Duck Breasts With Turnips And Eastern Spices Food

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH GRAPE SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a sharp paring knife, score the fat in the duck breasts a couple times in two directions to create a crosshatch pattern. Cut through the fat but not into the meat of the breast. Salt the breasts and let sit outside the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
• Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large saute pan. Place the duck in the pan skin-side down. Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the duck breasts low and slow to allow the fat to render and so the skin can get nice and crispy. As the fat renders out of the duck, pour or spoon it out of the pan and SAVE IT for another purpose. (It's yummy!) Cook the duck for 8 to 9 minutes on the skin side. Turn the duck over and cook the duck for 2 to 3 minutes on the flesh side. Remove the duck from the pan, cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Add the grapes to the pan with the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. Cook the grapes until they split and let out their juices and the bacon is crisp.
• Spoon half the grapes out of the pan and reserve. Add the port and vinegar to the pan, season with salt and reduce the port by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce it by half. Add in the reserved grapes. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Slice the duck on a severe bias and serve garnished with the sauce.

GRILLED DUCK WITH SAUTEED TURNIPS

Steps:

• Remove the ducks' legs, including thighs. Using a boning knife, slice the legs three-quarters of the way through at the joint where they meet the thighs. Cut from the skinless side. This flattens the meat, allowing it to cook faster. Run the knife along both sides of the legbone and thighbone, from the skinless side, just to separate the meat. Remove all skin from the legs and thighs. Remove the duck breasts and skin them. (A butcher can do all this for you.)
• Place all the duck meat in a roasting pan. Combine the salt, bay leaf, thyme, clove and black peppercorns in a blender or spice grinder. Grind them to a powder. Sprinkle the powder all over the duck pieces. Rub the duck pieces with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and add the garlic. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate for several hours, or overnight.
• Before cooking the duck, slice the turnips very thinly. You should have about six cups. Place the turnips in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, with the remaining olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter and garlic clove. Place the skillet over the hot grill along with the duck legs, uncovered. Cook the turnips, turning them occasionally, until they are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from grill, cover and keep warm.
• Cook the duck legs for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. When the duck legs are done, remove them from grill and place in a roasting pan. Keep warm. Place the breasts on the grill. Cook for about 10 minutes, turning once. Place the breasts in the roasting pan with the legs and add the shallots, butter and parsley. Place roasting pan over the grill and let the butter melt and mix with the duck juices. Place the duck meat on a serving platter or serving dishes. Mix the pan juices well and bring to a boil. Pour over duck meat and serve with the turnips.

DUCK BREASTS WITH TURNIPS AND EASTERN SPICES

Steps:

• Trim the ends of the turnips and peel them. Cut into 1/4-inch slices.
• Place the duck breasts and the turnips in a large saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Cook, simmering, over low heat for one minute. Remove the duck breast, and cook the turnips two minutes longer. Remove the turnips, and place the duck breasts and the turnips into an ice-water bath to prevent them from cooking further. When cool, remove the duck and the turnips. Pat the duck dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, remove the thick, excess fat, leaving a thin layer of fat underneath. Score the surface of the fat diagonally.
• Grind the coriander, clove and cumin by placing them on a cutting board and crushing them with a heavy sauce pan. This can also be done in a spice mill, but be careful not to grind them too finely -- you want a crunchy texture to the spice crust.
• Meanwhile, season the duck breast with salt and pepper. Place in a skillet over medium-high heat, skin side down, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the turnips, turning them from time to time, and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Remove the duck and turnips from the skillet, and pour off the fat. Pat the skin of the duck with paper towels to absorb any excess fat.
• In the same skillet, combine the honey and white vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to caramelize lightly and evenly. Add the ground spices while stirring. Be careful not to burn. Remove the skillet from the heat. Return duck breasts to the skillet, fatty side down. Move them around in the pan to coat them with the spice mixture. Remove the duck, and keep warm.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and add the cider. Cook, scraping the side and bottom of the pan, until all the brown particles are dissolved. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the duck breasts, fatty side up, and place the turnips around them. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the duck and keep warm. The meat should be pink in the center.
• Bring the sauce and the turnips to a boil and cook until reduced by more than half, until the sauce has thickened to a syrupy consistency.
• Cut the breasts on a bias into thin slices. Arrange the slices of the breasts in a fan shape in the center of a warm serving plate. Garnish with turnip slices, and spoon the sauce around. Garnish with parsley.

DUCK BREAST WITH GRAPES, TURNIPS AND A PORT EMULSION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Score the duck skin with a sharp knife. Season both sides of the breast with salt, but only put pepper on the flesh side. Place breast in a cold saute pan and place over low heat. As fat renders out of the skin, drain it off. When skin is crisp and golden, increase flame to medium and turn breast over. Add 2 of the thyme sprigs, the garlic clove and about 2 tablespoons butter. Finish cooking the breasts until medium rare. Remove from the pan and hold in a 200 degree oven. Drain off excess fat from pan. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about one minute. Add port, remaining thyme sprigs, ground coriander seeds and vinegar. Reduce until almost all the liquid is gone. Whisk in cold unsalted butter cubes in small additions. If emulsion becomes too thick , add a touch of chicken stock or water. Strain and keep in a warm, not hot, place. Saute in butter or vegetable oil the turnips until golden or tender. Season with salt and black pepper. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Repeat the process with the grapes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. To serve, slice the duck breast thinly. Arrange on warm plates (not too hot, or your emulsion may break). Mix together the emulsion, turnips, and grapes. Spoon over the duck and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, chervil pluches, or chive points.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH GRILLED PEACH AND GOAT CHEESE SALAD

Steps:

• Heat grill to medium. Put orange juice in a medium saucepan and cook until reduced by half. Add the blackberries and cook for 2 minutes. Strain the mixture into a bowl. Place the blackberries in another bowl and set aside.
• Mix together all the spices and rub the skin side of the duck with some of the rub. Season breasts with salt and drizzle with oil. Grill, rub side down until a crust forms, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts over and continue cooking to medium doneness, brushing with some of the orange-blackberry glaze every minute or so. Transfer to a large platter.
• Brush the cut side of the peaches with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches, cut side down until slightly charred about 2 minutes. Turn over and grill for another minute. Arrange cut side up around the duck, or on another platter. Spoon some goat cheese into the peach hollows, scatter the arugula and pecans over, and then some of the cooked blackberries. Serve the remaining berries with the duck and peaches, if desired.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, five spice powder, dry mustard and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck so it has a 1/4-inch diamond pattern. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck.
• Heat a grill to medium (make sure it's not too hot since the key is to cook duck slowly to render the fat) and wipe down the grates with an oiled towel. Place the duck skin-side down on the grate and cook until the skin is seared and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. (If there are occasional flare-ups from the fat, move the duck around on the grill to a new spot away from the flame each time.) Flip the duck over and place on a cooler part of the grill. Cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting against the grain into thick slices.

JULIA CHILD'S DUCK ROASTED IN A CASSEROLE WITH TURNIPS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325.
• Season the duck inside and out with 1/2 tsp salt and pepper.
• Truss and prick the skin of the lower breast, thigh, and back.
• Brown slowly on all sides in the hot oil in a stove top safe casserole.
• Pour out the fat and salt the duck and place it breast up in the casserole.
• Add the bouquet garni and cover the casserole.
• Roast for 60 minutes.
• Peel and chop the turnips into 3/4 inch dice.
• Drop into boiling salted water for 5 minutes and drain.
• Remove the duck from the oven. Degrease using a bulb baster.
• Arrange the turnips around the duck, cover and return to the oven and cook an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
• Baste the turnips on occasion.
• Remove from the oven, drain the duck and after untrussing place on a platter.
• Remove the turnips with a slotted spoon and arrange around the duck.
• Sprinkle with minced parsley.
• Degrease the cooking juices and serve with the duck.