Duck Breast, Arugula, Blueberries, Smoked Almonds, Oats, Huckleberry-Lavender Sauce

4 duck breasts, excess fat and silverskin trimmed, tenderloins removed

3 cups steel cut oats

Almond flour

Cocoa nibs

1 pound of butter

4 cups arugula

1 cup blueberries

20 whole peeled almonds

4 cups huckleberry, fresh or frozen

1 cup dried lavender

5 sprigs of thyme

1 lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Finely ground sea salt

Flaky finishing salt such as Maldon or Meadow Flake

                                                                                

For the Duck Breast:

Prepare a 5% brine – 1 liter of water and 50g of kosker salt – and submerge the breasts completely. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours while you prepare the oats, sauce, and nuts.

For the Oats:

Heat the butter on high in a stainless steel pot, once melted stir in the oats and continue to cook on medium-high, stirring often, until the butter browns and the oats are cooked through. They should be golden brown and have a roasted nutty character from the brown butter. Remove to a coffee filter or cheesecloth set in a strainer to drain off the excess butter and cool. While cooling toast a few tablespoons of almond flour on a cookie sheet in the oven until light golden brown and grind a few tablespoons of cocoa nibs in a spice/coffee grinder. Mix the oats, almond flour, and cocoa nibs together in a bowl and season with salt.

For the Sauce:

In a stainless steel pot bring the berries to a simmer, if using frozen no extra water is necessary, if fresh, a few tablespoons of water might be needed. Continue to cook the berries down, they will release a fair amount of juice which needs to be concentrated. Meanwhile, in another pot, bring the lavender and thyme with enough water to fully submerge, up to a boil. Turn of the heat and let the herbs infuse the water. Puree the cooked berries in a blender and put through a tamis or fine mesh strainer to remove any seeds. You should have a thick huckleberry puree. Use the strained lavender water to adjust the consistency back to a smooth sauce, careful not to use too much or the sauce will be too “perfumey”

Smoke the almonds gently using any method available to you, if unable, just toast them in the oven with a little olive oil and salt.

To cook the Duck:

Use two large flat cast iron pans or black/French steel pans that will hold two breasts without overcrowding. Dry the breasts very well on paper towel and season both sides with sea salt. Place them, two to a pan, skin side down into the cold pans and place on low heat. As the fat renders out you can slowly turn the heat up to medium. Take your time, you want to render as much fat as possible and achieve a golden brown crispy skin. Use the hot rendered fat to baste the flesh. Cook to medium rare or medium depending on preference and remove to a plate to rest for at least five minutes.

To Plate:

Dress the arugula and blueberries with lemon juice and olive oil.

Slice each breast into two slices.

Sauce the plates with the huckleberry/lavender sauce.

Place the duck slices on each plate and garnish with finishing salt.

Mound the arugula and blueberries next to and on top of the duck.

Garnish with the almonds and any more blueberries if desired.

Spoon oats over the the duck and arugula.

Happy 10th Anniversary Lan Su Chinese Gardens!

This past week we had the absolute privilege to celebrate with Portland's beautiful Lan Su Chinese Garden as they rang in their 10th Anniversary! Serenaded by a beautiful jazz trio this strolling garden party was full of amazing foods and drinks from many great Portland restaurants. Thank you to everyone for helping this fundraiser and celebration become a complete success! We had an amazing time.

Whitney Setting Up Our Mini Dessert Display 

Salted Caramel & Pistachio French Macaroons 

Guests Mingling

Whitney & Guests Talking Sweets

The Sun Peeking Out

Guests Enjoying The Foods & Drinks

Our Friends from Departure Serving Up Steamed Buns

Mingling

Quiet Goodnight!

Community Profile: STEVE SMITH TEAMAKERS

Tucked down on NW 16th & Thurman, in the lower part of Portland's quiet, tree lined Northwest neighborhood stands a beautifully rustic old blacksmith building with a simple elegant sign hanging off the sign that reads: Steven Smith Teamakers. 

As you walk in the door you float comfortably into the warm sensual smell of teas lingering together. Natural light flows in the old large windows above the seating area, and a friendly knowledgeable face greets you at the counter. You can't help but be drawn in by the charm of the exposed brick or the large fishbowlesque window that allows you to peek into something magical. 

I sat down with Amy and Tony, two of the eight person team that runs Smith Teamakers first hand, over a single pitcher of their speciality iced black tea and over an hour later was overflowing with awe at the amount of knowledge I had just consumed about the tea world.

Steven, teamaker and artisan, started his tea story as the co founder of Stash Tea Company, then later as the “master tea shaman” at TAZO and as the story goes “is one of the humblest leading figures in the global tea scene.”
His entrepreneurial spirit led to the birth of Steven Smith Teamakers where simple beautiful ingredients are hand crafted into outstanding products.

All their teas are hand plucked from China, Sri Lanka, and India, while their botanicals come from different places all over the world, including here in Oregon. Everything is purchased in small quantities to maintain the freshness and integrity of the product -- thanks to Steve's ability to network and maintain friendships and professional relationships with the providers.

That mutual respect flows like water out of a tea pot into the craftsmanship of each tea filled sachet that is processed by their FOOSO at 30-40 bags per minute – as to not crush the leaves – and then hand checked and packaged into their gorgeous boxes.

33 blends, varietals, and single origins are available for purchase while 12 are available in cartons. They also sell delicious iced teas and fruit teas (teas that have been hand blended with fruit infused water).

For more information on Steven Smith Teas visit their awesome website SMITHTEA.COM where you can learn more about where you can purchase their teas and even enter the batch number (found on the bottom side of your tea carton) to see where your tea is from, who boxed it, and what was happening that day! 

Papa Haydn is thrilled to not only be serving Steve Smith teas, but also to have such an intellectual and wonderful business partner based here in Portland, OR. Thanks for such an awesome visit, tea makers. We can't wait to see you in our neck of the woods soon!