Peppercorn Crusted Muscovy Duck With Blueberries Recipes

PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl mix together the salt, ground black pepper, thyme, and rosemary; set aside. This will be your spice blend for seasoning the roasted potatoes and the duck breasts.
• Place cubed potatoes into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of your spice blend over the top of the potatoes. Toss the potatoes in the pan until they are evenly coated with oil and seasonings. Spread into a single layer across the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven.
• While the potatoes are roasting, stir together the blueberries, water, apple juice, sugar, and jalapeno in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, and simmer until the mixture has reduced to the consistency of syrup, about 10 minutes.
• Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy. Remove the pancetta to drain on a paper towel, leaving the drippings in the skillet. Add the shallots and the mushrooms to the hot skillet; stir and cook them until soft and just beginning to brown. Remove the shallots and mushrooms and set aside. Increase heat to medium-high and place the bok choy in the hot skillet. Stir and cook the bok choy until the leaves are wilted and the white stalk pieces are tender, about 5 minutes. Return the shallots, mushrooms, and pancetta to the skillet, turn off the heat and set aside.
• Rinse the duck breast halves and pat dry. Rub the remaining spice blend onto both sides of the duck breasts. Preheat a large skillet over medium-high heat, when the pan is hot put in the vegetable oil and butter. Immediately place the duck breasts in the pan, skin and fat side down. Do not move the duck breasts until the skin is deep brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook until the internal temperature of the thickest part is 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) for well done. Remove the duck from the pan and place on a plate, covered with foil to rest for 5 minutes. While the duck is resting, place the skillet with the bok choy mixture onto a burner over medium heat to warm through.
• Slice each duck breast diagonally into 1/2 inch strips. Divide the bok choy mixture among four plates and drizzle each serving with 1/2 tablespoon of aged balsamic vinegar. Arrange the sliced duck breasts on top of the bok choy mixture; ladle on blueberry sauce. Serve with oven-roasted potatoes on the side.

ROAST DUCK WITH BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare blueberry sauce: Peel, quarter and core apple. Place in a food processor with onion and finely chop. Place in a saucepan with blueberries, sugars, star anise, zests and vinegar.
• Place mixture over high heat to bring to a boil, then simmer until pulpy and beginning to thicken, about 30 minutes. (Mixture will be quite liquid after 20 minutes, but begins to thicken by 30 minutes, and will thicken more once cold.)
• If whole star anise were used, remove and discard them. Transfer sauce to a sterilized jar, cover and allow to cool. For best flavor, allow to rest one day before serving. (Makes 1 generous cup.)
• Prepare ducks: Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place ducks on a rack in a roasting pan. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours, periodically draining off fat in pan. Raise heat to 400 degrees, and roast an additional 30 minutes to crisp skin.
• To serve, remove ducks from oven and place on a carving board. Cut each duck into four pieces. Cut away meat from rib cage, discarding rib bones. Arrange on a serving platter, crispy skin side up. Serve with blueberry sauce.

PEPPERED DUCK BREAST WITH RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove the tenderloins (the thin strips of meat on undersides of the duck breast) and reserve for the sauce. With a sharp knife, trim away any gristle from the undersides of the breasts and trim any excess fat. Score the skin in a diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not quite reaching the meat. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides, then rub 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns all over. Sprinkle with the garlic and a few thyme sprigs, cover, and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. (For deeper flavor, refrigerate the breasts for several hours or overnight, then return to room temperature before cooking.)
• Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and the reserved duck tenderloins; let them brown well, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and a small thyme sprig and let them fry for 1 minute.
• Add the broth and 1/4 cup wine, raise the heat to a brisk simmer and let the liquid reduce to about 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and the Cognac or brandy and cook for 1 minute more. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season to taste with salt. (Sauce may be made in advance and reheated, thinned with a little broth.)
• Remove and discard the garlic and thyme sprigs from the breasts. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high. When the pan is hot, lay in the duck breasts, skin-side down, and let them sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook for a total of 7 minutes, checking to make sure the skin isn't browning too quickly. With tongs, turn the breasts over and let them cook another 3 minutes for rare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise, not too thickly, at a slight angle and serve with the sauce.

WHOLE DUCK WITH GREEN PEPPERCORN GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 500 degrees F and arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Remove the innards of the duck and reserve them for another use, or discard. Remove any loose pockets of fat surrounding the cavity. Season the inside of the duck with salt.
• In a pot large enough to hold the duck, combine the water, 3/4 cup of the soy sauce and 1/3 cup of honey. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low heat. Add in the brine from the green peppercorns, lower the heat and submerge the duck, breast side down, into the pot. Let it simmer 30 seconds, basting the top side with the liquid. Remove the duck and arrange it, breast side down, in a roasting pan fitted with a rack that elevates it off the bottom of the pan. The rack will allow hot air to circulate around it as it cooks. (Cook's note: Ideally, the duck should sit overnight to allow the flavors to meld with the meat and for the skin to dry out. This will mean a crispier skin, once the duck is cooked.)
• Put the roasting pan into the oven and turn the temperature down to 400 degrees F. Allow about 15 minutes roasting time for each pound of duck. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, remove the pan from the oven, then flip the duck. Using a turkey baster, remove the excess fat from the bottom of the roasting pan and transfer it to a heatproof liquid measuring cup. Return the duck to the oven and cook for another 45 minutes to1 hour, depending upon the size of your duck.
• Meanwhile, in a medium pot, combine the champagne vinegar with the remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 cup honey, Marsala and the reserved green peppercorns. Bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer gently, allowing the glaze to reduce and the flavors to blend. Taste for seasoning. Allow it to cook until all the flavors meld together.
• Remove the duck from the oven and baste it with the drippings in the bottom of the pan. The duck should register about 150 F when an instant-read thermometer is inserted into the thigh meat. Transfer it to a platter and pour half of the glaze over the breast and thigh meat. Reserve the remaining glaze for plating. Allow the bird to "rest" for about 15 minutes. Carve the duck and arrange on a serving platter. Season the flesh, with salt, if desired, and top with remaining glaze.

ROAST DUCK IN CHERRY AND BLACK PEPPERCORN SAUCE

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over low heat. Add the shallots and saute slowly, until soft. Add the dried cherries, molasses, pepper, and duck stock. Simmer 15 minutes.
• Blend the arrowroot with the 1/4 cup of the Madeira. Mix the Madeira into the duck sauce and simmer 3 to 4 minutes, until slightly thickened. Set aside. (The sauce may be made ahead, up to this point.)
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
• Season the duck cavity with the salt and pepper. Pierce the skin thoroughly around the lower breast, back, and thighs. Truss the duck and place, breast side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Place the duck in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast the duck 30 minutes per side. With a bulb baster, remove some of fat that accumulates as the duck roast. Turn the duck, breast side up, and sprinkle with salt. Roast 10 to 15 minutes longer for medium rare or until juices run rosy when a thigh is pierced with a fork. For well done, roast until juices run clear.
• Remove the trussing. Place the duck on a serving platter and keep warm in a turned off oven while finishing the sauce. (The duck may be roasted in the morning, if desired, and reheated at 300 degrees at this point.) Place under a broiler for 3 to 5 minutes for extra crisp skin.
• Remove all but 1 tablespoon fat from the roasting pan. Add the remaining 1/4 cup Madeira to the drippings in the pan. Boil rapidly, scraping the brown bits from the bottom and reducing the wine to 2 tablespoons. Strain the wine reduction into the prepared duck sauce. Finish the sauce with the sherry vinegar. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes and swirl in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.