Green Tea Smoked Duck

Aside from using proper ingredients, developing regional cooking techniques remain the basis of authentic cuisine. Regardless of a dish's origin--whether it be European, Asian, African, or any other part of the world--it will have certain native characteristics and a combination of flavors that differentiate it from other areas of the same country. When you decide to cook a dish from a particular region, you must be knowledgable about the processes of that region's cooking, such as the breakdown of the meat or fish or the methods of smoking, searing, and poaching as they all vary from one place to the next. All are involved in making food delicious, each in its own unique way. Experimenting with the boundless ways in which different cuisines are prepared keeps cooking interesting and new.

Most of my blog recipes develop as I am cooking dinner or just trying to fool around with a new technique. Imagine my excitement when I decided to submit a recipe for the Maple Leaf Farms Duck Contest! Alas, I didn't place (darn!), but this recipe will teach you how to break down a whole duck. Of course if you wish, you can just buy duck pieces. This dish involves a pressure cooker, a quick stir-fry, searing, and a few other processes that might not be used everyday.

Duck, usually considered a summer dish in Vietnamese cooking, pairs well with ginger, but I did not include ginger in this recipe.  However, you could always serve this with ginger nuoc cham  by just adding minced ginger to the recipe.  I make a pan sauce by reducing the duck leg braising liquid then straining it.  The sauce becomes rich, but it pairs nicely with the rice cake.  

I know, I know...it involves a lot of steps, but if you have the time, it is well worth it! The side items are simple and can be paired with many other dishes. If you try it, let me know what you think--I am always open to hearing how your final product turns out! Even though my recipe didn't place, I am proud of it and I enjoyed working out all the nuances!

As Halloween approaches, I included my thoughts on the Smashing Pumpkins who were vital in my development of this dish.

Break down the whole duck-

1. Using a large cutting board and very sharp knife, lay the duck breast side up with the legs facing you.  

2. Remove any giblets and neck, which should be inside the cavity, and place them in a baking pan.  

3. Grasping a leg, make a cut between the body and leg slicing through the skin while separating the leg from the body.  Disjoint the leg from the socket and make a cut through the area removing the leg from the body.  Trim any excess skin from the leg, and place it in the pan.  Repeat with the other leg.  

4. Turn the duck around with the breasts facing you, and gently run the tip of the knife along the breastbone while slowly pulling the breast away from the body.  Work with a nice short stroke and continue to slice the breast until it is removed.  Trim the skin, and remove the tender from the muscle, and place in the pan.  Repeat with the other breast.  

5. Grab the wing and disjoint it by bending it outward and away from you.  Cut between the wing and body, and repeat the method with the other wing; place them in the pan.

Preparation of Duck Legs

Brine-

2 tbsp fish sauce

4 oz. palm sugar

3 cloves garlic smashed

1 tbsp lemongrass minced

1 each red onion, sliced

1 each carrot, medium dice

4 cloves garlic, mashed

2 cups water

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tbsp mirin

3 tbsp unsalted butter, cold

1 each duck neck

2 each duck wings

2 each duck legs

To brine the duck legs:

1. In a mortar and pestle, blend all ingredients until it becomes a paste.

2. Rub the legs with the paste, and place them in the refrigerator for one hour.

To cook the duck legs:

1. In the bottom of a pressure cooker, place the neck and wings.  

2. Add onion, carrot, garlic, water, soy, and mirin.  

3. Stack the duck legs on top of everything and cook on high for 20 minutes, then let it release naturally.

4. Gently remove the legs and place on a plate, cover to keep them warm.  

5. Strain the liquids into a saucepan, and slowly reduce the sauce on medium heat, skimming the fat, until there is 2/3 cup.  Whisk in butter one tablespoon at a time.  Shut off the heat and reserve. Check seasoning, but it should be good.

Cure-

2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

2 tbsp black peppercorns

¼ tsp insta cure salt #1

2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine

2 each duck breasts

Smoking Ingredients-

½ cup rice

½ cup loose green tea

½ cup brown sugar

2 pieces star anise

2 pieces cinnamon

To cook duck breasts:

1. Using a wok or pot, line the bottom with enough aluminum foil to fold over the sides about 4-5 inches.  

2. Place all of the smoking ingredients in the wok, and put a rack or handful of chopsticks on top to make a smoker.  Make sure the hood is on and kitchen is well ventilated.  Turn heat on high until it begins to smoke.  It will make noise and pop loudly.  

3. Once it begins to smoke, place breasts on rack, close the foil to seal the smoker, and leave on medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, then shut off and smoke the duck for another 5-8 minutes (depending on the depth of smoke you wish to achieve).  

4. Remove the breasts and gently score the skin. In a low to medium hot nonstick pan, place the breasts skin side down and render the skin until crispy.   The duck will be rare prior to rendering the skin, so this step should not cook the duck much further, but it is absolutely necessary that you render the fat.  Once the skin is crispy, remove the breast to a cutting board and rest.    

Crispy Rice Cake-

¾ cup sushi rice

1 cup water

¼ cup green onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

2 tsp fish sauce

2 tbsp canola oil

1 tbsp sesame oil

Baby Bok Choy and Brown Beech Mushrooms

2 cups baby bok choy, washed

1 cup brown beech mushrooms, bottom root removed

1 tsp fish sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 oz. palm sugar

2 cloves garlic minced

2 tbsp canola oil

To prepare crispy rice cakes:

1. Cook rice according to directions on the package, and when it is finished, fold in the remaining ingredients except the oils, spread about ½ think on a sheet pan and chill.  

2. Using a damp biscuit cutter or knife, cut into rounds or squares.

3. In a nonstick pan, heat up oil and brown the cakes on both sides.

To cook bok choy and mushrooms:

1. Heat oil in a skillet, add garlic and cook until it just starts to brown.  Do not burn!  

2. Add mushrooms and sear on both sides, then add bok choy and cook until lightly wilted; deglaze with fish sauce and soy.  

3. As it begins to reduce, add the sugar and toss until it melts and the vegetables are coated in sauce.

My memories of the 90s are filled with fantastic music!!  The Smashing Pumpkins impacted my life much like this duck recipe.  Filled with hope and joy, I was enthralled with the psychedelic, garage style of the Chicago band.  Gish hit the stores (HA! Something today's youth cannot remember!), and "I Am One" hit my stereo.  The music of my college years changed forever.  

Siamese Dream followed then Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and the end was near.  Like a fading comet, my join with the Pumpkins was ending.  Maybe it was me, but I started losing interest.  However, I rekindled my fascination with Billy Corgan's music while working on this dish.  "1979", "Cherub Rock", "Hummer", and "Tristessa", to name a few, brought back wonderful feelings of excitement.  

However, not winning the contest was a bummer!  "Life's a bummer, when you're a hummer!"  Oh well, enjoy the recipe and turn on some rock!

Ginger Caramel Chicken/ Five Pepper Chicken

Today's culinary ideas and recipes seem to be filled with complicated equipment, hard to find ingredients, restaurant type techniques, etc. etc.  It does not need to be this way.  A basic pantry and any protein can make up a very good meal.  The goal of keeping it simple does not mean keeping it flavorless.  Simplicity can mean using clean, fresh flavors and a basic technique to come up with something wonderful.  Keep the pantry stocked with some solid items, and you can create a myriad of dishes.
   
We were looking for something easy and familiar for dinner.  I cut up a chicken and tossed it in the marinade, let it sit for about an hour.  Soon after, dinner was served.  Nothing complex or sophisticated about this dish.  Just cook up some rice and serve. 

I did a variation with more pepper.  Chinese-American buffets usually have a dish called black pepper chicken, so I wanted to fool around with a Vietnamese style pepper chicken.  I altered the marinade and added a few things to the sauce changing the name to "Five Pepper Chicken." I like the spicy version, so you can choose between two types of chicken.

Variation- see bottom "Five Pepper Chicken"

Ga Kho Gung- Ginger Caramelized Chicken

Marinade- (reserve 1/2 of the marinade)

3/4 cup fish sauce

3/4 cup grated ginger

3/4 cup garlic, minced

2 Thai chili
1 cup palm sugar

2 tbsp canola oil

1 onion, diced

1/3 cup chicken stock

Heat the oil in a large skillet, and gently add the chicken removing it from the marinade.  Brown it on all sides then remove to a plate.  Add some sliced onions and caramelize.  Gently place the chicken back into the pan and continue to cook.  Pour in the reserved marinade and chicken stock.  Reduce until it forms a nice glaze.

Ginger chicken is served as Ice-T, Chuck D, Dr. Dre, and KRS-One joined my imaginary roundtable. Oh yeah, I am joining the "Original Gangster" for lunch, at least I am thinking about it!  My playlist included amazing classics such as "By the Time I Get to Arizona," "Straight Outta Compton," and many others by the seem-to-be-forgotten old skool rappers.  Where has all the rap gone?  These guys set a stage for what has become something I don't quite understand.  Well maybe I am not in their target audience, but once upon a time I was in the crowd! 

Alternate method-

Marinade- 1 tbsp soy sauce

1/2 tbsp black pepper

1/2 tbsp Sichuan peppercorns

1 tbsp green peppercorns

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp garlic, chopped

Mash all ingredients into a paste and rub into the chicken.  Let it soak for about an hour.

1 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp sugar

2 Thai chilies

1 tbsp red bean curd

1 tbsp red chili paste

1 cup chicken stock

In a heavy bottom skillet, heat coconut oil and sear the chicken skin side down.  Brown the skin nicely, then flip it over and cook for another 3-4 minutes shaking gently every now and then so it does not burn.  Add the rest of the ingredients and cook on med low heat until the sauce thickens, and the chicken is thoroughly cooked.

Dumplings/Hue Fried Rice

Sitting around the dinner table with friends and family leads to great stories and wonderful times. During these evenings, I enjoy making various dumplings which allows everyone can sit back and share the meal and fun while snacking on a parcel of goodness.

These are more traditional Chinese dumplings, as the Vietnamese style dumplings are usually made with tapioca starch or rice flour. Frequently, they are wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.  I will be using gyoza wrappers and pan frying a batch, also.  Follow closely as we have two techniques and both are enjoyable!!  

I also included a very simple fried rice recipe which originates from the central Vietnamese region of Hue.  

Steamed/Fried Pork Dumplings
3 oz dried wood ear mushrooms

1.5 oz bean thread vermicelli

2 lbs. ground pork

3 shallots minced

2 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp light soy

2 tsp black pepper
1 pack gyoza wrappers
bowl of water

Dipping Sauce
Soy Sauce
Roasted Chili Paste

Red Oil Sauce
4 tbsp red chili oil
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
2 cloves garlic mashed
1 tbsp szechuan peppercorns
Mix all ingredients thoroughly

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Place 1 tbsp of filling in each wrapper, and rub the edge with water then pinch closed.  When all dumplings are filled, place them in a steamer and cook for about 10 minutes.   Mix soy and chili paste and dip dumplings.  ENJOY!!!

Alternative method- Fill wrappers with 1 tbsp of filling and fold in half.  Add 1/4 cup of canola oil in a skillet and place on medium heat.  When the oil is nice and hot, add a few dumplings and pan fry until golden brown.  Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

Potstickers- Place a medium pan on med-high heat.  When it is hot, lightly coat with oil, add about 6-8 dumplings.  Let them brown for a minute, then add 1/2 cup of water and cover.  Steam for another 2-3 minutes.  Repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

Hue Fried Rice

3 cups cooked rice

Shrimp blend

3 tbsp dry shrimp (soak in water for about 30 minutes)

2 shallots, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Thai chili, minced

1 stalk lemongrass, minced

Pulse in a food processor or blend well in a mixing bowl to form a nice paste

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 onion, diced

2 tbsp water or stock

3 tbsp nuoc mam

fried shallots, herbs (basil, mint, Vietnamese coriander, cilantro)

In a hot wok or skillet, add oil and onions.  Stir fry until soft, add shrimp blend and stir fry until fragrant.  Add the rice and toss until the blend is well incorporated.  When the rice is coated with the shrimp mixture add water and nuoc mam.  Toss until it is thoroughly mixed and hot.  Serve topped with fried shallots and fresh Vietnamese herbs.

Red Rice

Here is a simple dish that can be made with basic pantry items.  After researching my beef items, I noticed that this is commonly served with bo luc lac (shaking beef).  Since I wanted to make bo luc lac, I decided to add this as a side item.  I used broken jasmine rice, but you could use any rice and make it delicious.  I am a huge fan of eggs in my fried rice, so I added  a good amount of wonderfully fresh farmer's eggs.  


Red Rice

3 cups rice (day old)
2 tbsp sesame oil

3 oz. tomato paste

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 tsp nuoc mam
3 eggs, scrambled

Using a large skillet, heat up the sesame oil and add the garlic.  Fry for a minute and add the rice.  Stir fry until blended well, and add the tomato paste stirring vigorously.  When it is thoroughly blended, add the nuoc mam.  Turn the heat down a little and make a well in the middle of the pan.  Pour the eggs in the well    and scramble.  Then fold the eggs and rice together.  Check for seasoning.