Grilled Duck Legs With Frisee Salad Food

DUCK BREAST WITH FRISéE SALAD AND PORT VINAIGRETTE

Steps:

• Put a small shallow flameproof roasting pan in middle of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• Pat duck dry and trim off any fat from sides. Score duck skin in a crosshatch pattern at 1/2-inch intervals with a sharp knife, then season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
• Heat a heavy medium skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat until hot, then cook duck, skin side down, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook until other side is golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to roasting pan and roast in oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally into center registers 135°F, 10 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes. (Internal temperature will rise to at least 142°F.)
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan, then add oil and shallot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and add Port, then return to heat (Port may ignite) and cook, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and stir in mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Add frisée, tossing to combine, and sprinkle with almonds. Serve duck with salad.

SESAME-GLAZED DUCK LEGS WITH SPICY PERSIMMON SALAD

Steps:

• Make Sichuan pepper salt: Put Sichuan peppercorns and salt in a dry small skillet over medium-high heat. Shaking the pan and stirring frequently, toast mixture until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then grind coarsely with a mortar and pestle or spice mill.
• Season duck legs all over with Sichuan pepper salt, then wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Set up a steamer: Fill a large pot halfway with water and set a steamer basket 2 inches above the water. Place crushed cinnamon and star anise on the bottom of steamer basket, then lay seasoned duck legs on top.
• Cover with a lid and bring water to a hard boil over high heat. Reduce heat slightly to maintain a brisker simmer. (Check water level occasionally and add more boiling water as necessary.) Steam legs until tender when pierced with a thin-bladed knife, about 1 hour 15 minutes; start checking at 1 hour. Remove legs and set aside. (They may be left at room temperature for an hour or so before roasting, or you can steam the legs up to 6 hours before roasting and refrigerate, covered. Re-steam the refrigerated legs for 15 minutes to soften before proceeding.)
• Heat oven to 375 degrees. Put legs on a rack set over a foil-lined baking sheet and roast uncovered for about 30 minutes, until skin begins to crisp.
• As legs roast, make the glaze: Whisk together soy sauce, sesame oil, bean paste, brown sugar and orange juice. Once the legs have been in the oven for 30 minutes, brush them generously with glaze and roast for 30 minutes more (for a total cooking time of 1 hour), brushing them again every 10 minutes. Transfer legs to a serving platter. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Make the salad: Put persimmons, oranges, daikon, chiles, lime juice, ginger and sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat. Transfer salad to platter with duck legs. Drizzle with any remaining juices from bowl. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, scallions and cilantro sprigs.

GRILLED DUCK LEGS WITH FRISEE SALAD

Steps:

• Turn the legs skin side down. Cut along each thigh bone and remove it. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Remove the sinews from the duck liver. Season and saute in butter over high heat for three minutes. Pour in the Madeira or sherry and cook another minute. Mash the livers until smooth and set aside.
• Bake the bread in the oven for 10 minutes and allow to cool.
• Meanwhile, heat grill or broiler. Season the duck legs and broil for five minutes on the flesh side and eight minutes on the skin side.
• Spread the liver mixture on the croutons and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Wash and dry the frisee and place it in a salad bowl.
• Combine the lemon juice and hazelnut oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with hazelnuts and toss the salad in the dressing. Divide the salad between two warm plates, place a duck leg on each one and sprinkle with liver croutons around the side. Sprinkle with duck cracklings if you like.

DUCK BREAST AND FRISéE SALAD

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Toss bread with oil and kosher salt and spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan, then bake until golden, about 12 minutes.
• Whisk together Sherry vinegar, mustard, pepper, and salt to taste in a large bowl, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
• Fry duck slices in 2 batches in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, turning over once, until browned, about 3 minutes per batch (use caution; fat will splatter). Transfer duck breast bacon with tongs to a paper-towel-lined platter and loosely cover with foil to keep warm.
• Fill a deep 10-inch skillet with 1 1/4 inches cold water. Add distilled vinegar and bring to a simmer.
• Break 1 egg into a cup, then slide egg into simmering water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing them in skillet, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Gently transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.
• Toss frisée and croutons with dressing. Serve salad topped with duck bacon and eggs.