Duck Breasts With Fresh Plum Ginger Glaze And Tomatillo Relish Recipes

ROASTED DUCK BREAST WITH PLUM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, fry the shallot in the oil for 5 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the plums and sugar, stirring for a few mins until the sugar has dissolved. Add the red wine and stock, then simmer for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly thickened. Keep warm or leave at room temperature for up to a day before reheating to serve.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and place the duck breasts in, skin-side down. Fry for 6-7 mins, then turn and add the thyme, star anise and butter. Allow this to melt, basting the duck with the juices, then transfer everything to a small roasting tin and finish in the oven for 5-6 mins for pink or 10-12 mins for well done.
• When the duck is ready, baste again with the juices, then rest for 5 mins while you finish everything else.
• To serve, thinly slice each duck breast on a chopping board. Arrange on each plate along with a spoon of the Creamed potatoes, some of the plum sauce and the Buttered spinach.

EASY PLUM AND GINGER ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F / 190C.
• Pat dry duck's skin carefully with paper towel. Place duck on a rack in a roasting tin.
• Place in the oven and roast 18 minutes per pound (40 minutes per kilo). My duck weighted 5 pounds (2.2 kilos) so I roasted it 1 hour and 25 minutes. Adjust cooking time according to the weigh of your duck. If duck starts to become too brown, cover loosely with foil.

DUCK BREASTS WITH FRESH PLUM-GINGER GLAZE AND TOMATILLO RELISH

Steps:

• For the relish: Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• For the sauce: Preheat grill or side burner. Heat the oil in a large nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook until soft. Add the Thai chiles, ginger, curry powder and cinnamon and cook for 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and cook until the sauce becomes thick, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place plum mixture, in 2 or 3 batches, in a food processor and process until smooth. Remove marinade to a large bowl and let cool completely. Reserve 1 cup. Yield: 4 cups
• For the duck: Preheat grill medium-low heat. Season breast with salt and pepper on both sides to taste. Grill skin-side down for 5 minutes. Baste, using 3 cups of the plum sauce, turn, baste again, and grill for 5 minutes. Baste, turn and baste again; cover the grill and cook the duck skin-side down for 5 minutes. Baste, turn and baste again; cover and cook another 5 minutes or until well-browned on the outside but medium-rare doneness (total 20 minutes). Remove breasts to a platter and brush with the reserved plum sauce. Cover with foil and let sit 10 minutes. Grill the tortillas for 15 seconds on each side. Cut the duck on the bias into 1/4-inch thick slices. Brush some of the reserved sauce in the center of each tortilla, place 3 or 4 slices of the duck and a few green onions, wrap and serve. Serve with Tomatillo Salsa.

GRILLED DUCK BREASTS WITH CHERRY PLUM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place sour-cherry preserves in a food processor, and puree. Transfer puree to a small bowl, and set aside. Place peppercorns on a clean cutting board. Using the flat side of a heavy knife, press down on peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed, and set aside.
• Cut both duck breasts in half, and trim away any excess fat, leaving the skin attached to the breasts. Season both sides of duck breasts with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon pureed preserves on the flesh side of each breast; sprinkle with half of the crushed peppercorns.
• Place duck breasts, flesh side down, in a medium oven-proof skillet. Spread 1 tablespoon pureed preserves on skin side of each breast; sprinkle with remaining crushed peppercorns. Place skillet in oven; roast until medium rare, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven; set aside in a warm place.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cherries, plums, sugar, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add port. Strike a match, and carefully ignite port; cook until flame dies out. Add vinegar, and cook until juices thicken, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer duck to a serving dish, and pour fruit sauce over top. Serve.

DUCK, FRESH SHRIMP AND WHITE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the olive oil. Season the duck pieces with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, sear the duck, fat side down for about 4 to 6 minutes. Turn over the duck and continue to sear for 4 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and celery to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Saute the vegetables until wilted, about 4 minutes. Add the sausage and continue to saute for 4 minutes. Stir in the beans, bay leaves, and garlic. Add the duck stock, water and fresh thyme. Place the duck pieces back into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil and skim off any cloudy scum that has risen to the service. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered for 2 hours, stirring occasionally or until the meat and beans are tender. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the pot and continue to cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the shrimp turn pink and curl their tails in completely. Reseason if necessary and stir in the green onions and parsley. Ladle into serving bowls and serve with crusty bread.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CHILI, HONEY & GINGER GLAZE

Steps:

• With the point of a knife, score the skin side of the breasts in crosshatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the flesh of the meat. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute before adding the breasts, skin side down. Cook skin side down over medium to low heat, for approximately 10 to 12 minutes to render the fat from the skin before turning the breasts over. When the duck has rendered its fat and the skin has taken on a crisp exterior quality turn the breasts over and sauté the flesh side for 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully remove the duck from the pan, place on a platter to keep warm and pour the excess fat safely into a heat proof container. (The reserved duck fat may be chilled and used for another cooking use.)
• While the duck is cooking (or even before you cook the duck), remove the chili pepper from the water in which it had soaked and reserve the liquid. Place the chili into a blender and begin to pureé, adding as much of the reserved liquid as necessary to create a smooth and thin paste-like texture. This chili paste may be refrigerated for a day covered with plastic wrap or pour a tablespoon of olive oil on its surface and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.
• After removing the duck breasts from the pan add the onion to still hot pan and return to the heat. Add a tablespoon or two of reserved duck fat. Sauté the onion briefly before adding the ginger and 2 tablespoons of the chili paste. Add the honey and port to the ginger chili, stir to combine and cook for one minute.
• The breasts have rested for several minutes and should now be medium rare. They can be sliced lengthwise or cross-wise and several slices placed on each plate. Drizzle the warm glaze over the duck or for more impact, brush some on the duck breasts before slicing, run the duck under a hot broiler for 1 minute, caramelize the glaze and then slice and drizzle. If you desire, drizzle some around the duck breasts on the serving dish.