Best Blackened Duck Topped With Mango Salsa And Served With Wild Rice And A Vegetable Medley Recipes

TEA-SMOKED DUCK LEGS WITH MUSHROOM AND ORZO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Mix salt and peppercorns and season duck legs, place in sealed container and let brine overnight. Set up a steamer with a large bamboo basket and cover. In a bowl, mix together molasses, vinegar and five-spice. Brush the glaze on the legs and place in the steamer. Steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours on low steam, occasionally brushing on more glaze and checking water level. Legs should be tender. Remove steamer and dump out remaining water and wipe clean. Line with foil and add the rice, sugar and tea. Mix well and turn wok on medium heat. When mixture starts to smolder, place bamboo steamer on top and seal with wet cloths around the steamer. Turn wok down to low and smoke for 15 minutes. Turn wok off and let smoke another 15 minutes. Legs may be served directly form the steamer, or if you wish, pan sear or deep fry in oil to bring out the golden brown color.
• For the ragout: In a large, hot skillet coated lightly with oil, brown garlic and onions, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, soy sauce and season. Add orzo and thyme and stir. Deglaze with wine and reduce by 50 percent. Reduce heat to medium and slowly add stock one ladle at a time. Stock should be completely absorbed before adding more. Continue adding stock until a creamy texture is achieved (like risotto). Check for seasoning and whisk in the truffle oil.
• Plating: In a large paste bowl, mound some ragout. Place 2 legs on top, criss-crossed and garnish with thyme sprig and chives.
• Plating: In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon, sambal and limes. Mix with duck, onions and mango. Check for seasoning. Roll in lavash with lettuce and tomato. Slice on the bias. Yield: 2 servings Wine Recommendation: Dutton Ranch, Pinot Noir, Sebastopol Vineyards, Russian River Valley,1995;
• This recipe utilizes the leftovers from above.

CRISPY FRAGRANT DUCK TACOS WITH ASIAN PEAR AND MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• For the duck marinade: In a medium bowl, add the ginger, peppercorns, rice wine, dark and light soy sauce, sea salt and star anise and stir to combine. Add the duck, cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinate for 30 minutes or as long as overnight in the refrigerator.
• For the salsa: While the duck marinates, combine the cilantro, ginger, chile, grapefruit, lime juice and zest, pears, mangos, onions and chile flakes in a medium bowl. Toss to combine and season with sea salt. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
• Heat a wok or pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil. Place the duck into the wok, skin-side down, and fry until the skin is brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip the breasts and reduce the heat to medium. Cover and cook for 4 minutes.
• Remove the duck and let rest for 5 minutes. Chop the duck into bite-size pieces, then dust the pieces in the cornstarch and coat well.
• Heat a wok or pan over high heat and fill to a quarter of its depth with peanut oil. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F, or until a cube of bread turns golden brown in 15 seconds and floats to the surface. Ensure that your wok is stable before deep-frying.
• Place the duck pieces in a spider/scoop, carefully lower into the oil and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and drain on paper towels.
• To serve, spoon some crispy duck onto a tortilla and top with some Asian pear salsa. Serve with small bowls of cilantro, flaked sea salt and dried chile flakes so guests can season their own and help themselves.

ROAST WILD DUCK WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Prick skin all over duck, remove as much fat as possible on the domestic bird.
• Rub wild duck with walnut oil or wrap in bacon.
• Domestic duck is more greasy and does not need oil or bacon.
• Stuff 1/2 the onions and turnip cubes into the cavity.
• Season cavity with salt and pepper.
• Place duck in roasting pan with about 1/2 inch of water on center rack in oven, breast side down.
• turn breast side up after cooked for 20 minutes and bake about 40 minutes longer, til just done.
• While duck is roasting, place giblets and remaining onions and turnips in a small dutch oven or oven proof saucepan and roast in the oven with the duck til well browned, about 20 minutes.
• Remove dutch oven to the stove top.
• Over medium heat, deglaze the dutch oven in the stock, scraping all the bits stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan.
• Add the seasonings, wine and vinegar.
• Continue to cook til liqid is reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes.
• Add preserves and blackberries.
• Cook another 10 minutes or until the preserves are melted into the liquid and the berries have cooked down and are soft.
• Strain liquid into a clean sauce pan and set aside.
• Discard the solids strained out.
• Remove roasted duck from the oven and let stand tented under aluminum foil for 15 minutes before carving.
• Reheat sauce just before serving.
• Carve duck or quarter, discarding the stuffing and serve hot with sauce poured over top.

BLACKENED COD WITH MANGO SALSA

Steps:

• Mix 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon brown sugar and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a small bowl and stir to combine a paste.
• Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
• To prepare the fish, start by wiping the flesh with a dry paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
• Rub the blackening paste on one side of the fish.
• Pour a small amount of vegetable oil into a large saute pan and heat over medium-high heat. When pan is nice and hot, carefully place fish into preheated pan. Sear on both sides for 2-3 minutes each side. Remove fish from pan and place onto a cookie sheet lined with tinfoil. Place pan into preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cod is cooked through.
• Remove pan from oven and place fish on top of steamed rice or whatever you're serving. Top fish with salsa, a lime wedge and extra cilantro.
• For Mango salsa, mix 1 mango, red onion, diced red bell pepper, 1/2 jalapeno, and juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, and salt to taste. Can be made a few hours ahead. Taste just before serving and adjust seasoning as needed.

DUCK WITH BLACKBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add sugar; stir until sugar dissolves and mixture turns deep amber color, about 5 minutes.
• Add wine, orange juice and vinegar (mixture will bubble vigorously) and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve caramel.
• Add 1 1/4 cups berries and both broths and boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to about 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• Strain sauce through sieve into heavy small saucepan, pressing on berries with back of spoon.
• Mix in cognac and maple syrup.
• Set sauce aside. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill).
• Preheat oven to 400.
• Trim any excess fat from duck breasts.
• Cut three 4-inch long by 1/16-inch deep lengthwise slits in skin (not meat) of duck.
• Season duck with salt and pepper.
• Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat until hot.
• Add duck, skin side down, and sear until brown, about 5 minutes.
• Turn over; cook 3 minutes.
• Transfer skillet to oven; continue cooking to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium.
• Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer over low heat.
• Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and whisk just until melted.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Spoon sauce onto plates.
• Slice duck and place atop sauce.
• Garnish with additional berries, if desired, and serve.