Mozzarella, Carrot Puree, Chanterelles, Two Prosciuttos

Last night I made a rather elaborate dinner at home, I spent my whole day off in the kitchen (go figure...). What I came up with was an appetizer, and a main course that contrasted each other in flavor and appearance (main course to come later)

Prosciutto, carrot and cucumber wrapped fresh mozzarella with roasted chanterelles, radish, scallion, carrot puree, raspberry balsamic reduction, and duck prosciutto.

To start: I made wrapped mozzarella balls in prosciutto di Parma, carrot ribbon, and cucumber. Then I wrapped my other garnish for the plate, which was cucumber rectangle with radish on top, wrapped in a carrot ribbon, with a tiny piece of scallion sticking out.

Carrot Puree: Ingredients
1/2 Lb carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 inch rondelles
3T unsalted butter
1/4C freshly grated pecorino cheese
1/4C Heavy cream
Salt and Pepper TT

Process: First, boil the carrots until soft, then drain. In the same pan/pot, melt the butter, and stir in the cream, cheese, and pepper. Pour the carrots back into the pan, and let the butter/cream come up to a boil. Turn off, transfer to blender and blitz. Add more salt and pepper if necessary. Chill in the fridge.

The rest of the dish was rather simple. For the mushrooms, I sauteed them in chicken fat (I was making a chicken stock at the same time, so I skimmed some of the delicious fat off the top and used it like butter. Animal fat is highly underrated, as it holds a TON of flavor, and can be used instead of oil or butter for much deeper flavor).

The dots on the plate are a raspberry and balsamic vinegar reduction, that is sweet but still has the tangy bite of vinegar. The raspberry vinegar is locally made in Canton, and can be bought at Violette Wine Shop in Cambridge, MA.

The other small prosciutto bits on the plate are actually duck prosciutto! I have started curing meats at home, and this is the first one that is done! It is actually VERY easy and approachable.

Duck Prosciutto
2 Duck Breasts, 1/2Lb each
1 Box Kosher Salt
2 Bay Leaf
7 Juniper Berries
1/4C Grey Salt
1tea Lemon Zest
10 Clove Garlic
2T Black Pepper

Cheesecloth
Twine

First, mix about 2-4C salt with the bay leaves, juniper berries (crush with the back of a sautee pan), grey salt, lemon zest, chopped garlic, and black pepper. Once everything is incorporated, pour a thin layer into a dish that will fit both the duck breasts without them touching. Pack them completely in salt, so they are no longer visible. Make sure everything is evenly distributed. It is easiest to place the duck fat side down, as it will take on fabulous flavor from the spiced salt. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 24 hours.

Remove the duck from the salt, wash it under lukewarm water, and then dry completely. Then, wrap each breast in cheesecloth (single layer-- too much cloth will not allow the moisture to evaporate from the duck, and thus improperly curing it) tie up the breasts as you would a roast of meat. Hang it in a cool, dark place. The desired humidity is between 50-65% if you have any way of regulating it, but a closet or a basement works fine. Hang the duck for 7-8 days, after that, you will be able to feel that the meat has stiffened significantly, and it is ready to eat. It will almost feel like jerky on the outside. Unwrap, and slice as thin as possible on a meat slicer. If you do not have access to a meat slicer, try putting the breast in the freezer, and then using a serrated knife to slice it as thin as possible.

Good Luck!!