Duck Breast With Plum Salsa Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Toast the star anise and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a spice grinder with 2 tsp sea salt and grind into a fine powder (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Put the spice salt in a bowl, add the sugar, mix well and set aside.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern and heat the oil in a large casserole. Using a pair of tongs to turn it, brown the duck well on all sides, pour off the excess fat, then sit the duck breast-side up and season all over with the sugar and spice mix. Pack the plums around the outside, then scatter over the bay and pour over the vinegar and stock.
• Roast in the oven for 2 hrs or until the duck is golden and the plums have broken down. Turn the oven right up for 10 more mins to crisp up the skin. Take the duck out of the pan to rest for 10 mins and spoon the excess fat off the plums. Carve the duck and serve with a good spoonful of plums.

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.

Steps:

• Marinate the duck breast with 5 spice powder, ginger root, scallions, salt, pepper and sesame oil for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Heat skillet on moderately high heat, do not add any oil. Sear duck breast skin side down, brown both sides. Transfer duck to oven proof plate and cook the duck in the oven for 10 minutes for medium rare. Pour off grease form the skillet, add plum wine, add duck stock season with salt and pepper and reduce the sauce to 1 cup. Then incorporate the butter to the sauce and set aside and keep warm. Remove duck from oven let it set for 5 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• Score the skin on each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern with a small, sharp knife. Flip over and sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and the chile powder over the meat sides of the breasts.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the duck, skin-side down, and cook until the fat begins to render, about 2 minutes, then lower the heat to medium. Continue cooking, uncovered and without turning, until the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown and crisp, about 15 minutes. (Spoon the excess rendered fat from the pan into a heatproof bowl as needed during cooking.) Flip the duck breasts and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers 135 degrees F for medium rare, about 5 minutes more. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the pineapple, jicama, cilantro, chile and lime juice in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Gently fold in the avocado and season to taste with salt.
• Thinly slice the duck breasts crosswise and serve with the pineapple salsa on the side.

Steps:

• Using sharp knife, score skin of duck breasts in crisscross pattern (cut skin only; do not cut through meat), spacing cuts 1 inch apart. Sprinkle duck breasts on both sides with 1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and chill.
• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Toss plum halves, olive oil, sugar, 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Grill plum halves, cut side down, until grill marks appear and plums begin to soften, about 4 minutes. Turn plums over and grill, skin side down, until skin begins to soften but plums still retain their shape, about 4 minutes. Transfer plums to bowl. Cover with foil and let stand while cooking duck.
• Heat 2 large skillets over medium-high heat. Add 2 duck breasts, skin side down, to each skillet. Cook until skin is crisp and golden, about 7 minutes. Turn duck breasts over and cook to desired doneness, about 8 minutes longer for medium-rare. Remove from heat and let duck rest 5 minutes.
• Thinly slice duck crosswise. Divide among plates. Place 2 plum halves alongside each serving. Drizzle any plum juices from bowl over. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons thyme and serve.

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.

Steps:

• Using a spice grinder (such as a coffee grinder reserved for spices), grind the star anise, dried oregano, and Szechuan peppercorns to a fine powder. Dump into a small bowl and stir in the ground ancho, salt, and cinnamon.
• Pat dry the duck breasts with a paper towel. Use a sharp knife to cut through just the skin and fat, without piercing the meat, in 1-inch intervals, then repeat the cuts at a 90° angle to make a crosshatch pattern all across the skin. Sprinkle the spice mixture all over the duck breasts. Pack in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags, squeezing as much air out as possible, and refrigerate for several hours or as long as 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• In a small roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, roast the duck breasts skin side up for 10 minutes. Increase the heat to 550°F and turn the breasts skin side down. Roast until much of the fat has rendered and the skin is browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate, pour off the extra duck fat from the pan and reserve for another use. Let the duck breasts rest for at least 10 minutes. (If desired, wrap one of the duck breasts in plastic wrap and refrigerate it for up to 1 week for a later meal.)
• Warm the tortillas (see page 85) and wrap them in aluminum foil to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, make the salsa. Finely chop the jalapeño. In a small mixing bowl, combine the jalapeño with the plum, shallot, cilantro, mint, lime juice, oil, and a generous sprinkling of salt. Taste, add more salt if necessary; if you want more heat, add some of the reserved jalapeño seeds.
• Lay the tortillas out on a plate. Cut the duck breast crosswise into 1/2-inch slices, place a couple of slices on each tortilla, top each with the plum salsa, and eat.