Braised Duck With Onion Food

BRAISED DUCK WITH ONION

Steps:

• Rub duck with salt, soy sauce, brandy and garlic and marinate for 30 minutes.
• Heat oil and fry sliced onions until soft but not brown, remove. Add duck and brown all over.
• Put back onion, add water, cover and simmer for 1 hour, add marinade and simmer for 20 minutes more or until duck is tender.
• Dissolve cornstarch with a little water and add to gravy.
• Boil until gravy thickens and serve duck whole with gravy in sauce boat.

BRAISED DUCK TAMALES WITH SOUR CHERRY MOJO

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the kosher salt and chopped thyme and mix it well. Rub the salt and thyme mixture on both sides of the duck, layering it on thickly. Place legs in a shallow pan and refrigerate, covered, overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In the same shallow pan, add the onion, garlic, star anise, canela, and duck fat over the legs. Cover the pan with aluminum foil. Roast in the oven for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, soak the cornhusks in warm water for 1 hour.
• To make the dough for the tamales, moisten the instant corn flour with the warm water. Set aside. Beat the shortening in a mixer until creamy and fluffy, about 10 minutes, then fold in the corn flour and chicken stock.
• After 3 hours remove the legs from the fat, remove the outer skin and shred the meat away from the bone and set aside.
• To assemble the tamales, open the soaked cornhusks and add 2 tablespoons of dough. Spread the dough over the cornhusk leaving a 1/2-inch border. Put 1 tablespoon of the shredded duck meat in the center in a line. Fold the cornhusk over, enclosing the duck in the dough, and secure the tamale with a string or ripped-off piece of the cornhusks. Repeat the process until all the dough and filling is finished.
• In a double boiler or steamer, steam the tamales for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving.
• To make the sour cherry mojo: Soak the dried cherries in a bowl with red wine for 1 hour.
• In a medium saucepot, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium high heat. When the oil has begun to smoke, add the shallots, chipotle, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes then deglaze with red wine vinegar and duck stock. Cook for 3 minutes then add the cherry mixture. Cook for 30 minutes until the liquid has thickened. Add the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
• To serve, remove the tamale from the steamer. Open the tamales and serve with a spoon of the cherry mojo.

BRAISED DUCK WITH SPICED LENTILS AND LIME ONIONS

Steps:

• Cut the duck in quarters and remove the drumstick tips. Season with 1 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper, rub all over with the garlic and place a piece of cinnamon stick on each quarter. Let sit at room temperature 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Transfer the duck to an ovenproof frying pan along with the chicken or other fat. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover with foil and transfer to the oven. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, lift the duck from the fat and remove and discard the skin. Cover with a wet towel until serving time. To reserve, store the duck in the cooking fat and refrigerate up to a week.
• To reheat the duck, remove from the fat if necessary, and place on a rack in a tightly covered pan. Warm in a 325 degree oven for about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, to make the lime onions, heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Saute the onions, stirring frequently, until just wilted (but not browned). Toss with the lime juice and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and l/2 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm. The onions can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.
• To serve, spread a bed of lentils on each serving plate. Top with a piece of duck and smother with the warm onions. Serve immediately.

BRAISED DUCK

Steps:

• Salt and pepper duck generously on both sides. Place halves, skin side down, in large saute pan (preferably seasoned cast-iron or nonstick) or 2 medium saute pans. Wedge thyme and garlic under skin. Cover pan with lid or foil; place over low heat. Braise for 1 hour (duck should crackle and sizzle gently; skin should be golden and crisp; most fat should be rendered). Turn duck; cover pan. Braise for 1 more hour, until duck bottom is well browned and meat very tender.
• Remove duck to cutting board; cut halves in half. Reserve fat from pan. In clean saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons fat (if there is not enough, use canola oil) over medium-high heat. Place duck pieces skin side down, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, just until skin is crisp and dark. Transfer to dish, and serve.

CRISPY BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put duck legs skin side down in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably. Turn heat to medium, and cook, rotating so skin browns thoroughly and evenly but do not turn over completely. Meanwhile, peel onion and carrots, trim celery and roughly chop them all.
• When skins are nicely browned, turn and sear the meat side just 1 to 2 minutes, and season with salt and pepper. Remove to a plate; remove all fat from pan except enough to moisten vegetables. Add vegetables and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Return duck legs skin side up to pan, and add stock; it should come about halfway up the legs but not cover them. Turn heat to high, bring to boil and transfer to oven.
• Cook 30 minutes, and turn heat to 350 degrees. Cook undisturbed until duck is tender and liquid reduced, at least 30 minutes or a bit longer. Serve immediately, or let rest in a 200-degree oven for up to an hour.

RED-WINE-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH ROASTED PEARS AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Trim excess fat from duck legs, reserving fat for the sautéed kale. In a large bowl marinate duck legs in wine with bouquet garni, covered and chilled, 2 hours.
• Transfer legs to a plate, reserving wine and bouquet garni. In a heavy kettle large enough to hold legs in one layer heat oil over moderately high heat until hot. Pat legs dry with paper towels and season with salt. Cook legs, skin sides down, 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp and mahogany-colored, removing fat from kettle as it rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully pouring it off). Turn legs and cook until browned on other side, about 2 minutes, transferring as browned to a plate.
• Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat from kettle and sauté vegetables with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add duck legs, skin sides up, with parsley sprigs and reserved wine and bouquet garni and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Braised duck legs may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat mixture over low heat, adding 1/3 cup water, before proceeding with duck preparation.
• Make roasted pears and onions during last hour of duck braising:
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a shallow baking pan large enough to hold onions and pears in one layer melt butter in oven and swirl pan to coat. Add onion halves, cut sides down, and quarters, and bake 30 minutes. Add pears, cut side down, to pan and bake 20 minutes, or until pears and onions are tender and lightly browned. In a cup stir together lemon juice, honey, and salt and add to onions and pears, tossing to coat.
• Transfer duck legs to a warm plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Discard parsley sprigs and bouquet garni and strain liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup, reserving vegetables. Let liquid stand until fat rises to top and skim and discard fat. Return liquid to kettle and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Add beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking, and boil 2 minutes. Stir reserved vegetables and minced parsley into sauce and heat through if necessary.
• Serve duck legs, with sauce spooned over them and garnished with parsley sprigs, with roasted pears and onions.

TENDER BRAISED DUCK WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES

Steps:

• Put the duck legs into a small, deep frying pan (there's no need to add oil). Turn the heat on to medium and leave to cook for 5-7 mins until the skin starts to turn golden brown and crispy. Meanwhile, halve the onion and cut into half-moon slices. Turn over the duck legs and add the onions to the pan. Cook 5 mins more, stirring occasionally, until duck is golden all over and the onions are soft.
• Sprinkle in the turmeric, orange zest and cinnamon stick. Cook for a few secs, stirring all the time. Pour over the pomegranate molasses followed by 300ml water. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a cover on top, cook for 1 hr 20 mins until the duck is really tender, adding extra water if you need. Lift off the cover and cook 10 mins more until the sauce is thickened, glossy and slightly sticky. Serve with couscous or a rice pilau and a simple green salad.

BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH POLENTA AND WILTED CHARD

Steps:

• For the duck:
• Prick duck skin all over with a paring knife or carving fork; season with salt and pepper. Place duck on a large rimmed baking sheet. Toss with thyme, garlic, bay leaves, and juniper berries, pressing aromatics onto legs to adhere. Let sit 30 minutes (or preferably do this the day before; cover and chill).
• Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat to 225°F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over medium and cook onion, carrots, and celery, stirring occasionally, until softened, 8-10 minutes. Add wine, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half, 6-8 minutes. Add 1 cup water and slip duck legs (including aromatics), skin side down, into liquid. Cover and braise in oven on lower rack until duck is submerged in its fat, 1 1/2-2 hours. Turn duck skin side up and cook, covered, until tender (the bones will wiggle easily in the joint), 1 1/2-2 hours longer.
• Transfer duck to a deep baking dish; strain liquid into a large measuring glass or medium bowl. Skim fat into dish with duck; set aside braising juices. Chill duck, at least 1 hour and up to 2 days (cover and chill juices if chilling duck more than a couple of hours).
• For the polenta:
• While duck is chilling, preheat oven to 225°F. Bring milk and 2 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Season with salt and pepper; slowly stream in polenta, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking often, until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes. Cover and transfer to lower rack in oven. Bake until polenta is thick and grains are soft, 20-30 minutes. Whisk to smooth out.
• For the assembly:
• While the polenta is in the oven, bring reserved braising juices to a boil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until thick enough to coat a spoon, 15-20 minutes. Stir in vinegar; keep sauce warm.
• Remove polenta from oven; keep warm. Increase oven temperature to 400°F. Transfer duck legs, leaving fat behind, to a large rimmed baking sheet, placing skin side up. Roast on top rack until skin is crackling crisp, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove ribs and stems from chard leaves by slicing away leaf from both sides of stalk. Slice stalk in half lengthwise; cut into 3"-long pieces. Tear leaves. Heat half of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook garlic, tossing, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Add stems to skillet and cook, tossing, until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl with garlic.
• Add remaining oil to skillet; add chard leaves a handful at a time, letting them wilt slightly before adding more, and cook, tossing, until chard is just wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Toss in chard stems and garlic and transfer to a platter. Top with red pepper flakes and squeeze lemon over.
• Whisk Parmesan and butter into polenta. Serve duck with polenta, wilted chard, and sauce alongside.

BRAISED DUCK WITH OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Remove the duck's wings, giblets and neck; rinse inside and out and dry. Prick the skin of the breast and thighs with a fork. Lightly season the inside with salt and pepper; stuff with thyme and rosemary.
• Place duck, breast side down, in a large Dutch oven (preferably enamel-lined) over medium heat and brown on all sides, spooning off the fat as it renders.
• Bring stock and wine to a boil in a small pan; pour over the duck. Add the vegetables, bay leaves, lemon rind and several grindings of pepper. Cover; braise in oven until the leg meat is firm and the breast brown throughout, about 1 hour.
• Remove duck and cover loosely. Strain the stock, discard the vegetables and spoon off the fat. Boil stock until reduced to about 1 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the olives for the final 3 to 4 minutes. (You may thicken stock slightly with a roux of flour and butter.) Adjust seasonings.
• To serve, thinly slice the breast lengthwise. Separate legs from thighs. Pour on sauce.