Kentucky's Summer Harvest

Sweet Potato Crepes

• 1

  Run sweet potatoes through a potato ricer into a bowl.

• 2

  When cool, mix in the egg.

• 3

  Whisk dry ingredients together in a separate bowl.

• 4

  Combine sweet potato mixture with dry mixture and mix, slowly adding in the milk until a pourable batter is formed. Add more milk if necessary.

• 5

  Allow crepe batter to rest in refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

• 6

  Heat a sauté pan over medium heat, and add a teaspoon of duck fat and allow to melt. Wipe away excess.
  

• 7

  Add 1/4 cup of crepe batter to pan, swirling to spread. Heat until bubbles form around the edges, then flip and finish. Repeat until you have 4 crepes.
  

Hickory Smoked Duck Breast with Crispy Skin

• 1

  Start a charcoal grill, and when hot, push the coals to one side.

• 2

  Preheat an oven to 375 degrees.

• 3

  Place the drained wood chips inside a pouch made with aluminum foil, and cut slits into the top. Place on top of the hot coals.

• 4

  When the chips begin smoking, place the breasts on the grill on the opposite end from the coals. The goal here is to smoke the breasts without cooking them. Smoke for 30 minutes.

• 5

  While the breasts are smoking, thinly slice the skin and place in a sauté pan over low heat, rendering out all the fat until crispy.

• 6

  After smoking the breasts, season with salt and pepper, and add to a smoking hot sauté pan. Sear on one side for 2-3 minutes until they are golden brown and lift from the pan easily, then flip and immediately place into the oven. Allow to roast 5-7 minutes, or until desired degree of doneness.

• 7

  Take breasts out of pan, and allow to rest, lightly tented with foil, at least 10 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain.

• 8

  Take the rendered skin out of the pan and allow to drain on a paper towel covered plate.

Sautéed Summer Greens

• 1

  Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat with the duck fat.

• 2

  Add shallot, sautéing until translucent and fragrant, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and sauté another minute.

• 3

  Add the greens to the pan, seasoning with the salt, pepper, and vinegar, and sauté until the greens have wilted, but still have a crunch.

• 4

  Remove the greens from the heat and finish with a little grated nutmeg.

• 5

  Heat the duck fat in a sauce pan over medium-high heat.

• 6

  Add the shallot to the pan and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.

• 7

  Add the garlic the sauté another minute, until fragrant.

• 8

  Whisk in the flour until all lumps are gone forming a roux, then add the wine. Cook about a minute, until mixture is thickened and the wine has reduced slightly.

• 9

  Add the chicken stock, corn kernels, and thyme sprig, simmering until the kernels are tender and the liquid has reduced, about 15-20 minutes.

• 10

  Puree this mix in a blender, and pass through a mesh strainer.

• 11

  Put back into the clean sauce pan and whisk in the butter and the minced thyme. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Blackberry-Rhubarb-Bourbon Compote

• 1

  Combine the blackberries, bourbon, shallot, and sugar into a saucepan over low heat and cover. Bring to a simmer.

• 2

  Allow to cook, covered, about 10 minutes, until the juices from the blackberries have released and they are tender.

• 3

  Uncover and stir in the rhubarb.

• 4

  Cook uncovered until the mixture has thickened and the rhubarb is tender, but not falling apart, keeping in mind that the mixture will thicken as it cools.

• 5

  Season to taste with salt and let cool.

Plating Instructions

• 1

  Fill the crepes with slices of breast, some of the crispy skin, and the sautéed greens.

• 2

  Roll the crepes and then tie them with the blanched green garlic/scallion.

• 3

  Using a 1 ounce ladle, pour the creamy corn butter sauce into a pool on the center of the plate.

• 4

  Place the 4 crepes on top of the corn sauce, each crepe pointing toward each corner of the plate.

• 5

  Top each crepe with 2 Tbsp of the compote, making sure not to cover up the green garlic tie.