Vietnamese Gressingham Duck Recipes

Steps:

• Preparing the dressing
• Combine and mix all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Cooking the noodles
• Cook the noodles (as per the packet instructions), before plunging into cold water and draining.
• Preparing the salad
• Combine and mix all of the salad ingredients, minus the noodles, lime wedges and coriander, in a bowl and set aside.
• Preparing and cooking the duck
• Pre-heat an oven to 200C/Gas mark 6. Score the skin on the duck breasts six to eight times with a sharp knife and season on both sides with salt. Place the duck breasts skin-side-down in a non-stick pan on a low to medium heat. Cook for six to eight minutes, or until the skin is golden brown and crispy, before pouring off any excess fat and flipping over the breast. Cook and seal the breast on this side for around 30 seconds before removing from the heat. Turn the breast back onto the skin-side and place into the pre-heated oven for around six minutes for medium rare duck. Remove the duck from the oven and leave to rest for five minutes.
• Putting everything together
• Set aside two tbsp of dressing (for garnishing later). Place the duck breasts and their juices into the remaining dressing and mix. Set aside for five minutes before removing the breasts from the dressing and placing them on a chopping board.
• Take the drained noodles and toss them with a little oil and lightly season. Add the dressing and salad and mix well before dividing onto serving plates. Finely slice the duck and place on top of the salad. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top and garnish with lime wedges and coriander.

Steps:

• Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, juice and zest of 1 lime, ginger, and sesame oil. Mash half the garlic into a paste and whisk it into this marinade. Trim away the duck skin and most of the fat (reserve for rendering, if you like). Place the duck in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over it, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 12 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
• In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, vinegar, juice of 2 limes, fish sauce, 2 jalapeños (finely chopped) and oil. Mash the remaining garlic to a paste and whisk into this vinaigrette.
• Light a grill for high indirect heat (or heat a broiler with a rack 8 inches from the heat). Remove the duck from the marinade, scraping off any excess bits, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer duck to the unlighted portion of the grill; close cover and cook to desired doneness, 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium-rare. (If broiling, place duck on a baking sheet. Broil, turning once halfway through, 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium-rare.) Transfer to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice against the grain.
• In a large bowl, toss together cucumber, carrots, radishes, cilantro, mint and 1 jalapeño (thinly sliced), with just enough of the vinaigrette to lightly coat everything. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Toss in the peanuts. Place salad on a large platter and top with sliced meat. Drizzle with more of the vinaigrette, and sprinkle with cilantro and mint.