of a 454gms block of butter)
1/3 cup flour (sift)
900ml meat or vegetable stock
1/2 tsp dried mixed herbs
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp brandy/whiskey
Salt & freshly grounded black pepper to taste

INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN & MUSHROOM FILLING:
300gms chicken breast meat (slice & coarsely cut into bits)

GARNISHES:
Cherry tomatoes & micro greens

PREPARATIONS:
• Melt the butter in a large saucepan/wok on MEDIUM-HIGH heat.
• When the butter sizzle, add the mushrooms and sauté until dry with golden brown color for about 10 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to MEDIUM and stir in the sifted flour. Cook for about 5 minutes.
• Reduce the heat to LOW and slowly whisk in the meat/vegetables stock.
• Add in the mixed herbs and let it simmer for 25-30 minutes (or until your preferred thickness) while stirring occasionally to avoid the base being burnt.
• Add in the brandy/whiskey, salt and freshly grounded black pepper to taste. Now you have your sauce to serve with any meat dishes.
• As for the chicken & mushroom filling, just leave about 1/4 of the gravy (about a cup with mushrooms) and pour in the chicken meat. Slowly saute until cook. If the gravy is too thick or salty, just add a bit of hot water to dilute it. Roughly drain the gravy into any existing gravy stock you have left.
• As for the puff pastry (based on my displayed photo), cut the rolled dough into 2″ x 4″ rectangular. For every 2 pieces, cut a hole in one and lay it on another whole pastry. The remaining cut piece you can use it to wrap around a boiled cocktail sausage to avoid wastage.
• Glaze your baking tray with some butter.
• Place your puff pastries on it and brush evenly with some butter.
• Preheat your oven on 210°C-220°C for 10 minutes.
• Place your baking tray inside and bake for 10-12 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

• When the puff pastries are done, use a butter knife to flatten the inner layer.

• Fill them up with the chicken & mushroom filling. Garnish with cherry tomato and micro greens. Note: Try not to have any gravy in the puff pastries as it would wet the base.
• Serve hot

(Makes: 12-15pcs)

Do enjoy your simple snacks~ 🙂

YOU CAN CHECK HERE FOR MORE RECIPES.