I love duck. But many people are afraid to try to cook duck at home. They have either been given really bad duck before (as have I) or they just find it... intimidating. It isn't really that hard. You just need to know the few tips and tricks to get it right. But fear not - there are plenty of videos below to show you some of these tricks!

Duck Salad with Cherry Vinaigrette

Serves 2

Ingredients:

For the dressing:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons pitted and quartered cherries (about 4 large)

1 teaspoon whole grain mustard (I prefer Maille)

1 large garlic clove

1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the duck fat roasted cherries:

1 cup pitted cherries

1 tablespoon duck fat

For the salad:

2 duck breasts, scored

1 head romaine, sliced

1/4 cup chiffonade of mint, divided (see how to do this here)

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

3 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Make the dressing:

If using an immersion blender, place all items in a cup and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

If using a blender or food processor, add all ingredients except oil into blender/processor. Puree until smooth. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Make the duck breast:

Season duck breasts with salt and pepper. Place in a skillet (preferably nonstick) and place on low heat. Cook, pouring off fat as needed, until skin has become brown and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Flip breasts over and continue cooking until the duck breast reaches medium rare and measures 135 to 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to let rest.

Make the roasted cherries:

While the duck breasts are cooking, preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cherries with duck fat (you can use the duck fat you drain off the cooking duck breast if you like) and season with salt and pepper. Place on a sheet tray lined with a silicone baking mat or a piece of parchment. Place in oven and roast until soft and slightly caramelized, 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

Assemble the salad:

Toss lettuce and half the mint together. Season with salt and pepper and toss with dressing (see the best way to dress a salad here). Divide equally among 2 bowls. Next, divide cherries, gorgonzola, and almonds equally among bowls. Slice the rested duck breast and place on top of salad. Garnish with remaining mint and serve.

Duck Confit Eggrolls with Nectarine Sauce

Makes 8 eggrolls

Ingredients:

For the sauce:

1 cup cubed nectarines

1 1/2 teaspoons minced lemongrass (see how to handle lemongrass here)

1/2 teaspoon minced or grated ginger (see how to work with ginger here or get this ginger grating plate that is a life changer!)

1 1/2 teaspoons high quality soy sauce (I used the Momofuku one) 

1 1/2 teaspoons rice vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut or palm sugar

2 tablespoons water

For the filling:

1 tablespoon duck fat (or chicken fat, vegetable oil, peanut oil, or other high heat neutral oil) - I save

   mine from when I cook duck breasts

1 cup shredded carrots

3 scallions, cut on the bias, green and white parts separated (see how to handle scallions here)

3 cups shredded Napa Cabbage

1 teaspoon minced or grated ginger

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup duck, chicken, or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon high quality soy sauce (I used the Momofuku one)

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 1/2 cups shredded duck confit meat (can substitute roasted chicken if desired)

For rolling:

1/4 teaspoon cornstarch, combined with 1 tablespoon water

8 egg roll wrappers

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Procedure:

Make the sauce:

Place all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and place on medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until nectarines have softened and most of the liquid has evaporated. Use an immersion blender or place in a blender until smooth. Set aside.

Make the filling:

Heat a wok over high heat. When wok is hot, add fat. When fat is hot, add carrots and white parts of the scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until softened, about 1-2 minutes more. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add stock, soy, and sesame oil. Cook until all liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat.

Fold in duck and scallion green parts. Set filling aside to cool.

Shape eggrolls:

Place an eggroll wrapper flat on a work surface. Place a large spoonful of filling on the wrapper, leaving a border all the way around. Pull one long edge of the wrapper over the filling. Brush three remaining sides very lightly with cornstarch mixture. Fold two sides in to seal edges. Continue rolling until filling is completely sealed in. Place on a silicone baking mat or a parchment-lined sheet tray, lightly dusted with cornstarch or flour. Repeat for remaining wrappers.

Fry eggrolls:

Preheat a deep fryer or a pot of oil with a fry thermometer to 350-375 degrees F. If desired, preheat oven to 165-175 degrees F to keep eggrolls warm while frying.

Place eggrolls in oil, a couple at a time, being careful to not overcrowd the pot. Fry until golden brown. Drain on a cooling rack set over a sheet tray. Place in warm oven to keep warm while frying remaining eggrolls.

Once all eggrolls are fried, serve immediately with nectarine dipping sauce.

Crispy Duck Breast with Citrus Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 grapefruit

1 navel orange

2 blood oranges (or any other orange)

4 duck breasts, scored

1/4 cup minced shallot

1/4 cup orange liqueur

1 cup duck or chicken stock (learn how to make your own stock here)

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Segment all citrus over a bowl and squeeze center to collect juice. Store segments and juice separately (you will need 1/2 cup of juice total).

Season duck breasts with salt and pepper. Place in a skillet (preferably nonstick - this one is my personal favorite) and place on low heat. Cook, pouring off fat as needed, until skin has become brown and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Flip breasts over and continue cooking until the duck breast reaches medium rare and measures 135 to 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside to let rest.

Drain off all but a tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add shallot to pan and cook until translucent, about 60 seconds. Deglaze pan with orange liqueur and reserved juice. When juice has reduced by 1/3, add stock and reduce by half. Remove from heat and whisk in butter, one piece at a time. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and fold in reserved segments.

Slice rested duck breast and place on plate. Spoon sauce around, careful to not get on the skin so that it remains crispy. Serve immediately.

Pomegranate Glazed Roast Duck

Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

1 whole duck, brought to room temperature, breasts scored

2 cups boiling water

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place roasting rack in a roasting pan and set aside.

Truss the duck and place breast side up on roasting pan. Pour boiling water over duck to begin rendering the fat (this step will make the skin crispier later). Season duck all over with salt, pepper, and garam masala.

Place duck in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and, using a pastry brush, brush half the pomegranate molasses all over the top of the duck. Return to the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and brush remaining molasses over the bird. Return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes. Poke one thigh to see if the juices are running clear. If so, allow the duck to rest for 15 minutes before serving. If not, return to oven for an additional 15 minutes. After resting, serve.

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