Thai Braised Duck With Green Beans Recipes

THAI BRAISED DUCK WITH GREEN BEANS

Steps:

• Remove excess fat from duck or duck legs.
• Season with salt and pepper, and put in a skillet that will fit it comfortably; turn heat to medium, and cover.
• Check once you hear sizzling: duck should be simmering in its own fat and exuding liquid.
• Adjust heat to create a steady simmer.
• Once bottom browns, turn.
• Eventually liquid will evaporate and duck will cook in fat only; at this point, lower heat and continue to cook duck, turning once in a while, until it becomes tender, about an hour.
• Transfer duck to a plate.
• Pour off all but a couple of tablespoons of fat.
• Turn heat to medium high, and add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes.
• Add ginger, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add beans and sugar and turn heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons water and nam pla or soy sauce.
• Put duck on top of bean mixture and bring to a simmer.
• Cover and cook until both beans and duck are very tender, 15 to 30 more minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to keep mixture moist.
• (You can prepare dish in advance up to this point; cover and set aside until ready to eat, then reheat.) Uncover and stir in lime juice; taste and adjust seasoning, then sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

BRAISED DUCK WITH GREEN BEANS, THAI STYLE

Steps:

• Remove excess fat from duck or duck legs. Season with salt and pepper, and put in a skillet that will fit it comfortably; turn heat to medium, and cover. Check once you hear sizzling: duck should be simmering in its own fat and exuding liquid. Adjust heat to create a steady simmer.
• Once bottom browns, turn. Eventually liquid will evaporate and duck will cook in fat only; at this point, lower heat and continue to cook duck, turning once in a while, until it becomes tender, about an hour.
• Transfer duck to a plate. Pour off all but a couple of tablespoons of fat. Turn heat to medium high, and add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic and chilies and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Add beans and sugar and turn heat to high; cook, stirring occasionally, until beans begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add 2 tablespoons water and nam pla or soy sauce. Put duck on top of bean mixture and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook until both beans and duck are very tender, 15 to 30 more minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to keep mixture moist. (You can prepare dish in advance up to this point; cover and set aside until ready to eat, then reheat.) Uncover and stir in lime juice; taste and adjust seasoning, then sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

CRISP-BRAISED DUCK LEGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Put duck legs, skin side down, in a skillet large enough to accommodate all ingredients comfortably; turn heat to medium. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Brown duck legs carefully and evenly, sprinkling them with salt and pepper as they cook. Meanwhile, peel and dice vegetables.
• When legs are nicely browned, turn them over and sear for just a minute or two. Remove to a plate; remove all but enough fat to moisten vegetables. Add vegetables to skillet along with some salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Return duck legs to pan, skin side up, and add stock; it should come about halfway up duck legs but should not cover them. Turn heat to high, bring to a boil, and transfer to oven.
• Cook for 30 minutes, then lower heat to 350 degrees. Continue to cook, undisturbed, until duck is tender and liquid reduced, at least another half hour. The duck is done when a thin-bladed knife pierces the meat with little resistance. When done, duck will hold nicely in a warm oven for another hour. Serve hot.

BRAISED DUCK

Steps:

• Salt and pepper the duck liberally on both sides.
• Place each half, skin side down, in a large, heavy-bottomed (preferably cast-iron) pan.
• Wedge the thyme and garlic under the skin.
• Cover the pan with its lid or with foil, and place it over low heat.
• Braise for one hour (duck should crackle and sizzle gently; skin should be golden and crisp; most fat should be rendered).
• Turn duck.
• Cover pan.
• Braise for another hour, until duck bottom is well browned and meat is quite tender.
• Remove duck to a cutting board; with a poultry shear, halve the halves.
• Place two tablespoons of the reserved fat from the pan into a clean saute pan, and heat the pan to medium high.
• Place duck pieces skin side down, and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, just until skin turns crisp and dark.
• Transfer to a dish.