Duck is one of those items that always catches my eye on menu. If we’re eating out and one of the specials has the word “duck” somewhere in it, there is a good chance I’m going to give it a try. Maybe it’s my attachment to ducks from my days in Michigan when I’d go duck/goose hunting with my friend Jake. Thinking back to those early Saturday and Sunday mornings, arriving at Jake’s house on Lake Erie, forcing down coffee and a granola bar then heading out in a canoe or on an ATV only to have to hike a couple mile so wearing camouflage weighters while carrying decoys and guns- ahh, the good old days. Half of the time we didn’t even take home any ducks, but we always went with the same enthusiasm as the week before as for us it was more about being outdoors, trekking through the woods and shallow water, while everyone else we knew was in bed sleeping off a hangover from the night before.

Or maybe I just like duck so much because it tastes so damn good.

Now in Maryland, I eat more duck than I did back home, but it’s primarily the store-bought kind (which is much less gamey but much easier to acquire and prepare- no having to pluck feathers!). From duck confit to duck ravioli and duck gumbo, I make duck usually about once per week. I have containers of duck fat in the freezer, along with bags of duck stock. You can usually find some sort of pate or duck liver in the house as well. Duck is one of my comfort foods.

Below is one of the easiest ways to make duck that turns out absolutely delicious. The duck breast itself couldn’t be any simpler, and although the risotto takes some time and energy- it’s very easy to prepare as well. If any step of the recipe is confusing, let me know (leave a comment or send an e-mail) and I’ll try to clear things up.

Equipment: Cast iron pan, large stock pan, medium fry pan.

Ingredients: (Feeds up to 6)

• 2 legs of duck confit (store bought or prepared the day before)
• 2 large duck breasts
• 3 Tbsp duck fat
• fresh thyme, rosemary and sage
• 2 medium sized onions
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 3 cups arborio rice (for risotto)
• 4 cups turkey stock (or chicken stock)
• 2 cups red wine (suggest to use Nebbiolo-based wine)
• 1 packaged dried wild mushrooms
• 4 tablespoons butter
• parmesan reggiano cheese
• high-quality olive oil (for finishing)
  
• salt/pepper
• Optional: 2 shallots, fig vinegar, hot sauce, soy sauce, 1/2 cup red wine

Risotto: I would begin by placing the duck confit into a non-stick pan over medium-low heat with 2 Tablespoons duck fat and fresh sage/rosemary/thyme. We’re just re-heating the confit (assuming you made it the day before or bought it pre-packaged and sealed as I did in this case). We want it to just slowly warm up while infusing it with the tasty fresh herbs.

Next we need to get started on the risotto itself since this will take the most time (plan 20 minutes inactive time, 35 minutes or more active time). To begin, heat the broth over medium-low heat. Once the broth is warm, add dried mushrooms. These take 30-40 minutes to reconstitute so plan on starting the risotto 20 minutes after you put the mushrooms in the broth. Using the broth to re-hydrate the mushrooms is a great trick for getting a nice earthy, mushroomy flavor into your risotto!

Once the mushrooms have been sitting for 20 minutes we can start the risotto. Take a large stock pot and saute 1 cup of onions (finely chopped) and 3 minced garlic cloves in 2 Tbsp of butter and 2 Tpbs of olive oil over medium heat. Sprinkle slightly with salt and pepper and cook for around 6 minutes, or until the onions are clear (do not want them to brown).

Once the onions/garlic look similar to those above, add the rice and cook for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat.

At this point we want to start adding some fluid. Stir in 1 cup of the broth (use a ladel and avoid adding any mushrooms at this point). Gently stir rice until most of the fluid has absorbed. Now, add 1 cup of wine, again stirring until liquid is taken up into the rice.

Alternate broth/wine/broth being sure to regulate temperature and keep stirring the rice as to ensure even cooking. Before adding the last cup of broth check the risotto for doneness. (now is a good time to put the cast iron pan on medium-high heat for the duck breast). A quick taste should yield an al dente (slightly firm) piece of rice- check the seasoning and re-season at this point as well. If all is well, add 1 tablespoon butter, the reconstituted mushrooms (chopped fine), and reduce heat to low. Add in final cup of broth and let slowly cook for 3 minutes while you finish the duck breasts.

Note: To finish risotto, add in meat cleaned from the duck leg confit and any pan drippings from reheating the confit. Top with parmasean cheese and a splash of olive oil.

Seared duck breast: You should start this with about 12 minutes left in the risotto process. Heat the cast iron pan over medium high heat. Take the duck breast and ’score’ the skin side 5-6 times (basically just cut thin 2-3″ long slits into the skin/fat of the duck). Be sure not to cut into the meat. At this point it’s time to season. Take 2 Tablespoons each of finely chopped rosemary, thyme and sage and mix them together. Stuff the herbs into the scored skin/fat, then rub the remaining herbs onto the opposite side into the meat. Sprinkle liberally with salt/pepper.

Place the duck breast into the pan, skin-side down and let sit undisturbed for 6 minutes. There will be plenty of fat from the duck, so you do not need to pre-oil the pan. Check for a nice golden brown crust and flip. Immediately place duck breast into oven for 6 minutes or until medium-rare (instant read thermometer at 125 degrees as it will continue to cook when you remove it from the oven).

Remove the duck breast from the pan and set on a warm plate and cover with foil. (Note: You can do a quick pan sauce here- add 4 tablespoons finely chopped shallots, 1 clove garlic to duck fat in pan. After 2 minutes, de-glaze with 1/2 cup red wine. Add 2 Tbsp honey, splash hot sauce, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1 Tbsp fig vinegar- let reduce for a few minutes, add 1 Tbsp finely chopped herbs and serve with duck breast). After the duck breasts rest for 6 minutes or so, it’s time to slice it into thin strips (I cut it on an angle). Over the strips with the run-off from the breast on the plate.

To plate: Place a mound of risotto on the plate, top with freshly grated parmesan reggiano (I put a lot!) and a splash of high quality olive oil. Place duck breast slices on the risotto, garnish with whatever you feel like garnishing with (usually by this point I’m too excited to eat and forget to garnish!). It’s that simple! Buon Appetito!

Wine pairing: Red Burgundy (Pinot Noir) – I went with a nice ‘98 from Nuits-St.George- delicate enough to not overpower the dish, spicy and big enough to stand up to the flavors.