Duck Breast In A Salt Crust Food

DUCK PROSCIUTTO ~ SALT CURED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup of salt in a non-reactive container. Place the duck breast on the salt, and bury it in the remaining half cup of salt. (use more if necessary, to completely bury the meat).
• Allow the duck breast to cure in the salt in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, until the texture is firm. If it's still squishy like raw meat, put it back in the salt and give it a few more hours.
• After the salt cure is complete, remove the duck from the salt, brush it off and give it a quick rinse in running water.
• Pat the duck breast dry, wrap it in cheesecloth and hang it to dry in a cool place for about 7 days until it loses about 30% of it's original weight.
• Once the drying is complete, wrap the breast tightly to prevent further drying and store in the refrigerator until ready for use. Slice very thin, and serve like traditional prosciutto on a charcuterie platter.

SEARED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, score the fat of the duck breast in a crisscross pattern, being careful to not cut into the meat. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Warm a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.
• Place the duck breast fat-side down in the skillet to render off the fat, about 8 minutes. Once the fat has rendered out and the skin is golden brown and crisp, turn the duck breast over and add the butter, thyme and garlic. Turn up the heat to medium-high and, once the butter is foamy, begin basting the duck breast using a spoon. Continue basting until the duck breast reaches medium rare and measures 135 to 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.

PAN ROASTED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• With a sharp knife score the fat of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Warm a heavy bottomed ovenproof skillet over medium heat.
• Place the duck breasts, fat side down, in the skillet to render off the fat, about 6 minutes. Reserve rendered duck fat. Turn the duck breasts over and sear for 1 minute. Turn the fat side down again and place the skillet into the oven to roast for 7 to 9 minutes, until breasts are medium rare. Let the duck breasts rest for 5 minutes then thinly slice.
• Grate the potatoes and squeeze out excess liquid using your hands. Toss the potatoes with the melted butter, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon of duck fat in a 6-inch cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Press some of the potato mixture into the hot pan to make a 1/4-inch thick cake. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the rosti is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the rosti in the pan and add more duck fat. Continue cooking until golden and crisp. Place the finished rosti onto an unlined baking sheet and continue cooking the rest of the potato mixture. Reheat rosti in a 400 degree F oven for 10 minutes.
• Combine the brown sugar, raspberry vinegar, red wine vinegar, and white wine vinegar in a medium pot. Place over medium-low heat and stir to dissolve the brown sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the blueberries, onion, green peppercorns, lemon juice, and ginger. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
• The chutney will keep for several weeks stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

ROAST DUCK BREAST WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND PORT

Steps:

• Wrap each duck breast in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until each breast is about 1 inch thick. Place the duck on a plate, sprinkle both sides with a total of 4 teaspoons salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, making a crosshatch pattern but not cutting down to the meat.
• In a large (12-inch) heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, discarding the fat from the pan occasionally, until the skin is very browned. Turn the duck with tongs, place the skillet in the oven, and roast for 12 to 18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the duck is 120 degrees F for rare. Remove from the oven, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the duck to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the vinegar and cook for one minute. Add the Port, chicken stock, cherries, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, orange zest, and orange juice and keep warm over low heat.
• Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice diagonally, fanning the slices out on 4 dinner plates. Spoon the sauce generously on top, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.

SMOKED DUCK BREAST WITH GOAT CHEESE GRIT CAKE, GRILLED ASPARAGUS AND SMOKED BLUEBERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• For the grits: Add grits to 2 cups of water in a heavy-bottomed steel pot. Bring to a light simmer over low heat, stirring frequently. When the grits start to thicken to an oatmeal consistency, add 1 cup of water and continue to cook in the same manner. Repeat with 1 more cup water.
• Once the grits start to thicken once more, add the cream and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the grits thicken again. Add the butter and allow to melt throughout.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Allow grits to cool, loosely covered, 2 hours, or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
• Reheat the grits over low to medium heat, stirring well, adding additional milk or cream if needed for the right consistency. Add the goat cheese and mix well. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Oil a hot skillet or griddle, then add a 6-ounce ladle or scoop of goat cheese grits. Cook through until a brown crust has developed on the bottom of the grit cake, about 5 minutes. Carefully flip the grit cake with a spatula or pancake turner, making sure to get between the crust and the skillet, rather than between the crust and the grits. Continue to heat through until a bottom crust has developed, roughly 5 more minutes.
• For the duck: Prepare a smoker or grill for indirect cooking at 225 degrees F.
• Stir together salt and pepper in a bowl. Lightly rub duck breasts with salt and pepper, and place in your smoker or over indirect heat on your grill. Cook, undisturbed, until lightly browned from the smoke and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 150 degrees F, about 45 minutes. Remove from smoker and allow to rest at least 15 minutes. Preheat a grill (if you used a smoker) for cooking at 225 degrees F.
• To crisp the skin, lightly run a sharp knife in a cross-hatch pattern on the skin, then baste lightly with oil or melted butter. Place skin-side-down on the grill until skin is crispy but duck meat is not overcooked, about 5 minutes.
• For the asparagus: Meanwhile, preheat a grill for cooking over medium heat.
• Heat a large amount of water in a large stockpot over high heat. Add a generous handful of salt. Bring to a roiling boil.
• Add asparagus to the boiling water. (If you have a steamer basket, this is an excellent time to use it, as it makes fishing the asparagus out a breeze.) Cook the asparagus until just turning soft while still maintaining a bright green color. Remove the asparagus from the hot water and allow to cool completely, preferably in ice water.
• Rub the asparagus lightly with olive oil, salt and pepper. Place on the grill and cook until desired level of char appears on the stalks, about 5 minutes.
• For the smoked blueberry sauce: Meanwhile, add blueberries to a skillet or aluminum pan. Place blueberries in the smoker alongside the duck, taking care to leave room for air to circulate, and smoke until the berries take on a dusky midnight blue appearance, about 15 minutes. (Longer cooking will lead to stronger smoky flavor in the berries.)
• Remove the berries from the smoker, then heat them on the stove over high heat with the dark brown sugar. Add the dark rum, being careful of flames. Allow the alcohol to burn off and continue to heat the pan, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved, the berries have released some of their juices, and the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes.
• Serve the duck breast over the grits with the sauce and asparagus.

SEARED CRISPY SKIN DUCK BREAST WITH DUCK FAT FRIED POTATOES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Pat dry the duck breasts with a paper towel.
• Score the duck skin with sharp knife, making sure to not cut into the flesh.
• Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Add the potatoes to a pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
• Using the bottom of a ramekin or your palm, gently smash the potatoes.
• Preheat the oven to 400˚F (200˚C).
• Starting with a cold and dry oven-safe skillet, place the duck breasts skin side down. Cook for 12-15 minutes over medium heat.
• Flip the breasts over and sear the other side for 1 minute. Flip to the skin side down, and transfer the skillet to the oven.
• Roast for 4 minutes for medium-rare, or 6 minutes for medium.
• Rest the duck skin-side up for 10 minutes. Do not discard the fat in the pan.
• In a small pot, combine the red wine, chicken stock, orange juice, and honey and reduce by half over medium heat.
• Fry the potatoes with remaining duck fat in the pan, until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and rosemary.
• Slice the duck ½-inch (1 cm) pieces.
• Serve with the sauce and the potatoes.
• Enjoy!

DUCK BREAST IN A SALT CRUST

Steps:

• Cut the skin of the duck breasts in a criss cross pattern and fry for 2 minutes until golden brown.
• Remove the breasts and let drain.
• Cover the bottom of a small heat proof dish with a 1 cm layer of salt.
• Lay the duck breasts in the dish next to each other and sprinkle generously with salt and just a little water.
• Preheat the oven to 460 F/250°C.
• Cook for about 20-25 minutes so that the breasts are still pink inside.
• Remove from oven and leave to stand for another 5 minutes.
• Then remove the salt crust, cut the meat into slices and serve.

DUCK BREAST WITH DUKKAH CRUST, ENDIVE, POTATO AND SOUR CHERRY JUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Score the skin on the duck in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat. Sprinkle the duck on both sides with kosher salt and pepper. Gently heat a dry cast-iron pan over low heat. Place the duck into the pan, skin side down, and begin to slowly render the duck fat. Very slowly and gently, cook until most of the fat has rendered, about 20 minutes. Flip the duck and cook on the flesh side for 3 to 4 minutes, basting with some of the duck fat, until the duck reaches an internal temperature of 130 degrees F for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and allow to rest on a sheet tray lined with a rack. Reserve the duck fat.
• Add a drizzle of oil, 2 sprigs of the thyme, the bay leaf, shallots and pink peppercorns to a small saucepan. Saute over medium-high heat until the shallot has softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sugar and 1/2 cup of the sherry vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced au sec (or until there is barely anything left), a few minutes. Add the red wine and continue to reduce until almost completely dry, 5 to 6 minutes. Add 1 cup of the veal demi and 1/2 cup of the chicken stock and cook until reduced and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Strain the sauce into another saucepan and put back on the heat. Add the sour cherries and the remaining cup of demi and reduce until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 tablespoon of the butter and the remaining 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar and remove from the heat.
• Coat the bottom of a large cast-iron pan with oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season the endive with salt and place into the pan, cut side down, and sear for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place onto a sheet tray.
• In another large saute pan, add the orange juice and the remaining 4 sprigs thyme and 1/2 cup chicken stock. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the charred endive and the remaining 1 stick butter and braise in the sauce until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Combine the coriander, cumin, sesame seeds, cardamom and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl. Brush the skin side of the duck breast with the honey. Press an even crust with the spice mixture onto the duck, making sure to firmly press to ensure it's nicely adhered to the honey. Slice the duck lengthwise.
• For the potatoes, using a cast-iron pan, heat up the reserved duck fat on medium heat. Season the sliced potatoes. Sear the potatoes gently in the duck fat and then place in the oven. Cook on the first side until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes, then flip over for another 8 minutes.
• To plate, place one endive at the 2 o'clock position, 2 slices of roasted potato at 5 o'clock and the sliced duck breast at 9 o'clock - or just have fun and artfully display the beautiful work you've just produced. Sauce the center of the plate and a little bit around the duck. Garnish with flaky sea salt.