Heat Up Your Kitchen with Spicy Duck Stir Fry

While many people think of duck as a "fancy" dinner, in our house, it's the basis for a number of easy weeknight meals.

Nothing pretentious -- we grill it, stir-fry it, pile it on tacos or fajitas, and even make it into sandwiches.

I understand that this is unusual. Most people have never tried duck, have no desire to try duck, or if they have tried it, they didn’t like it. If you fall into one of these groups, please bear with me as I make my case for why more people should try this wonderful, lean (yes, lean!) protein.  

If you've had duck in the past and didn't enjoy it, I propose that maybe it wasn't the "right" kind of duck. If someone shot it down over a pond, chances are that it tasted a little fishy or gamey.

Additionally, if you tried duck with the impression that it would taste like chicken, you may have been put off because duck tastes nothing like chicken. In fact, there is no white meat on a duck.  Since there is no white meat, it is often assumed that duck is all dark meat. Not true. The fact is that duck is RED meat.

My young daughters call it "duck steak.”.This is a good way to describe duck breast, because when prepared correctly, it eats like a great cut of steak.  

The variety of duck I prefer to cook with is farm-raised White Pekin duck. Believe it or not, flavor and quality varies between the breeds of farm-raised duck. The White Pekin produces a tender, mild meat that adapts to a wide range of flavor profiles and cuisines.

As I already mentioned, it’s lean, too!  At 7 grams less fat and 55 fewer calories than a trimmed filet mignon, duck can be a healthy alternative to steak.  Even more surprising, a skinless White Pekin duck breast has less fat and calories than a skinless chicken breast!     

My favorite way to eat duck is right off of the grill, but I adore this stir-fry!  This recipe is a great way to “get your feet wet” with duck if you’re trying it for the first time. It has just the right amount of sweet and heat and the tender duck is lovely alongside the crisp vegetables.

Spicy Duck Stir Fry

Marinade:

1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 teaspoon garlic and Red Chile paste

Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl.
Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice and sesame oil and Chile paste. Mix well and refrigerate this sauce until you're ready to use.

Stir fry:

2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 boneless duck breast halves, skin removed and thinly sliced
4 green onions cut diagonally into 1" pieces
1/2 to 1 Serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 red or yellow sweet bell pepper, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 teaspoons mashed ginger
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil (for drizzling)

Add duck to the marinade and allow to sit while you chop the green onions, peppers, and garlic. Heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat. When very hot, pour in the oil. Add the duck slices with the marinade to the skillet, and cook, stirring constantly until they are nearly cooked (just a little pink remaining). Then add the garlic, ginger, and green onions and cook for 30seconds, or until very fragrant. Add the peppers and cook for another minute. Turn off heat. Drizzle with 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil. Serve over rice.

Notes:

*The tiny  Serrano pepper packs quite a bit of heat. I recommend wearing gloves when handling and if you're sensitive to spicy food, use a small amount or omit the pepper completely.  

*I used Maple Leaf Farms pre-seasoned duck breast for this recipe. You can find their products at your local grocery or shop online HERE.

 To learn more about preparing duck, plan to attend the next “Discover Duck” class at Strongsville High School on Thursday, April 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm. Participants will learn how to pan-sear a duck breast and will sample a variety of appetizers, Roast Duck with Orange Sauce,  and  Duck Breast in a Pomegranate-Thyme Reduction Sauce. The food is delicious and everyone leaves with a cookbook and coupons!  To sign up call Polaris Adult Education at 440-891-7600 or click HERE to sign up online on the Polaris Strongsville Culinary Arts site.