Andouille Crusted Duck, with Ricotta Stuffed Sweet Pepper, and Spicy Kasha with Sweet Snow Peas

Quak Quak-no more chicken! Here's a poultry alternative when you're chickened out (serves 8):
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Duck:

¼ lb Andouille sausage

¼ cup whole wheat bread crumbs

8 skinless duck breasts

2 oz canola oil

1 medium shallot-small dice

6 oz white wine

16 oz chicken stock

salt-to taste

pepper-to taste

1 oz chopped parsley

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1. Cut Andouille into small dice and cook until brown; mix with breadcrumbs.

2. Season duck breasts and brown on both sides in canola oil; remove and reserve.

3. Add shallot to pan and cook for 30 sec.; deglaze pan with white wine and reduce au sec.

4. Add 8 oz of chicken stock to pan.

5. Toss duck breasts in Andouille mixture and return to pan; top off duck with remainder of Andouille mixture.

6. Bake at 375F until duck is cooked through (approximately 15 min); place on rack.

7. Deglaze pan with white wine.

8. Add remainder of chicken stock and reduce by 1/3^rd on stove top; mont au beurre and serve over duck

9. Top with parsley.

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Sweet Peppers:

8 small, yellow sweet peppers-tops trimmed and reserved; ribs removed and discarded

2 medium carrots-small dice

1 medium onion-small dice

1 oz olive oil

1 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs

15 oz ricotta cheese

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 t zested ginger

8 oz chicken stock

salt-to taste

pepper-to taste

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1. Cook onions in olive oil, until they turn light brown; add carrots and sweet peppers; when cooked through, season, remove, and reserve.

2. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, and ginger; season.

3. Combine cheese mixture with vegetable mixture and spoon into peppers.

4. Braise peppers in chicken stock, in a large rondeau, until tender when pierced with a fork (approximately 20 min).

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Kasha:

2 medium shallots-small dice

2 oz olive oil

2 cups Kasha (aka buckwheat grains)

1.5 t zested ginger

4 cups water

1 t crushed red pepper flakes

3 cups snow peas

salt-to taste

pepper-to taste

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1. In a saucepan, sweat shallot in olive oil; add Kasha and ginger and toss until incorporated.

2. Add water; bring to a boil and turn to a simmer; add red pepper flakes.

3. Cook until Kasha absorbs all of the water (approximately 15 min); season.

4. Blanch snow peas and strain; cut on a diagonal in ¼ in pieces.

5. Combine snow peas with kasha.