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Tea Smoked Duck Resting on Crisp Filo Pastry, Pistachio, Celery & Grape Salad with Blueberry & Riesling Verjus Dressing
Photography by: Christiano De Martin
- Prep:
45 min - Cook:
60 min
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts
- 2 tablespoons sweet soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon mandarin tea leaves
- 100 grams salt
- 100 grams sugar
- 15 grams micro (baby) herbs
- 80 grams celery
- 60 grams grapes
- 20 grams pistachio
- 8 sheets filo pastry 10 x 10 cm each (4 x 4 inches)
- 60 millilitres extra virgin olive oil
- 20 millilitres reisling verjus
- 10 millilitres sherry vinegar
- 60 grams blueberries
- sea salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
This is a recipe for one of our popular dishes prepared with Canter Valley duck which we source from the south island of New Zealand and have also prepared for the Queensland Masterclass 2010 in Brisbane, Australia.
I find that the combination of marinating, curing and searing gives an incredible layering of flavours to the duck.
Method
Duck- Clean, trim and score the duck breast.
- Marinade with the sweet soy sauce for about 20 minutes.
- Wash the duck and pat dry
- Place the tea leaves at the bottom of a metal container that can have either a grill sheet or steaming tray fitted on top where you are resting the duck breast.
- Ignite the tea leaves and place the tray with the duck breast on top and cover with tin foil, allow 30 minutes for the smoking process to take place.
- Once smoked, cure the breast in 50% salt and 50% sugar mix for 2 hours.
- Remove the breasts, wash them and pat them dry.
- Discard the curing mix.
- Heat a thick bottom pan or a skillet and sear the breast well on all sides, make the skin side nice and crispy.
- At this point the duck breast should be at medium rare cooking degree.
- Allow to cool down before slicing.
- Layer the filo pastry sheets with olive oil, crumbed pistachio and a little black pepper, then press between two roasting trays and bake at 180c (350 fahrenheit) for 10 minutes.
- Blanche and peel the grapes, peel and julienne the celery, mix with toasted pistachio.
- Combine the verjus, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and a little sherry vinegar in a bowl and mix well.
- Drizzle over the top.
