Grilled Duck Breast With Miso Ginger And Orange Food

GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH MISO, GINGER AND ORANGE

Steps:

• Trim duck breasts of extraneous fat (or ask your butcher to trim them) and score the skin. Season very lightly with salt and generously with coarsely ground pepper.
• Make the marinade: In a mixing bowl, whisk together miso, soy sauce, sake, orange zest, ginger, garlic, cayenne and sesame oil. Remove 1/4 cup of the marinade and combine it with 2 tablespoons orange juice to make a dressing; set aside. Add remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice to the marinade in the mixing bowl.
• Lay duck in a shallow pan and pour the marinade over, making sure meat is well coated. Let sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour. If you wish, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• Prepare a bed of medium-hot coals in a grill, or heat a stovetop grill or cast-iron pan to medium hot. Cook duck breasts skin-side down for 8 to 10 minutes, until fat is rendered and skin is nicely colored. (See note.) Turn and cook on the other side for 3 or 4 minutes, until internal temperature registers 125 degrees. Remove from heat and let rest at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook green beans for 1 to 2 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain green beans and rinse with cool water; blot dry.
• Slice duck crosswise about 1/8-inch thick. Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Place several slices of duck on each leaf, along with a couple of mango slices. Arrange green beans over the top and garnish with watercress, if using. Drizzle reserved dressing over everything, sprinkle with scallions and serve.

ASIAN-SPICED DUCK BREASTS WITH GINGER-CHILE GLAZE (GRILLED)

Steps:

• For the rub: combine all rub ingredients in a small bowl or jar with a tight fitting lid (the rub keeps well for months stored at room temperature in a jar with a tight-fitting lid).
• For the glaze: Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes; do not brown. Add the chile paste and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Whisk in the honey and soy sauce and simmer for just a minute, until the honey has melted. Let cool to room temperature. (The glaze can be made a few days in advance, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using).
• For the duck: Heat your grill to medium. Set aside a few tablespoons of the glaze for brushing the cooked duck.
• Using the tip of a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck breasts in a crisscross pattern, being sure not to cut through to the flesh. Season with salt and pepper. Rub the skin side of each breast with a few teaspoons of the spice rub.
• Put the breasts skin side down on the grate (use the cooler part of the grill if cooking with charcoal) and grill until the skin begins to crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Turn the breasts over, raise the heat to high or move to the hotter part of the grill, brush with the glaze, and grill, brushing often with the glaze, until medium-rare, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Remove the breasts from the grill and brush with the reserved glaze. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut each breast into 1/2 inch thick slices. Serve immediately, sprinkled with scallions.

GRILLED DUCK BREASTS WITH RED WINE AND ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• To prepare the red wine and orange sauce.
• Combine the orange juice and honey in a large skillet and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of a syrup, about 15 minutes.
• Add the vinegar, stir to combine, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine, raise the heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reduces by half (8 to 10 minutes). Add the chicken stock and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture reduces to a syrupy consistency, and there is about 1-1/2 cups of liquid remaining (10 to 15 minutes).
• Remove the pan from the heat, add the pumpkin pie spice, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir to incorporate. Add the butter and gently swirl with a wooden spoon until incorporated and the sauce takes on a satiny gloss. Keep the sauce war, over very low heat.
• To prepare the duck breasts:.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully remove about one-third of the fatty skin from the surface of each breast. With the tip of the knife, score the fat with a crosshatch design, being careful not to cut through to the meat. Spread the oil evenly over the duck breasts, then sprinkle them generously with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the spice mixture over each breast, a teaspoon on the fatty side and a teaspoon on the other side, and press the spices into the surfaces.
• Heat a large skillet on medium heat. Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in the skillet, lower the heat just a notch to medium-low and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the skin is crisply browned. Spoon out the excess fat from the pan as it is rendered. Turn the breasts and cook 3-4 minutes, until the meat on the opposite side is lightly browned. Transfer the breasts to a cutting board and set aside to rest for 5 minutes; they will continue to cook while resting.
• Using a sharp carving knife, cut the duck breasts in half crosswise, then cut each half into 1/4 inch slices. Divide among six warmed serving plates, arranging the slices fat side up. Spoon the sauce over the duck and serve.