Confit Duck Leg and Slow Cooked Duck Breast with Cabbage - Photo: Flickr
Christmas recipe serves: 6
calories per serving: 400
preparation time: 15 minutes
cooking time: 2hours 30 minutes
suitable for freezing after step 3.
Christmas recipe ingredients:
duck legs, 6, about 2 kg (4.5 lb)
onions, 350 g (12 oz)
root ginger, fresh, 5 cm piece, (2 inches)
butter, 125 g (4 oz)
caster sugar, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
green cardamom pods, 8 whole
chicken stock, 1.7 liters (3 pints)
ginger wine, 300 ml (10 fl oz)
dry white wine, 150 ml (5 fl oz)
salt and pepper
orange juice, 45 ml (3 tbsp)
lemon juice, 15 ml (1 tbsp)
oil, 5 ml (1 tbsp)
sea salt, coarse 10 ml (2 tsp)
garnish, coarse fresh coriander
Christmas recipe instructions:
1. Simmer the duck legs gently in a large pan of boiling water for about 2 hours.
2. To prepare the sauce, fry peeled chopped onions in 50 g (2 oz) of the butter for about 10 minutes or soft. Add peeled and grated ginger, with the sugar and cardamom seeds from one pod. Cook until the color of the mixture turns dark golden brown.
3. Add the stock and boil until the volume is reduced by half. Reduce by half again till syrup like after adding the white wine and dry ginger. Add salt and pepper and orange juice to taste.
4. Stir in 25 g (1 oz) of the butter into the sauce at boiling point. Separate the onions from the liquid and combine with the rest of the butter. Keep.
5. Remove excess water from the duck and put over a roasting tin on a rack. Brush the duck with oil and sprinkle with salt and the remaining cardamom seeds.
6. Roast until the skin is very crisp. About 20 to 25 minutes at gas mark 8. (230 degrees centigrade, 450 F). Add the reheated butter and onion and serve the food with heated cardamom sauce. Garnish with coriander.
Given the many types of Christmas trees available and the various ways in which they can be bought, it's important to know certain qualities that a Christmas tree should have so that it will be suitable for decorating and will also last through the season.
One of the most important qualities a Christmas tree should have is freshness. This makes buying a tree from a Christmas Tree Farm the best option because you will observe the tree being cut at the time it is purchased. If a tree is bought elsewhere, such as from a retail lot, it is important to find out where the tree came from and when it was cut.
To determine the freshness of a tree, observe whether it looks green and healthy, has a fragrant scent and has needles that are moist and flexible. If the needles appear dry or show browning, then that is a sign the tree isn't very fresh. If a large number of green needles fall when a few branches of the tree are shaken, that's also a sign that the tree isn't the best one to buy to last for the entire season. The needles of fir trees should break crisply when they are bent. If a fir tree needle is bent and doesn't break readily with pressure, it might mean that the tree isn't absorbing water and that will affect its longevity.
Another reason a Christmas tree farm can be a better option for purchasing a Christmas tree is that it will be more likely to offer more species of trees and therefore a wider variety of shapes and sizes.
For those Christmas trees that are located on retail or other commercial lots, freshness can be determined by looking at the conditions in which the trees are kept. Observe whether the trees are kept in stands that hold water if baled trees are protected from the wind and sun if a fresh cut is put on trees and if the trees are tied down correctly.
Another quality to consider in selecting the right Christmas tree is its size. Before buying a tree, it is important to decide where it will be placed so that space can be measured. You will need to do a floor to ceiling measurement and then subtract at least 10-12 inches to get the maximum height for the Christmas tree. It is recommended that at least 10-12 inches of space should be between the top of the Christmas tree and the ceiling.
The bottom of the Christmas tree also needs to be checked to make sure there is adequate space between the end of it and the lowest branches. A small diagonal fresh cut, such as an inch, is made in that area to enhance absorption of water, which will make the tree last longer. This cut should be made just before the tree is placed in water. If a fresh cut is done and the tree is exposed to the air too long, the vessels can become blocked.
Along with freshness and size, a tree should be selected based on the shape that you like, the smell of the needles and bark and on how dense and sturdy the branches are. For the density and sturdiness of the tree, you need to have an idea of how the tree will be decorated - how many heavy ornaments, Christmas lights or bows will be used. As an example, a fir tree that has sturdy branches will be better for holding heavy ornaments and a pine tree is good for Christmas trees that have light decorations such as bows and a string of Christmas lights.
The texture of the branches and how durable or long-lasting the tree will be are also worth considering in choosing a perfect Christmas tree.
A Chrismon tree in the nave of St. Alban's Anglican Cathedral in Oviedo, Florida
Photo: Wikipedia
The tradition of Christmas trees in America came from German immigrants who had settled in Pennsylvania. It is believed that the tradition of Christmas trees started in Germany from as early as 700 A.D and was practiced by many Germans in the 1800s. It's also since that period that Christmas trees have also been available for sale in the United States. While artificial Christmas trees are popular, many people like to have a fresh Christmas tree in their homes, or outside on their lawns. And similar to all other trees, Christmas trees also have different shapes and qualities that make some types more popular than others.
Along with other decorative Christmas items such as wreaths and garlands, having a Christmas tree in your home is very essential in creating a special atmosphere for the season. It is believed that
Christmas trees have been available for sale in America since the 1800s, which is about the same time that the former Woolworth's department store started selling ready-made ornaments for Christmas trees.
Choosing the right type of Christmas tree is important because Christmas trees are often a focal point for many family activities and traditions. Given the many types of Christmas trees that are available, it is important to think about how the tree will be used. While a tall tree may look very elegant, it may not be suitable if there aren't many adults around who can reach the tree's heights. And a very short tree may be dwarfed by other furniture in the room. It's therefore very important to carefully consider and get a tree that has a suitable height and also one that has sturdy branches to hold heavy ornaments.
Artificial and real Christmas trees can often be bought from the same retail stores these days as local businesses and retail chain stores often sell both types of trees. The best place to get a real and fresh Christmas tree, and also to see a wide variety, is likely a Christmas tree farm, however. Using modern technology, both types of trees can also be obtained through online transactions, via telephone as well as by mail-order through catalogs.
Among Christmas trees, there are certain types that are always favorites and which are bestsellers. These include Douglas, Fraser, Noble and Balsam firs, and Scotch, Virginia, and white pine trees.
These evergreen trees all have all have one or more excellent features related to shape, color or sheen and fragrance, which makes them favorites for Christmas trees.
The most favorite Christmas trees basically have a pyramid or cone shape. A pyramid-shaped tree is likely taller and has somewhat of an elegant look. Douglas Fir, which ranks first among Christmas tree favorites, is an example of a pyramid-shaped tree. Other examples are Fraser, Balsam, and Noble firs.
A cone shape tree tends to be short with dense branches, which makes them excellent for holding many ornaments and other decorations. Families that have a strong tradition of making their own ornaments, or putting mementos on Christmas trees may consider a cone-shaped tree. Virginia and Scotch Pines, Norway Spruce and the Eastern White Pine all have cone shapes.
Another feature that makes Christmas trees appealing is their color. While all trees have a green appearance, a closer look at their needles will reveal differences such as a bright or dark-green, blue-
green or yellowish-green hue. The needles may also emit a silvery sheen with the right lighting. Fraser and Noble firs both have needles with a silvery sheen, and the branches of both trees are also used for garlands and wreaths.Most people choose a fresh Christmas tree for its fragrance, which can be fairly strong or just subtle, giving off just enough of a whiff of scent.
Douglas Fir, which is the most popular Christmas tree in homes and public places, is a very fragrant tree. The Balsam fir is also fairly fragrant. The Eastern White Pine is, however, a tree that doesn't have much fragrance. Whether you have a favorite type of Christmas tree or will choose one from its appearance, there are many choices to satisfy the desire to have a fragrant and well-decorated tree for Christmas.
