Sun salutation from the plancha
Next winter is sure to come. Juicy, aromatic blood oranges trick our senses into believing that there is a hint of sunshine. Most of the varieties of blood oranges available here are late oranges. Like all citrus fruits, they contain few calories and lots of vitamin C. They also contain flavonoids as health-promoting secondary plant substances that protect our cells from free radicals, slow down the aging process and reduce the risk of cancer. FIRE&FOOD plancha expert Chris Sandford puts the sunny fruit with its typical strong red color and slightly tart note in the spotlight on the plancha and shows that the hot plate is always good for culinary surprises.
BLOOD ORANGE APPETIZER
Chris Sandford: “An easy dish – not just for plancha newbies!”
Ingredients:
• 1 fresh baguette, cut into even slices
• extra virgin olive oil
• 4 – 5 blood oranges, peeled and cut into 1 cm thick slices
• 30 – 60 g Parmesan, grated
• smoked paprika powder
• Salt
• Pepper
Preparation:
Preheat the plancha well, then add a little olive oil to no more than half of the surface and lightly toast the baguette slices in it.
At the same time, place the orange slices on the clean, unoiled plancha surface. As soon as the grape and fruit sugar contained in the fruit caramelizes, turn the slices over. Sprinkle the turned side with Parmesan, add a little salt (if any) and place on the baguette slices. In Italian, they say "un filo di olio", which means that you pour a very thin layer of olive oil over it, as otherwise the bitter substances in the orange would combine too much with those in the olive oil. Sprinkle with a little smoked paprika powder and serve quickly before the appetizers cool down!
Canard A l'orange sanguine (Duck in blood orange)
Chris Sandford:
"The plancha loves all kinds of meat, but it definitely shines when it comes to cooking duck. It's exciting to see how much fat separates between the skin and the meat, and if you don't want to do that, you can let the fat flow directly into the collecting container. However, this recipe will appeal to those who don't want to miss out on the taste of duck fat!"
Ingredients (for 2 people):
• 2 small to medium duck breasts, tendons removed
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 glass of red wine
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• ½ tsp butter
• 1 blood orange, segments removed
• Salt
• Pepper
For the side dish:
• 2 sweet potatoes, washed and unpeeled
cut into even slices
• 2 chicory, halved
• 1 small onion, cut into thick rings
• 1 sheet of gold leaf (optional)
• 2 – 4 larger croutons
Preparation:
In this recipe, we "play" with the inclination of the plancha, which influences the flow of liquid - with the device used here, it works from top to bottom. First, place the duck breasts on top of the plancha at a medium temperature. Season lightly and roast on both sides. Roast the sweet potato slices in the fat that drains underneath, cutting diagonally if necessary. Be careful that they do not get too dark. Also fry the croutons in the duck fat and put to one side. Below or next to it, crush the garlic clove on the plancha with a strong blow and roast it together with the mushrooms and onion rings. One level lower, roast the chicory halves on both sides; some fat should still run into them if you have worked quickly and at the right angle. Take the duck breast off the plancha and let it rest to the side. Push the mushroom mixture onto the spot where the duck breasts were previously so that the roasted aromas of the duck can be absorbed. Then deglaze with the red wine, stir in the sugar and add the blood orange segments. And since I can't resist, I'll add another knob of butter. Cut the duck breast into slices and serve with the side dishes. Decorate with gold leaf for a little "bling!"
There are even more delicious recipes in our recipe database.
