Duck with Fresh Rhubarb Sauce
By Charlie Burke
Printer-Friendly Version
Cooking duck at home is a daunting task for some, probably because duck
is known to be fatty and its preparation is thought to be complicated. There
are, in fact, many variations suggested, including boiling prior to roasting,
long low temperature preparations and high temperature roasting. Even
more so than chicken or turkey, a whole duck presents problems in
preparing it so that the legs and breast meat are optimally cooked. Things
become much simpler when the duck is sectioned, permitting the leg/thigh
pieces and the breasts to be prepared separately.
This recipe offers a preparation of the leg and thigh meat with moist, tender
results that mimic the Southern French confit of duck without immersing it
in fat. The seasoned legs are slow roasted on a rack, permitting excess fat to
drip away. This can be done ahead and the legs reheated before serving.
The breast meat is pan seared like a steak and is prepared in less than
fifteen minutes.
With rhubarb in season, I felt the tartness of rhubarb would combine well
with the richness of the duck, and, because duck is a mainstay in oriental
cuisine, the addition of ginger, star anise and Chinese five-spice to the
sauce seemed appropriate. This is an easy meal for entertaining and may
well become a family staple, as it has with us. Sauce is not a necessity but
does add a separate dimension to the dish.
A good-quality purchased chutney would go well, as would reduced
commercial balsalmic vinegar (boil ½ cup over medium heat until reduced
by half and stir in two tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup).
Fresh duck is rarely available in markets, but most carry frozen. Far better
would be to buy from local farms. The New Hampshire Department of
Agriculture lists livestock sources in New Hampshire, and ducks are listed
under poultry.
Residents of other states will find similar sources through their state
Departments of Agriculture.
Rhubarb sauce:
8 cups fresh rhubarb, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger
2 star anise
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
Dark brown sugar or maple syrup to taste
Place rhubarb, salt and wine into a heavy bottomed pan (do not use
aluminum). Over medium heat, cook for 10 – 15 minutes until rhubarb is
very soft. Place a fine strainer over a bowl and strain rhubarb; do not push
down on rhubarb so that sauce will be clear.
When juices stop running, return to pan, adding all remaining ingredients
except sugar or maple syrup. Reduce over medium heat until half original
volume. Add sugar or syrup to taste. Sauce should be slightly sweet, but
still tart. If made ahead, refrigerate and reheat before serving.
Duck legs and thighs, four servings:
4 duck legs with thighs attached
Kosher or sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place duck legs on a wire rack over roasting pan
Roast for 2 ½ hours
Turn off oven and keep legs in oven until ready to serve (if prepared ahead,
reheat in 175 degree) oven
Duck breasts, four servings:
4 duck breasts, trimmed of excess fat and skin scored in 1 inch diamond
pattern (slice down to meat but do not cut below fat)
Season both sides liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat sauté pan over medium – high heat
Place breasts skin side down and cook until skin is dark and crisp – a large
amount of fat will render (6-8 minutes)
Turn and cook until medium (3 – 5 minutes)
Remove from pan and pat with paper towels to remove fat
Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes
To serve:
Place one leg on warmed serving plate, along with vegetable (asparagus,
spinach or other green vegetable) and potato or rice
Slice breasts and fan onto plate
Drizzle warm rhubarb sauce over duck and serve
Serve with a fruity red wine such as an Oregon Pinot Noir and be sure to
add fresh New England duck to your kitchen repertoire for family and
friends.
About the author
Charlie Burke, an organic farmer and avid cook, is the vice president of the
New Hampshire Farmer's Market Association, president of the NH Farm to
Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton (NH) Farmers'
Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows certified organic herbs,
greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH.
By Charlie Burke
Printer-Friendly Version
Cooking duck at home is a daunting task for some, probably because duck
is known to be fatty and its preparation is thought to be complicated. There
are, in fact, many variations suggested, including boiling prior to roasting,
long low temperature preparations and high temperature roasting. Even
more so than chicken or turkey, a whole duck presents problems in
preparing it so that the legs and breast meat are optimally cooked. Things
become much simpler when the duck is sectioned, permitting the leg/thigh
pieces and the breasts to be prepared separately.
This recipe offers a preparation of the leg and thigh meat with moist, tender
results that mimic the Southern French confit of duck without immersing it
in fat. The seasoned legs are slow roasted on a rack, permitting excess fat to
drip away. This can be done ahead and the legs reheated before serving.
The breast meat is pan seared like a steak and is prepared in less than
fifteen minutes.
With rhubarb in season, I felt the tartness of rhubarb would combine well
with the richness of the duck, and, because duck is a mainstay in oriental
cuisine, the addition of ginger, star anise and Chinese five-spice to the
sauce seemed appropriate. This is an easy meal for entertaining and may
well become a family staple, as it has with us. Sauce is not a necessity but
does add a separate dimension to the dish.
A good-quality purchased chutney would go well, as would reduced
commercial balsalmic vinegar (boil ½ cup over medium heat until reduced
by half and stir in two tablespoons of brown sugar or maple syrup).
Fresh duck is rarely available in markets, but most carry frozen. Far better
would be to buy from local farms. The New Hampshire Department of
Agriculture lists livestock sources in New Hampshire, and ducks are listed
under poultry.
Residents of other states will find similar sources through their state
Departments of Agriculture.
Rhubarb sauce:
8 cups fresh rhubarb, washed and cut into 2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
2 tablespoons crystallized ginger
2 star anise
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
Zest of 1 orange
Juice of 1 orange
Dark brown sugar or maple syrup to taste
Place rhubarb, salt and wine into a heavy bottomed pan (do not use
aluminum). Over medium heat, cook for 10 – 15 minutes until rhubarb is
very soft. Place a fine strainer over a bowl and strain rhubarb; do not push
down on rhubarb so that sauce will be clear.
When juices stop running, return to pan, adding all remaining ingredients
except sugar or maple syrup. Reduce over medium heat until half original
volume. Add sugar or syrup to taste. Sauce should be slightly sweet, but
still tart. If made ahead, refrigerate and reheat before serving.
Duck legs and thighs, four servings:
4 duck legs with thighs attached
Kosher or sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Place duck legs on a wire rack over roasting pan
Roast for 2 ½ hours
Turn off oven and keep legs in oven until ready to serve (if prepared ahead,
reheat in 175 degree) oven
Duck breasts, four servings:
4 duck breasts, trimmed of excess fat and skin scored in 1 inch diamond
pattern (slice down to meat but do not cut below fat)
Season both sides liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat sauté pan over medium – high heat
Place breasts skin side down and cook until skin is dark and crisp – a large
amount of fat will render (6-8 minutes)
Turn and cook until medium (3 – 5 minutes)
Remove from pan and pat with paper towels to remove fat
Cover with foil and let sit for 10 minutes
To serve:
Place one leg on warmed serving plate, along with vegetable (asparagus,
spinach or other green vegetable) and potato or rice
Slice breasts and fan onto plate
Drizzle warm rhubarb sauce over duck and serve
Serve with a fruity red wine such as an Oregon Pinot Noir and be sure to
add fresh New England duck to your kitchen repertoire for family and
friends.
About the author
Charlie Burke, an organic farmer and avid cook, is the vice president of the
New Hampshire Farmer's Market Association, president of the NH Farm to
Restaurant Connection and helps run the Sanbornton (NH) Farmers'
Market. Along with his wife, Joanne, Charlie grows certified organic herbs,
greens and berries at Weather Hill Farm in Sanbornton, NH.
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