Top 5 Kitchen Gadgets

It is a true pleasure to cook a great healthy meal, please your guests and satisfy your family. However, there is a great rush from delivering a tray, a plate or a dish from the kitchen to the table and receiving a host of "ooooohhs" or "wows!". The beauty is that there are a few goto gadgets that make it all so much easier. Now be aware they won't test the salt, they won't know when to flip the fish, and they won't replace your natural cooking ability. They will only accent it! Here are my thoughts on the top 5 gadgets to get a rise from your dinner party guests:

1. The Japanese Mandolin
Perhaps the most underused home tool, and most popular professional kitchen tool. You can shave a potato razor thin for chips, or julienne a carrot in seconds for salad. A true french trained Chef may throw you out of his kitchen for such a tool, but who's going to know?

- Where to get it
Most kitchen stores will have them, or you can order it online from Amazon.com for under $25.00!


2. The iSi Basics Silicone Scraper Spatula
At under $5 this easy no handle spatula will clean any bowl, cup, plate or tray better than that $15 thing from the fancy kitchen stores. The best part is that it will fit in your pocket. Just keep it clean, huh!

- Where to get it
Again a professional kitchen store will carry variations, but its also available from Amazon:


3. The Vegetable Spinner/ Turning Vegetable Slicer
Kin to the Japanese mandolin, is this quirky looking tool. Put a root vegetable on it crank the handle and let the shoestrings spin right out the other side. Great for making garnishes, or using a potato to wrap a fillet of fish. Remove the teeth and you're left with discs. Spin a beet into super thin sheets for a salad.

- Where to get it
There are several types and sometimes hard to find, but this is a sturdy model:


4. The Pepper Mill
Yeah, I know it's not an unheard of gadget. However, it is one of the most unused home tools available. Beyond that, most actually already have the pepper mill, but just don't use it. So do yourself and your guests a favor and pick up some amazing peppercorns from Kalustyan's and remember to use it!

- Where to get it
There are a million variations and any home or kitchen store will have it. Here's a classic one:


5. Rubber Gloves
While technically it may not be a gadget, it will save you loads of time spent washing and drying your hands! That's more time for dressing up your plates. I usually down a box a week. Remember to change them as often as you would wash your hands.

-Where to get it
Most pharmacies carry them. Keep in mind some people have silicone/ latex allergies, so remember to ask your guests!

Seared Duck Breast and Fregola Salad

Keeping with our policy here is another great recipe, where a good bit of the preparation can be done the day before your party. As well the finished product will truly astonish your guests!

Serves 10

5 Duck Breasts

1 bag of Fregola Pasta

1/4 cup Oil Cured Olives

2 Blood Oranges segmented

1/4 cup shelled, crushed Pistachios

1 cup Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 cup Light Karo Corn Syrup

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to Taste

1 Day Before the Party

Place a medium to large pot of water on the stove to boil. Once the water has come to a boil, empty the package of Fregola and let cook for approximately 15-20 minutes, until tender. Be sure to test a few pieces, as they vary in size. Once the Fregola is cooked dump through a fine mesh strainer and run cold water over until the pasta has come down to room temperature. Place in a bowl, toss with 2 to 3 Tablespoons of the Olive Oil, cover with plastic and place in the refrigerator until the next day.

In a separate sauce pot put your vinegar and Karo over a medium heat. Reduce the liquid by half, or until it looks slightly syrupy. When it cools down it will get much thicker. Once it has reduced, remove from the heat and place in a sealed container in the refrigerator until the day of the party.

1 hour before the party

Start by removing the duck from the refrigerator and letting come to room temperature. This way the breast will cook more evenly.

For the Fregola start by cleaning the pits from the olives, segmenting your oranges and crushing the shelled pistachios. Once this is done combine withe the chilled fregola and set aside.

For the Vinaigrette, place the remaining Olive Oil over the Balsamic Vinegar Syrup. You will notice that the Oil rest on top of the Vinegar. This will create a great effect on the plate!

For the Duck breasts, place a flat bottom saute pan (cast-iron if you have it!) over a medium-low heat. In order to get perfectly crispy Duck skin you must cook it low and slow!! Season both sides of te duck and place it skin side down for approximately 15 minutes. Feel free to check and rotate the breasts. This will only help you make sure you are cooking the skin evenly. Once the skin has become significantly more thin and golden, flip the breasts over and cook for about 3-4 minutes for medium or 5-8 minutes for medium well. Afterward remove from the pan and let rest. Don’t cut it right away!! You’ll lose all the juices. let it rest for about 5 minutes, while you get the plates ready.

To plate mix the fregola, olives and oranges and place in the center of the plates. Next slice your breasts, skin side down, giving each plate 1/2 of a breast. Drizzle the vinaigrette on the plate, being sure to scoop low enough to get the vinegar. Finish with the crushed pistachios and serve. Sit back and Enjoy!!