Tea Smoked Duck Recipes

TEA-SMOKED DUCK LEGS WITH MUSHROOM AND ORZO RAGOUT

Steps:

• Mix salt and peppercorns and season duck legs, place in sealed container and let brine overnight. Set up a steamer with a large bamboo basket and cover. In a bowl, mix together molasses, vinegar and five-spice. Brush the glaze on the legs and place in the steamer. Steam for 1 to 1 1/2 hours on low steam, occasionally brushing on more glaze and checking water level. Legs should be tender. Remove steamer and dump out remaining water and wipe clean. Line with foil and add the rice, sugar and tea. Mix well and turn wok on medium heat. When mixture starts to smolder, place bamboo steamer on top and seal with wet cloths around the steamer. Turn wok down to low and smoke for 15 minutes. Turn wok off and let smoke another 15 minutes. Legs may be served directly form the steamer, or if you wish, pan sear or deep fry in oil to bring out the golden brown color.
• For the ragout: In a large, hot skillet coated lightly with oil, brown garlic and onions, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, soy sauce and season. Add orzo and thyme and stir. Deglaze with wine and reduce by 50 percent. Reduce heat to medium and slowly add stock one ladle at a time. Stock should be completely absorbed before adding more. Continue adding stock until a creamy texture is achieved (like risotto). Check for seasoning and whisk in the truffle oil.
• Plating: In a large paste bowl, mound some ragout. Place 2 legs on top, criss-crossed and garnish with thyme sprig and chives.
• Plating: In a large bowl, whisk together Dijon, sambal and limes. Mix with duck, onions and mango. Check for seasoning. Roll in lavash with lettuce and tomato. Slice on the bias. Yield: 2 servings Wine Recommendation: Dutton Ranch, Pinot Noir, Sebastopol Vineyards, Russian River Valley,1995;
• This recipe utilizes the leftovers from above.

TEA SMOKED DUCK

Steps:

• 1. Marinate: a. Grind peppercorns, salt, and Allspice together. Rub spice mixture into defrosted duck, inside and out. Cover inside and out with Shaoxing wine. Marinate overnight (12 hours). 2. After the duck has marinated pour a kettle of boiling water over the duck to tighten up the skin. Wipe the duck with a paper towel on the outside and inside, and then hang the duck in a well ventilated area for around 2 hours to allow it to dry inside and out. 3. Smoke: a. Line wok with aluminum foil, including the lid (if you don't have a lid a cookie sheet works in a snap). Double up the aluminum foil for a better seal. b. Mix flour, sugar and Thai tea leaves on the aluminum foil in the wok. Sprinkle Puer and cinnamon over the mixture. c. On high heat, heat the mixture until it starts to smoke. Put the duck in breast side down, turn the heat down to medium or medium-low (but make sure it continues to smoke). Fold the top of the aluminum foil and bottom of the aluminum foil together to trap the smoke in. d. After 15 minutes flip the duck over, let cook another 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 15-20 minutes. 4. Steam: a. Smash ginger, garlic, and onions to release flavor. Put some in the steamer with the duck and some in the cavity of the duck. Steam for 45 minutes or until the duck has finished cooking (until the duck thigh reaches 165 degrees F). 5. Deep Fry: a. Heat oil in wok to over 180 degrees F. Lay duck in oil until brown, and then flip to brown other side. About 4 minutes on each side. 6. Serve hot or cold.

HUNAN TEA-SMOKED DUCK

Steps:

• Clean and wash duck.
• Dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
• Rub inside and outside with salt.
• Sprinkle with peppercorns.
• Wrap duck in aluminum foil and place a heavy weight on top. (A brick wrapped in foil will do the trick)
• Refrigerate overnight.
• Remove foil and place duck on steamer tray.
• Cover and steam over boiling water 1 1/2 hours.
• Line large wok and wok lid with aluminum foil.
• Place tea leaves, rice, and brown sugar on foil.
• Put a rack above the mixture or place 4 chopsticks crosswise approximately 1 inch above it.
• Place duck on rack, breast side up.
• Cover wok and seal tightly to prevent smoke from escaping.
• Turn on high heat. Roast tea mixture until it smokes.
• Smoke duck 10 minutes on high heat.
• Reduce heat to moderate.
• Smoke another 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Leave duck in wok 20 minutes more.
• Remove duck.
• Cool thoroughly and rub with soy sauce.
• Sprinkle evenly with cornstarch.
• Heat oil in wok and deep-fry duck 10 minutes (5 minutes each side).
• Remove and drain on paper towel.
• Chop into bite-sized pieces and serve with rice mixture.

TEA-SMOKED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Cut the duck breasts in half, lengthwise. Trim away any cartilage or membrane, and remove the fillet (a small strip of meat and tendon on the meat-side of the breast that comes off easily; some butchers may have already removed this when boning the duck). Sprinkle equal amounts of the Sichuan pepper-salt on all sides of the duck breasts, then rub with equal amounts of the orange zest. Pat equal amounts of the scallions and the ginger onto the duck breasts, then lay them in a nonaluminum dish, cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
• Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until nearly smoking. Sear the duck breasts on the skin side only until dark golden brown. Remove from the heat and reserve.
• Mix all of the smoking ingredients in a small bowl.
• To smoke the duck breasts, prepare a wok (or Dutch oven) by lining it and the lid with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, leaving an overhang of about five inches. Spread the smoking ingredients in the bottom of the wok and place a round cooling or steaming rack about one inch above the smoking mixture, propping it up if necessary with balls of aluminum foil set under the four corners of the rack.
• Set the uncovered wok over high heat and cook until wisps of smoke come from the smoking mixture. Place the duck breasts, skin side down, on the rack. Cover the wok, and crimp the foil edges together, leaving a small escape valve for the smoke. Smoke the duck breasts for four minutes, turn off the heat and let them sit for an additional three minutes before removing the lid. If the duck is too rare for your taste, add a tablespoon of dry rice to the smoking mixture, return the breasts to the rack and smoke for an additional two or three minutes. Let the duck breasts cool, then slice them in thin diagonal slices and serve.

TEA SMOKED GRILLED DUCK

Steps:

• Prepare the marinade ahead of time (make it the day ahead).
• Soak duck quarters in cooled infused tea for 2 hours.
• Drain and add the marinade to cover the duck (use a zip lock bag for easy turning).
• Refrigerate for 3 hours.
• Bring duck to room temp uncovered.
• Heat BBQ to medium hot, oil the grill.
• Scatter dry tea leaves directly over the coals.
• Grill the duck fat side down sear the quarters turn every 5 minutes and baste with the marinade.
• Close grill lid and let the duck smoke in the tea smoke.
• Keep turning the duck.
• Continue grill until it is cooked the way you like it.
• It will be charred on the outside.
• Garnish with cumquats or tangerines.