Glazed Duck With Clementine Sauce And Pistachios Recipes

GLAZED DUCK WITH CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Braise ducks:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Working from large cavity end, separate duck skin (including fat) from breast meat as much as possible by working your fingers between skin and meat, being careful not to tear skin, then prick skin all over ducks with a fork. Put ducks, breast sides up, side by side in a large flameproof roasting pan and rub each duck inside and out with kosher salt. Divide onions and celery between duck cavities and sprinkle 1/2 cup sugar around ducks. Pour enough boiling-hot water over ducks (to help tighten skin) to reach about halfway up ducks (don't fill roasting pan more than 1 inch from rim). Cover pan tightly with heavy-duty foil, then carefully transfer to oven and braise ducks 1 hour.
• Remove pan from oven and remove foil (do not discard), then carefully turn ducks over (breast sides down) using one large wooden spoon to turn and another inside cavity. Cover with foil, then carefully return to oven and braise until meat is very tender but not falling off the bone, about 1 hour more.
• Chill ducks:
• Remove pan from oven and discard foil. Transfer ducks with wooden spoons to 2 large plates, draining any juices inside ducks back into pan, then transfer cooking liquid to a large bowl. Return ducks to roasting pan, breast sides up, and cool ducks and cooking liquid (separately), uncovered, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours (to firm up duck before roasting and to solidify fat on cooking liquid).
• Prepare glaze and start sauce:
• Discard all fat from chilled cooking liquid.
• Remove zest from 2 large or 4 small clementines in strips with a vegetable peeler, then trim any white pith from zest with a sharp paring knife and cut zest into fine julienne strips. Blanch strips in a small saucepan of boiling water 5 minutes, then drain.
• Squeeze enough juice from remaining clementines to measure 2 cups and pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 3-quart heavy saucepan. Add vinegar and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup (glaze will bubble up and darken), about 15 minutes. Reserve 1 tablespoon glaze in a cup to brush on ducks, then stir julienned zest and 1 cup cooking liquid into glaze remaining in pan and reserve for sauce. Reserve remaining cooking liquid.
• Roast ducks and finish sauce:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 500°F.
• Roast ducks until skin is crisp, 25 to 35 minutes. Brush reserved glaze (from cup) on ducks, then transfer ducks to a platter and let stand while finishing sauce, at least 10 minutes.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from roasting pan and straddle pan over 2 burners. Add shallot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened and pale golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 2 cups reserved cooking liquid and deglaze pan by boiling, scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes, then pour through fine-mesh sieve into sauce (containing julienned zest) and bring to a boil.
• Stir together liqueur and arrowroot and whisk into sauce. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes, then season sauce with salt and pepper. Serve ducks, whole or carved into serving pieces, with sauce.

ROAST DUCK TWO WAYS WITH SPICED CLEMENTINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix the spices, thyme and zest. Slash the skin of the breast, cutting through the fat but not into the meat, then rub the spice mix over the breast and legs. Leave for at least 2 hrs, or for up to 24 hrs in the fridge.
• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Put the legs into an ovenproof frying pan or smallish roasting tin, season well, then roast for 1½ hrs until deep golden and crisp. Sit the legs on a plate, then keep warm in a low oven or let cool. Spoon off excess fat from the pan juices and keep it for the next time you make roasties. Pull the meat and skin from the legs, shred using 2 forks, then mix together. Keep warm or, if making ahead, reheat in a hot oven for 10 mins before serving.
• Put the pan back on the hob, add the sugar for the sauce and let it melt and turn dark golden. Add the vinegar (the sugar might turn hard at this point but don't worry as it will dissolve again), then reduce by about half. Tip in the clementine juice and almost all the stock and bubble again until reduced and syrupy. Whisk in the butter, then season to taste.
• Heat a frying pan, then cook the breast, skin-side down, for 10-12 mins until very crisp and the fat has run out. Turn over, fry for another 5 mins for just pink (or longer if you prefer), then lift onto a plate and rest, uncovered, for 10 mins. Spoon off remaining fat, add the leftover stock to the pan, then stir to dissolve any tasty, meaty bits. Add to the sauce.
• Slice the breast on the diagonal, then divide half of the leg meat between 2 warm plates in small piles (you can use a cutter or ring if you like, to make it neater). Top with slices of breast. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve with glazed veg and potatoes.

HONEY-GLAZED DUCK WITH FIG AND PISTACHIO RED QUINOA

Steps:

• 1. In a small saucepan, bring the port to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add the figs to the pan, remove from the heat, and let the figs rehydrate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
• 2. In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa, pistachios, and chicken stock or broth. Strain the figs from the port, reserving the port. Add the figs to the quinoa mixture and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the liquid has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, cover, and leave on the burner to keep warm.
• 3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a sharp knife, score the fat on the duck breasts in a crisscross pattern, making cuts about 1 inch apart. Place the honey in a small bowl and stir in the hot sauce, if using, and 1 teaspoon of the reserved port. Season both sides of the duck with salt and pepper.
• 4. Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck breasts skin-side down and cook undisturbed until the fat is mostly rendered, leaving a crispy crust, about 7 minutes. Use a spoon or a baster to remove all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of the duck fat. With a spatula or a pair of tongs, turn the breasts over and brush the skin side with the honey mixture.
• 5. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or to desired level of doneness. For safety, the meat should have an internal temperature of 165°F when checked with a meat thermometer. Let the duck rest for 5 minutes to allow the juices to redistribute, then transfer to a cutting board and thinly slice each breast on the diagonal.
• 6. To serve, stir the thyme into the quinoa mixture. Divide the quinoa among four plates and fan the slices of duck breast over it. Drizzle with the remaining port-honey sauce if desired. Serve immediately.