Best Spiced Balsamic Duck With Plums And Couscous Recipes

SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH PLUM WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Marinate the duck breast with 5 spice powder, ginger root, scallions, salt, pepper and sesame oil for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Heat skillet on moderately high heat, do not add any oil. Sear duck breast skin side down, brown both sides. Transfer duck to oven proof plate and cook the duck in the oven for 10 minutes for medium rare. Pour off grease form the skillet, add plum wine, add duck stock season with salt and pepper and reduce the sauce to 1 cup. Then incorporate the butter to the sauce and set aside and keep warm. Remove duck from oven let it set for 5 minutes before slicing.

DUCK BREAST WITH BALSAMIC VINEGAR GLAZE

Steps:

• Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, currants and cayenne in a small pot. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and reduce by half to form a thick, syrupy glaze. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• With the point of a knife, score the skin side of the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the flesh.
• Season the duck breasts with the salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over medium heat 2 minutes before adding the breasts, skin-side down. Cook over medium to low heat approximately 6 to 8 minutes to render the fat.
• Carefully remove the excess fat from the saute pan, then turn the breasts over and saute the flesh side 3 to 4 minutes before removing the duck breasts from the pan.
• The breasts should now be medium rare. Slice lengthwise or crosswise and arrange several slices on each plate. Reheat the balsamic vinegar glaze and drizzle some over each of the duck breasts. Sprinkle with toasted pine nuts and serve with Ginger Chestnut Stuffing

EASY PLUM AND GINGER ROASTED DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F / 190C.
• Pat dry duck's skin carefully with paper towel. Place duck on a rack in a roasting tin.
• Place in the oven and roast 18 minutes per pound (40 minutes per kilo). My duck weighted 5 pounds (2.2 kilos) so I roasted it 1 hour and 25 minutes. Adjust cooking time according to the weigh of your duck. If duck starts to become too brown, cover loosely with foil.

FIVE-SPICE GRILLED DUCK WITH CITRUS SAUCE AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• De-bone the duck and cut it into 4 pieces, reserving the bones for later use. In a large bowl, combine the five-spice blackening powder, sugar, and tea. Place the duck pieces in the bowl, and let the meat marinate for 1 hour. Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough oil to coat the surface of the pan, and let the oil heat. Season the duck pieces with salt, if desired. Carefully add the duck pieces to the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Grill until cooked to desired degree of doneness, turning each piece with tongs halfway through cooking. Serve with Citrus Sauce, Couscous, baby spinach and mango slices, if desired.
• Combine the citrus juices and zest, sugar, mustard, and eggs, and whisk well. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly until the mixture becomes thick. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Drizzle sauce over duck.
• Toast the trail mix in a dry medium skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the dry couscous to the skillet and continue to toast the mixture for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Remove pan from heat. In a large saucepot, combine the chicken stock and the duck stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the toasted trail mix and couscous mixture to the pot. Stir until incorporated and then cover the pot with a lid. Lower the heat to medium-low and allow the couscous to simmer until it absorbs the liquid. Fluff couscous with a fork and serve.
• Place the duck bones in a large pot and add enough water to cover bones. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Let simmer for 2 hours. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

ROAST SPICED DUCK WITH PLUMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Toast the star anise and coriander seeds in a dry pan until aromatic. Tip the toasted spices into a spice grinder with 2 tsp sea salt and grind into a fine powder (or crush using a pestle and mortar). Put the spice salt in a bowl, add the sugar, mix well and set aside.
• Lightly score the skin of the duck in a criss-cross pattern and heat the oil in a large casserole. Using a pair of tongs to turn it, brown the duck well on all sides, pour off the excess fat, then sit the duck breast-side up and season all over with the sugar and spice mix. Pack the plums around the outside, then scatter over the bay and pour over the vinegar and stock.
• Roast in the oven for 2 hrs or until the duck is golden and the plums have broken down. Turn the oven right up for 10 more mins to crisp up the skin. Take the duck out of the pan to rest for 10 mins and spoon the excess fat off the plums. Carve the duck and serve with a good spoonful of plums.

PAN-SEARED FIVE-SPICE DUCK BREAST WITH BALSAMIC JUS

Steps:

• In a large, heavy self-sealing plastic bag, combine the garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, salt, and pepper. Add the duck breasts, seal, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C/gas 6. In a large ovenproof sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Sear the duck breast, skin side down, for 5 minutes; turn and sear for 5 minutes on the other side. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer the duck breasts to a plate and keep warm.
• To make a balsamic jus, pour off the fat from the pan. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the wine, and stir to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook to reduce the wine by half. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook to reduce for several more minutes.
• Cut the duck breasts into diagonal slices and serve drizzled with the balsamic jus.

HONEY SPICED DUCK

Steps:

• Score the duck breast skin in a criss-cross fashion.
• Blend the honey, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, cinnamon, five spice powder and pepper in a small bowl.
• Coat the duck in this marinade in a shallow bowl.
• Cover and leave for 1 hour or overnight.
• Set the oven to fairly hot, 200c/400f.
• Put the duck on a rack in a roasting tin, reserving the marinade.
• Cook for 20-30 minutes depending on their size and how well you like your duck cooked.
• Put the marinade and 40mls of the roasting juices in a small pan.
• Add the spring onions and bring to the boil.
• Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
• I serve the duck on a bed of rice with the sauce and spring onions spooned over, and sometimes some cranberry sauce to finish.