Grilled Duck Breast With Minted Peas Recipes

GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Take your duck breasts out of the fridge and salt them well. Let them sit on the counter for 30 minutes to come to room temperature. If you are working with skinless breasts, keep wild duck breasts in the fridge and take domestic duck or goose breasts out of the fridge only 15 minutes before you cook them.
• Get your grill ready by setting up a hot side and a cooler side. Make sure the grates are clean. When you are ready, pat the duck dry with paper towels and coat them with a little oil. Set the duck breasts skin side down on the hot side of the grill. Keep the cover open, and have a spray bottle of water ready. If the breasts are skinless, you won't have flare-ups. If they are skin-on but fairly lean, there might be one or two, but it'll be OK. If they are fat, however, you will need to be diligent with the spray bottle to douse flare-ups. Keep grilling the skin side until the skin is nice and crispy, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Turn the duck over and grill on the meat side until they're nicely browned, about 2 minutes on a hot grill.
• Move the duck to the cooler side of the grill and poke it with your finger. Use the finger test for doneness to determine how done the breasts are. Chances are with larger duck breasts and definitely with goose breasts, you'll need to finish them with the grill covered on the cool side of the grill for a few minutes. How long? It depends, so check, using the finger test, every 90 seconds or so.
• When the duck is ready, move it to a plate and let it rest uncovered, skin side up, for 5 minutes before slicing.

SPICE RUBBED GRILLED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Combine the smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, five spice powder, dry mustard and some salt and pepper in a bowl. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck so it has a 1/4-inch diamond pattern. Rub the spice mixture all over the duck.
• Heat a grill to medium (make sure it's not too hot since the key is to cook duck slowly to render the fat) and wipe down the grates with an oiled towel. Place the duck skin-side down on the grate and cook until the skin is seared and the fat is rendered, 4 to 5 minutes. (If there are occasional flare-ups from the fat, move the duck around on the grill to a new spot away from the flame each time.) Flip the duck over and place on a cooler part of the grill. Cook for an additional 5 minutes for medium-rare. Let rest for 5 to 7 minutes before cutting against the grain into thick slices.

SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH SNOW PEAS AND WATERCRESS

Steps:

• To make the dressing, combine the rice vinegar, vegetable oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, grated ginger, sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
• Combine the remaining salt and the five-spice powder and sprinkle the mixture over the duck. Place a nonstick frying pan over high heat until hot. Place the duck, skin side down, in the pan and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the breasts, reduce the heat and cook until medium-rare, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove the duck from the pan, place on a cutting board, and let rest for 5 minutes. Do not cover the duck or the skin will not be crisp.
• In a large bowl, combine the watercress, snow peas and cabbage. Pour the dressing over the top and toss to coat. Divide the salad among 4 serving plates. Cut the duck into slices on the diagonal. Arrange the slices on each salad and serve.

PAN SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH BLACK-EYED PEA FRITTERS AND CARAMELIZED ORANGE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a saute pan over medium heat. Season duck and place skin side down on hot saute pan and sear for about 5 minutes. Place pan into the oven and cook for 10 minutes more leaving duck on the skin side. When desired temperature is reached, remove from oven and let rest for 3 minutes. Keep warm. Serve with Caramelized Orange Relish and Black-eyed Pea Fritters.
• Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Quickly sear the oranges until brown. Transfer to a bowl and chill. Place cranberries and orange juice in a food processor. Process for about 15 seconds or until evenly chopped. Place sugar, caramelized oranges, and ginger in a medium bowl. Stir in the cranberry mixture. Add sage, mint and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Soak black-eyed peas in hot water for 30 minutes. Drain. Squeeze and remove skin. Combine peas, onions, pepper flakes, red bell pepper, scallions, salt and sugar in a food processor. Process until very smooth. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons of water if necessary. You should not feel any lumps when you rub mixture between your fingers.
• In large pot heat oil to 325 degrees. Stir batter vigorously to remove air bubbles. Scoop up a spoonful of the batter and drop into the oil. Fry until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.

GRILLED WILD DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Stir together the Worcestershire sauce, olive oil, hot sauce, garlic, and pepper. Add the duck breasts, and toss well to coat. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
• Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.
• Grill the duck to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-well, depending on the size of the breast, and the temperature of the grill.

GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Skin the duck breasts (the skin can be fried over low heat and the fat used for frying potatoes on another occasion). Sprinkle the breasts with safflower oil and set aside. (If you have decided to render the duck skin, omit the safflower oil and sprinkle the breasts with a tablespoon of the hot duck fat before grilling them.)
• Clean the morels thoroughly under running water.
• Melt the butter in a skillet and soften the shallots.
• Preheat broiler.
• Add the morels to the skillet and saute for five minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, broil the duck breasts for about three minutes on each side. They should be rare in the middle.
• Add the brandy to the morels, cook for a minute, then add the creme fraiche. Heat through, season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture on two individual plates and add the duck breasts. Serve immediately.

DUCK WITH SUMMER PEAS & BEANS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7/fan 200C. Score the duck breasts on their skin side with a very sharp knife, then press the cracked pepper on to the skin and sprinkle with the salt. Heat a heavy-based frying pan until it is very hot, then put the breasts skin-side down in the hot pan, without added fat. Cook for 5-6 minutes until the skin is crisp, then turn and cook on the other side for 2 minutes. Transfer the duck breasts, skin-side up, to a baking tray, pour the fat into a bowl and wipe the frying pan clean. Roast the duck for 8-10 minutes, depending on thickness.
• While the duck is roasting, prepare the vegetables. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 10 minutes. Remove the duck breasts from the oven and set aside to rest for about 10 minutes. After the potatoes have cooked for 10 minutes, tip in the broad beans and cook for 1 minute, then add the peas and cook for 3-4 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Drain well.
• Heat half the duck fat in the frying pan until hot, and cook the bacon until browned, about 4 minutes. Toss in the garlic and veg until piping hot and glossy. Pour in the vinegar, let it bubble, then stir in the parsley, and season with salt and pepper. Serve with the duck.

ENGLISH PEAS WITH GRILLED LITTLE GEMS, GREEN GARLIC AND MINT

Steps:

• Prepare a wood or charcoal grill for direct-heat grilling, or use a grill pan on top of the stove. Trim the tops of the green garlic where the leaves begin to branch out. Peel an outside layer of the stalks and slice thinly on the bias. Or very thinly slice the garlic cloves. Set aside.
• Cut the lettuce in quarters lengthwise and brush all over with olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Place the lettuce cut-side down on the grill and cook until it has darkish grill marks, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip lettuce quarters to the other cut side and grill for another couple of minutes, then grill on the leafy side briefly. Remove from grill when done.
• Heat 1 cup water, a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt in a large skillet over high heat. When the liquid is at a roaring boil, add the peas and garlic and cook, tasting often for seasoning and adding more water as needed, 3 to 8 minutes, or until the peas are just tender. Add the mint leaves and cook 1 minute. The goal is to have just enough water at the end of the cooking time to emulsify with the oil and thicken slightly.
• To serve, spread the lettuce on a platter and pour the peas and their minty, garlicky juices over it. Serve with grilled chicken, roast duck or by itself.

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.