Lacquered Duck With Grilled Figs Recipes

LACQUERED DUCK WITH GRILLED FIGS

Steps:

• Put all the syrup ingredients in a small, heavy-based saucepan. Add 6 tbsp water, season lightly with salt and pepper and simmer over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the syrup has reduced by just over half and is very sticky. Remove from the heat.
• Put the duck breasts skin side down in a cold frying pan (it's unusual to start frying in a cold pan, but with duck this is often a good idea - it makes the fat render slowly from under the skin, keeping the flesh really moist). Fry slowly for about 15 minutes until the skin is golden. At least 100ml/31⁄2fl oz fat will be rendered from the skin. (Once cool, keep the fat in the fridge - it's great for roasting potatoes.)
• Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Sit the duck breasts skin side up on a rack in a roasting tin. Spoon a little of the syrup on top and leave for 2-3 minutes until sticky. Tip any syrup that drips into the bottom of the roasting tin back into the syrup in the saucepan, and reheat to liquefy if necessary. Repeat this technique - spooning the syrup over the duck and leaving it to stand - until there are three or four layers and you have used up most of the syrup. If it gets too thick, just add 1-2 tbsp water. Conversely, if it's too thin, add another 1 tbsp sugar. Arrange the orange slices round the duck and spoon the last splash of syrup over the top.
• Roast the duck for 8-12 minutes until done to your liking. Meanwhile, cut the figs in half lengthways, tip into a bowl and toss with the olive oil and plenty of seasoning. Heat a ridged cast-iron griddle pan (or a heavy frying pan) on the hob until very hot, then chargrill the figs for 2 minutes on each side.
• Once the duck is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes, then cut each breast at an angle into two or three slices. Transfer to four serving plates with the orange slices and figs, and garnish with extra bay leaves and the star anise from the syrup.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH FIG SAUCE

Steps:

• For the duck breasts: Sprinkle each duck breast liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the duck skin-side down and reduce the heat to low, cooking as the fat slowly renders and the skin becomes crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Once the skin is crispy and golden brown, flip and continue cooking until a thermometer reads 128 to 130 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast (for medium-rare doneness), 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest about 5 minutes. It will carryover cook to about 135 degrees F. Don't tent with foil in order to ensure the duck skin will stay crispy.
• For the fig sauce: Pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, reserving the excess for another use. Over medium heat, add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the sherry and reduce by half. Next, add the chicken broth, fig jam and balsamic vinegar, and continue simmering until the sauce has thickened and is syrupy, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter. Garnish with chopped chives.
• Serve the sauce alongside thinly sliced duck breast.

WILD DUCK WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Sprinkle ducks inside and out with salt and pepper. Sprinkle necks, livers, hearts and gizzards with salt and pepper. Rub all over with oil. Place ducks, back side down, in baking dish in which they fit closely without touching. Scatter necks, livers, hearts and gizzards around them.
• Place in oven and bake 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Transfer to warm platter. Cut string.
• Pour and skim fat from baking dish. Add onion, shallots, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, until wilted.
• Add wine and stir to dissolve brown particles that cling to dish. Cook about a minute and turn off heat.
• When ducks are cool enough to handle, slice off wings and set aside. Cut off thighs and legs. Separate legs from thighs. Remove and discard skin from thighs. Add thighs to saucepan and set aside.
• Chop wings and legs into 1-inch pieces. Add chopped wings and legs to second saucepan. Scrape vegetables and cooking liquid into second saucepan. Cook down over high heat 2 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Let cook over high heat 10 minutes.
• Slice breast meat from each duck to produce 4 whole pieces. Remove and discard skin. Add breast meat to saucepan containing thighs. Set aside. Cover, keep warm, but do not heat.
• Put sieve in saucepan and add sauce with solids. Strain; discard solids. There should be about 1 1/2 cups.
• Use small, heavy saucepan and add sugar and vinegar. Cook this down, watching carefully until vinegar evaporates. Cook until sugar is caramel-colored. Do not burn. Add sauce. Add figs. Bring to boil and let cook over high heat about 5 minutes.
• Blend quetsch and arrowroot and stir into simmering sauce. Swirl in butter. Pour sauce over thighs and breast meat and serve with rice.

GRILLED FIGS

Steps:

• Heat a griddle, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat.
• Cut the figs in half lengthwise and brush the cut sides with olive oil.
• Cook the figs on the griddle, cut side down, until tender and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
• Divide the figs among dessert plates and sprinkle lightly with fleur de sel. If you want, garnish with some freeze-dried raspberries and cilantro. Serve with a small bowl (or Chinese soupspoon) of granité. If you want a sauce, melt a little of the granité to drizzle onto the plate.

ROASTED DUCK WITH FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Place a pan over high heat. Sear the ducks all around (about 2 minutes a duck). Place them in the roasting pan.
• Salt and pepper in the duck cavities and skin, brush with oil, and arrange the ducks breasts down. Roast for 15 minutes. Turn the ducks breast side up, and roast for 30 minutes more. Remove them from the oven, and pour off any fat.
• Scatter the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, rosemary and thyme around the ducks. Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees; then, return the ducks to the oven. Cook for 30 minutes more. Brush the duck breasts and legs with honey. Cook for 30 minutes, brushing on more honey from time to time.
• Remove the ducks from the oven, place on a platter and keep warm. Strain the vegetables, and place them in a saucepan. Add the Port, bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-quarter.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat, add figs and cook about 2 minutes. Add sauce from ducks, cover and simmer for 10 more minutes. Keep warm.
• To serve, carve the breasts and legs from the ducks. In the center of four large, warm plates, place a breast and a leg, reserving the rest of the duck for other uses. Add three figs on one side and the spinach timbale on the other. Pour the sauce evenly over the meat.