from The Miracle of Salt
My testing notes for this recipe says “fabulous”. It makes a very special main course yet is easy to prepare for a weeknight dinner. Duck breast needs to be cooked with care, for overcooking makes it tough. I first pan sear the breast briefly in a heavy skillet, to partially cook it and to render some of the fat. Then I slice it and stir-fry it briefly in the rendered fat, along with greens and the black bean sauce.
Serves 3
Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small duck breasts (1 pound/450 grams total)
1 ¼ teaspoons fine sea salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon duck fat, peanut oil or sunflower oil
About 1 pound/450 grams mizuna greens, dandelion greens, or radicchio, or a mixture
3 ½ to 4 tablespoons Black Bean Sauce *
¼ cup/60 mL hot water, or as needed
Accompaniments:
Cooked rice
Quick Cucumber Pickles * or a green salad
*Both Black Bean Sauce and Quick Cucumber Pickles recipes are found in the book – or you can pick them up a commercial product at the store.
Directions:
Lay the duck breast(s) skin side up on a plate or cutting board and, with a sharp knife held at an angle, cut 3 or 4 parallel diagonal slashes through the skin and fat. Then repeat on the opposite diagonal, to make a crisscross pattern. Rub about 1 teaspoon of the salt into both sides of the breast(s) and set aside on a plate for half an hour.
Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the fat or oil, lower the heat to medium, and use a spatula to spread the oil over the surface of the pan. Place the duck skin side down in the hot pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, then turn over and cook for about 1 minute. Raise the heat to high, turn the duck over onto the skin side again, and cook for another minute or two, until the skin is browned and crisping. Remove the duck from the pan and set aside on a plate or a rimmed cutting board, skin side up, to rest for 10 minutes.
Transfer 3 tablespoons of the rendered fat to a bowl or measuring cup and set by your stovetop; store the rest in the refrigerator to use in later cooking.
While the duck rests, trim any tough ends off the greens, or separate the radicchio leaves, and wash well. Chop into approximately 1-inch/2.5 cm lengths and set aside.
Thinly slice the duck breast crosswise and then cut the slices into large bite-sized pieces. Heat a wok or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the reserved duck fat and then the bean sauce and stir to break the sauce up as it cooks in the hot fat for about 1 minute. Raise the heat, toss in the pieces of duck, and stir-fry, pressing the meat against the bottom and sides of the hot pan, for about 3 minutes, or until all the duck slices are touched with colour. Transfer the duck to a bowl, leaving most of the sauce and liquid in the pan.
Place the pan back over high heat, add the chopped greens, and stir-fry briefly to coat them with the sauce and fat. Add the hot water and about ¼ teaspoon of the remaining salt and stir-fry for another minute, or until the greens are wilting. Taste and add a little more salt, if you wish. Return the duck to the pan and stir-fry with the greens briefly, for a minute or so.
Turn out into a serving bowl or onto a platter. Serve hot.
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I added sauteed onions and used baby spinach instead of the greens. Rendering the fat from the duck and crisping up the skin is imperative otherwise you’ll get chewy bites. The duck was magnificent!
Contents and images used with permission by author Naomi Duguid. https://www.naomiduguid.com/