Smoked Duck Toasts With Gingered Rhubarb Recipes

GRESSINGHAM DUCK BREAST WITH RHUBARB SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4. With a sharp knife, cut the breasts and legs from the ducks. Keep the legs for another dish.
• 2. Put the carcasses in a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until brown. Remove the browned carcasses.
• 3. Put the roasting tin containing the meat juices over a medium heat and stir in the red wine for the rhubarb sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is syrupy.
• 4. To make the duck stock, heat a little olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and fry the carrots and celery until light brown. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown, then add the duck carcasses and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
• 5. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• 6. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6. Season the duck breasts. Heat a little olive oil in a very hot frying pan and quickly sear the breasts until golden on both sides, then roast in the hot oven for approximately 10 minutes. Rest the meat for 5 minutes.
• 7. Meanwhile, to make the rhubarb sauce, poach the rhubarb in 565ml (1 pint) water with the sugar, vanilla seeds, star anise and cinnamon until the rhubarb is tender but still chunky. Remove the whole spices and gently stir in 140ml (1/4 pint) reduced duck stock and the red wine reduction.
• 8. Thinly slice the duck breasts and spoon around the rhubarb sauce.

RHUBARB-SOY MARINATED DUCK WITH RHUBARB COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place the rhubarb, soy sauce and ginger in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes. Strain. Place half of the soy mixture in a shallow glass or ceramic dish. Add the duck breasts and marinate for 1 hour, turning the breasts from time to time.
• Heat the oil in a medium-size cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck and sear until well browned but medium rare in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and keep warm. Add the remaining soy mixture to the skillet and deglaze the pan.
• Cut the breasts on the diagonal into thin slices. Fan the slices out on each of 4 plates and spoon the sauce over them. Divide the compote among the plates and serve immediately.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH GINGER RHUBARB SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 18 minutes).
• Stir in preserves and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute. Strain wine mixture through a sieve over a bowl. Discard solids.
• Sprinkle duck with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Add duck; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut duck diagonally across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce.

CURRIED DUCK LEGS WITH GINGER AND RHUBARB

Steps:

• Using kitchen shears, trim away all fat and skin that hangs from sides of duck legs, leaving only skin on top of meat. Toss duck legs with 1 teaspoon salt.
• Heat oil in a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add as many duck pieces as fit easily. Brown on one side, about 7 minutes. Turn and brown other side. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat if necessary.
• While duck browns, combine 1 cup onion, garlic, ginger, garam masala, vinegar, cayenne, turmeric, black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 cup water in a blender, and process until smooth.
• When duck is done, spoon out all but about 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet. Add remaining onions and a large pinch of salt. Sauté until soft, 5 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
• Add coconut milk and 2 cups water, and bring to a simmer. Add rhubarb, brown sugar, duck legs and any juices that may have accumulated in bowl. Bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat to low, and simmer gently for 1 hour, turning duck pieces halfway through. Uncover pan, turn duck again, and let simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
• Spoon fat off sauce and serve duck or, better, chill duck overnight and degrease sauce before reheating all on a low flame. Serve garnished with cilantro or chives.

SMOKED DUCK TOASTS WITH GINGERED RHUBARB

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Brush 1 side of each bread slice lightly with butter, then toast on a baking sheet in middle of oven until golden, about 6 minutes, and cool.
• Simmer rhubarb, ginger, water, and sugar in a small heavy saucepan, uncovered, stirring gently, until rhubarb is just tender, 2 to 3 minutes, then set pan in a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain rhubarb in a sieve set over a bowl, reserving rhubarb, then whisk together 2 teaspoons rhubarb liquid and mayonnaise. Discard remaining cooking liquid.
• Remove skin and fat from duck breast. Carve 18 (1/8-inch-thick) slices from duck, cutting across the grain. Trim slices to fit toasts, reserving any remaining duck for another use.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon rhubarb mayonnaise on buttered side of each toast and top with 1 slice of duck, 1 teaspoon rhubarb, and a cilantro sprig.
• Available at D'Artagnan (800-327-8246).