Roast Duck With Asian Vegetables And Sweet Potato Puree Food

CORIANDER BREAST OF DUCK WITH SWEET POTATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Split each poached parsnip in 1/2 lengthwise and rub with a small amount of grapeseed oil. Rub the 8 sweet potatoes wedges with grapeseed oil. Season the parsnip and potato with salt and pepper. Bake on a sheet tray in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until browned and cooked through (approximately 15 minutes). Heat a large, nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Season each duck breast with salt and pepper. Press one side of the duck breast into the coriander seeds. Use a squeeze bottle to drizzle a thin line of grapeseed oil over the coriander on each duck breast. Add the duck breasts, seed side down to the hot saute pan. Saute until the coriander browns. Turn the duck breasts over and set the pan off the flame for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the breasts and allow them to rest 2 to 4 minutes. To plate, set a piece of parsnip and wedge of sweet potato on each plate. Slice each duck breast into 1/4-inch slices and arrange against the vegetables. Spoon sauce onto each plate and garnish with pea shoots.
• Juice sweet potatoes and allow the juice to stand for 4 hours. This will allow much of the potato starch in the juice to settle. Pour the juice through a fine mesh strainer being careful to leave the settled starch behind. Place over a medium flame and reduce to approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cups, or until the sauce naturally thickens. Remove from the fire and stir in the ginger and Thai chile pepper. Stir until the sauce tastes spicy enough and strain immediately. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Season both the outside and inside of the duckling with salt and pepper. Place the onion inside the duck. Truss the bird and prick the skin. Dry thoroughly.
• Place the duck breast-side up in a roasting pan and place in the center rack of a 425 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes to brown lightly. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast for 1 additional hour to 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove accumulated fat occasionally with a bulb baster.
• The duck is done to medium rare if the juices from the fattest part of the thigh or drumstick run faintly rosy when the duck is pricked, and when the duck is lifted and drained, the last drops of juice from the vent are pale rose. The duck is well done when the juices run pale yellow.
• Remove the duck from the oven, discard trussing strings, and place on a serving platter. Let sit for 10 minutes before carving.
• In a saucepan, combine the red currant jelly and the lemon juice. Bring to a boil, strain, and serve with the duck.

ROAST DUCK WITH ASIAN VEGETABLES AND SWEET POTATO PUREE

Steps:

• To make the duck, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper and 3 rounds of ginger in the duck cavity. Season the outside with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over high heat, and sear the duck until browned on all sides. Place the duck in a large roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the fat from the skillet, add 1 teaspoon oil and place over high heat. Season the radish, water chestnuts, mushrooms and scallions with salt and pepper. Add the radish to the skillet and cook 1 minute. Add water chestnuts and saute until vegetables are well browned, about 10 minutes. Scatter in the roasting pan around the duck. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the skillet, add the mushrooms and scallions and saute until browned, about 5 minutes. Place in the roasting pan. Pour the fat from the skillet and set the skillet aside.
• To make the sweet potatoes, place in a large saucepan with the milk, cinnamon and orange peel. Cover with water. Simmer over high heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain, leaving 3 strips of orange peel in the pan. Add the butter, apple and banana and saute 2 minutes. Add the sugar and orange juice and stir until caramelized. Remove the fruit with a slotted spoon, add the cream and cook, scraping the bottom of the pot, for 30 seconds. Strain through a fine sieve. Place the sweet potatoes, fruit and strained cream mix in a food processor and puree. Keep warm.
• To make the sauce, add port to skillet, place over high heat and reduce for 2 minutes. Add 2 rounds of ginger. Simmer until reduced to a glaze, about 10 minutes. Stir in broth and simmer for 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• Let the duck stand for 10 minutes; carve into serving pieces. Place the pieces in the center of a large platter and surround with the vegetables. Pass the sweet potatoes and the sauce separately.

CRISPY ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
• Trim ducks: with a sharp knife, cut away excess fat and skin from both ends of ducks. (Render fat for another use or discard.)
• Salt cavity of each duck. Prick each duck all over with a fork, about 30 times. Place them on a rack set in a large roasting pan and roast 1 hour. Prick ducks all over and turn on one side. Repeat pricking ducks all over and turn onto second side. Repeat two more times. After four hours, increase heat to 350 degrees F.
• Continue to roast 30 to 90 minutes more, pricking and turning once, according to taste: 1) For very juicy, slightly crisp ducks: Roast 15 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 15 minutes more. 2) For juicy, crisp ducks: Roast 30 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 30 minutes more. 3) For slightly drier, very crisp ducks: Roast 45 minutes, prick and turn, and roast 45 minutes more.
• Remove ducks to a carving board and let them sit 15 minutes, loosely covered. Simply cut ducks in half and serve half a duck per person; or carefully remove breast and legs from bone, making sure to keep skin intact, and cut them into 1/2-inch wide pieces. Generously season with salt and pepper before serving.