Consuming Passions - Worldwide Events Managers

Rita's Birthday Duck

Serves: 6

Notes

A dish created to celebrate a friend’s birthday. Roast duck is served with a Thai-style sauce. I use one duck for every three people in this dish and the carcasses for a sensational duck soup with an oriental flavour.

Ingredients

• 2 ducks (App. 2.5kg each)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 tsp sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp tamari (soya sauce)
• 500ml chicken or veal stock
• 2 medium onions, finely chopped
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tsp finely chopped ginger
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 2 or 3 lime leaves, very finely sliced (or 1 tsp grated lemon rind)
• 1×10cm piece of lemongrass stem, finely chopped (optional)
• 2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 2 Tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp coriander stem and roots, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp coriander leaves, loosely chopped

Method

Mix 1 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp sesame oil and tamari and rub on ducks. Roast birds breast down in 190C oven for 1½ hours then turn over and cook breast up until well cooked and crispy skinned. In a large pan simmer onion, ginger and garlic in remaining olive and sesame oils until ginger has softened (app. 10 minutes). Stir in lime leaves, lemongrass, coriander (ground and stems and roots, sweet chilli sauce, peanut butter and stock and allow to simmer uncovered for 25 minutes. This will cook and reduce the sauce. Stir in half the coriander leaves and serve.

Serving suggestion: Serve slices of duckling breast, leg and skin with the sauce, rice and some green vegetables. Garnish with remaining coriander leaves.

Leftover potential: Leftover duck meat may be mixed with remaining sauce and kept for a couple of days in the refrigerator. Warm through before serving.