Orange Duck Breast

 

* adapted from Thomas Keller Masterclass lesson. 

Ingredients:

French Duck Breast

Endives

Orange Juice - around 30ml to soak endives. around 100ml to cook sauce

Orange Zest

Honey - around 60-80ml

Veal/Beef Gravy - around 60-80ml

How to Make:

3 days before cooking:

1. Clean the duck breast and use tweezer to remove all hair from skin carefully.

2. Gently remove the silver skin underneath the meat.

3. Wipe dry and put to fridge (uncovered) for 2-3 nights before cooking to allow the skin to dry up.

On the day of cooking:

1. Clean endives, halve it lengthwise and soak in orange juice. 

2. Take out duck breast from fridge 1-2 hours before cooking.

3. Wipe dry and use a knife to gently trim the skin edge. Use a skewer to poke poles on skin gently.

4. Gently use your knife to score the skin in a crosshatch diamond pattern.

5. Season lightly with salt and black pepper.

6. Heat up a flat frying pan in medium high fire. Add a few drops of olive or canola oil. Then put in duck breast, skin side down. As you need to brown and crisp the skin and then have the meat cooked (say around 8-10 mins), be careful of the heat. Should not go too high to avoid the skin burning. Try press down the skin as much as possible to achieve crispy skin. Always use your hands or a palette knife to do this and to move the duck breast around the pan to avoid it sticking to the pan. Don't use tongs to avoid tearing the skin or the meat.

7. When the duck breast is around 80% done, baste it with the oil in the pan. Add the endives to the side of the pan, cutting side facing down. 

8. When it is around 90% done (or internal temperature reaches around 123'F, flip the meat side down to the pan for a short while. Then transfer duck breast to a wire rack or a plate lined with kitchen towel, skin side down and rest for 5 mins before carving.

9. Check if endives brown enough and if so, remove from pan too.

** you can use the oil in the pan to cook veggies and potatoes.

Orange Sauce (you can make this in advance)

1. Add orange juice and honey to a pot and heat it up. Once you see small bubbles on the side, turn to medium to medium high heat until you see big bubbles.

2. Add gravy of your choice to the orange honey sauce and adjust tasting to your liking and cook until it reaches a consistency you like. 

3. Lastly, grate some orange zest inside the sauce.

Enjoy!

Red Curry Duck (Gaend Phed Ped Yaang)

* Like the Thai salad, i also learned to make this at Bangkok Mandarin Oriental Cooking School. This is a spicy curry but not hot whatsoever Must try to cook as it's really "Thai"!

Ingredients (for 6 -8 persons):
- Fresh Red Curry Paste x 2-3 bags (** pls note the pre-packed one is more salty than the freshly made ones)
- Fresh Coconut Milk x 2-3 cups + another 3-4 cups for later use (Original recipe used 3 cups of coconut cream + 1 cup water. But since i was not able to buy coconut cream, i just use 3 cups of coconut milk with adding the water)
- Fish Sauce x 5-10 tbsp (100-200ml)
- Palm sugar x 3-5 tbsp 
- Roast Duck - fillet the duck, discard the fatty part and cut into bite size
- Chinese red dates x 8-10pc - remove seed and boiled for 2-3min
- Purple Grapes - 12-14pc - seedless, cut into half
- mild peppers (eg. the Green Banana Chilli) - seeded and cur coarsely  
- lychee in can (drain the syrup)
- Thai Big Red Chilli x 1, seeded and finely sliced
- Kaffir lime leaves - finely shredded (remember to remove the middle stem, then roll the leaves together like cigar before slicing them very finely)
- Fresh sweet basil leaves.

** Fresh curry paste taste may vary, same as different brands of fish sauce. Best to taste while cooking and adjust qty of ingredients as per your liking.


How to Make:
1. Heat the 3 cups of coconut milk in a wok, using the back of the spatular, press, splash, scrape and stir the the coconut milk until it thickens. and you see bubbles and hear sizzle sounds.

2. Turn the heat to low, then add the fresh red curry paste, mix them well together in the coconut milk until aromatic.

3.   Add the fish sauce, palm sugar, mix well, then add the rest of the 4.5 cups coconut milk.

4. Bring to boil, then add the chinese dates and the grapes, the chilies, peppers, kaffir lime leaves.

5. Add the duck and cook for a while.

6. Lastly, add some basil to the stew with a few to garnish on top of the dish.

Serve with white rice. If you are able to buy banana leaf, hide the rice in a cone shaped banana leaf to give that special Thai touch! Enjoy!