Asian Duck Confit With Citrus Pea Sprout Salad Recipes

ASIAN DUCK CONFIT WITH HOISIN AND FIVE-SPICE GUACAMOLE

Steps:

• Mix together the sugar, salt, cilantro, olive oil, onion, vinegar, fish sauce, sriracha, oregano, thyme, garlic, lime juice, bay leaves, ginger, and black pepper in a large bowl. Add the duck legs and let marinate, 1 hour.
• Line the bottom of a tall pan with a layer of duck fat. Place the duck legs on top, then cover with another layer of duck fat. Place in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Melt the remaining duck fat in a large ovenproof pot. Wipe the marinade off the duck legs and place them in the warm fat. Transfer the pot to the oven. Roast until meat is falling off the bone, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Pull duck legs from fat.
• Reheat the duck in a pan over medium heat until brown and crispy on both
• sides. Garnish with a drizzle of hoisin and serve with a side of Five-Spice Guacamole.
• Slice the avocados in half, working the knife carefully around the pit. Twist the two halves in opposite directions, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Add the lime juice and toss to coat, then drain off and reserve any unincorporated juice. Add the five-spice powder, salt and sesame seeds. Using a potato masher, mash the avocados to desired consistency. Fold in the onions, jalapeno, cilantro and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour, then serve.

ORIENTAL DUCK SALAD

Steps:

• Score the top of the duck breast before marinating.
• Marinade: Combine the soy sauce, garlic, ginger, 5-spice, brown sugar, chili flakes, basil, cilantro, and salt. Add the duck to the marinade and coat well.
• Heat a large saute pan over high heat. Add the duck breasts and saute until golden brown on both sides and cooked to your desired temperature, about 3 minutes per side for medium rare.
• Remove the duck from the pan and keep warm. Deglaze the pan with coffee. Add the reserved marinade and reduce to desired consistency.
• In a mixing bowl, combine dashi with sugar and rice wine vinegar. Transfer mixture to a blender and add garlic, fresh ginger, pickled ginger and pinch of salt. Slowly add salad oil to the blender. Refrigerate until needed.
• Have fryer heated to 360 degrees F.
• Deep-fry the menlo until golden brown, about 30 seconds. Remove from the oil to a paper towel lined plate. On a platter, place deep-fried menlo topped with spring mix. Slice duck breast and place on top of greens. Serve with chilled pickled ginger vinaigrette. Sprinkle with macadamia nuts.

CITRUS PEA SPROUT SALAD

Steps:

• In a blender, add the segments and Dijon and blend on high speed. Drizzle in the oil and season. Toss 1/2 of the vinaigrette with the sprouts, check for seasoning, and add more vinaigrette if necessary. Set aside any leftover vinaigrette.

CHINESE-STYLE DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Combine the peppercorns and salt in a heavy skillet and toast over moderate heat, stirring, until the salt turns off-white, about 5 minutes.
• Adjust the heat so the peppercorns do not burn, but expect them to smoke.
• Let the mixture cool slightly, then run through a spice grinder or food processor until you get a very fine powder.
• Sieve to get rid of any husks from the peppercorns.
• Set aside.
• Sprinkle about 1/3 (about 1 tbl.) of the pepper-salt generously over the duck legs, massaging it well into the skin.
• Save the rest of the pepper-salt for another use.
• Put the legs in a zip-lock bag or a glass container covered tightly with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge overnight.
• Let come to room temperature before cooking.
• Heat a large heavy casserole over moderate heat until hot enough to evaporate a bead of water on contact.
• Add 2 tbl.
• of the duck fat and swirl to glaze the bottom of the pan.
• Add the duck legs in a single layer and brown on both sides.
• Adjust the heat so the skin browns without scorching and drizzle in a bit more fat if needed.
• Remove the pot from the heat and carefully drain off any burned fat.
• Return the pot and seared duck legs to moderate heat.
• Add the duck fat and the confit seasonings.
• Nudge the legs from the bottom while the mixture comes to a gentle simmer, then adjust the heat so that the fat does not boil.
• Simmer uncovered until the duck is very tender at it's thickest part and almost falling off the bone, about 40 minutes.
• Use tongs to carefully transfer the legs to a shallow container.
• Let the fat cool until tepid, about 30 minutes, then carefully strain over the duck legs.
• Discard the solids.
• Arrange the legs so they are completely submerged in the fat, and place, uncovered, in the refrigerator.
• Once the fat congeals, cover the container tightly.
• In this state, the confit can be stored for 1 day to 2 weeks before using.
• To serve, warm the container over low heat or in a slow oven until the fat turns liquid, then remove the legs.
• Strip the legs of skin, then pull the meat from the bone in shreds.
• Discard the skin, bones and any cartilage.
• The meat is best when just taken from the bone, but you can store it in the refrigerator in shreds, just warm to room temperature before using.
• You may have to adjust the seasonings with more pepper-salt.
• The seasoned duck fat can be frozen indefinitely.
• Strain through several layers of dry cheesecloth to trap excess pepper-salt, then seal and freeze for your next batch of confit.
• On the second go-round you won't need to season the duck fat, but you will need to add 2 cups of fresh duck fat to the pot in order to cover the same amount of legs.

ASIAN NOODLES WITH BARBECUED DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Soak noodles in cold water to cover 30 minutes.
• While noodles soak, stir together all glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Stir together all sauce ingredients in another small bowl.
• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.
• Blanch carrots in a small saucepan of boiling water 30 seconds, then transfer to a large bowl with a slotted spoon. Return water to a boil and cook beans until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl with carrots.
• Bring a pasta pot of water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, put duck legs, skin sides up, on rack of a broiler pan, then pour 1 cup water into bottom of pan. Brush or spoon about half of glaze over skin side of duck. Roast duck until well browned, about 20 minutes.
• Turn on broiler. Brush duck with remaining glaze, then broil 3 to 4 inches from heat until skin is bubbling and lightly charred around edges, about 2 minutes more. Keep warm, covered.
• Drain noodles, then cook in boiling water 30 seconds. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain noodles again.
• Add hot noodles, sauce, and scallions to carrots and beans and toss with tongs until well coated with sauce, adding some of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary
• Add hot noodles, sauce, and scallions to carrots and beans and toss with tongs until well coated with sauce, adding some of reserved cooking liquid to moisten if necessary

PEAR AND DUCK CONFIT SALAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250°F.
• Whisk together mustard, vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add 4 tablespoons oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified, then whisk in shallot.
• Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pecans, stirring, until golden brown. Transfer nuts with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain, then season with salt.
• Heat skillet with any oil remaining in it over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown duck on all sides until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and tear meat into bite-size pieces and discard bones. Keep duck warm, covered, on a baking sheet in oven.
• Halve and core pears and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Add pears, greens, duck, cheese, and nuts to dressing with salt and pepper to taste, then toss gently to combine.