Wood Fired Duck Breast With Chicories And Miso Kumquat Dressing Recipes

MAPLE-SMOKED DUCK BREASTS

Steps:

• Season duck breasts on all sides with salt and pepper. Place in a shallow dish and cover with 3 tablespoons maple syrup. Cover, place in refrigerator, and allow to marinate 12 to 24 hours.
• Preheat an electric smoker according to manufacturer's directions to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C) using maple wood chips.
• Remove duck breasts from marinade and rinse well. Pat dry with paper towels. Use a sharp knife to cut shallow cross-hatch marks into duck breast skin; do not cut all the way through to the meat. Brush with 2 teaspoons maple syrup.
• Place duck breasts, skin-side up, on grill rack in the smoker. Place a drip pan underneath. Smoke at 225 degrees F (110 degrees C) for 3 to 4 hours, adding more maple wood chips as necessary to keep smoke continuous, until duck breasts reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C). Cool to room temperature before slicing. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

WOOD-FIRED SOCCA WITH GARDEN HERB DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat a wood oven to 500 degrees F. (See Cook's Note.)
• Whisk the flour, oil, salt, cumin, paprika (if using) and 1 cup water in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Set aside to rest for 30 minutes.
• For the herb dip: In a food processor, combine the basil, parsley, mint, oil, lemon juice and 1/2 tablespoon salt and blend until smooth. Adjust the thickness with additional oil and adjust seasoning with the remaining salt. Put in a small bowl for dipping.
• Five minutes before the batter is finished resting, put a 10-inch cast-iron pan in the oven to preheat.
• Remove the preheated cast-iron pan from the oven, then coat with a teaspoon oil and pour in the socca batter. Place back in the oven and cook until blistering and brown, with crispy edges and flexible but cooked through in the center, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Remove from the pan with a spatula to a cutting board. Sprinkle with black pepper and sea salt flakes. Rough cut into pieces and serve warm with the herb sauce and cold rose wine!

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.

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.