Duck is perhaps my favourite protein on almost any occasion, but during the depths of winter, it is even more so.
Used in both Asian and European cuisines, duck is easily able to handle robust flavours, from earthy root vegetables and bitter greens, to spices and aromatics.
From classics such as duck confit to Chinese duck pancakes with hoisin sauce, it is a supremely versatile ingredient.
More often than not, I will simply roast a duck whole, until the meat falls from the bone, and pair it with whatever takes my fancy at the time.
Brassicas are all the go in the garden at the moment, so it's only natural we make use of them while in season.
Bok choi is a lovely contrast to the richness of the duck in a fragrant spiced soup, while shaved cabbage adds a refreshing crunch to a Thai duck salad with tamarind.
Brussels sprouts are a firm favourite at Riverstone each year and this year we are enjoying roasting them until the leaves are blackened and the centres soft and creamy.
Served with smashed swede, you almost don't need the duck, but what the heck, life is short and meant to be full of memories.
Get to it!
Tip: If time is short simply buy a whole duck ready roasted from a nearby Chinese restaurant. If roasting your own duck, simply cook at 200degC until the meat starts to fall off the bone. We use Quack-a-duck ducks at the restaurant as they are raised for the Asian market, are always tender and aren't too fatty.
Thumbs up all round!
• Bevan and Monique Smith own Riverstone Kitchen, runner-up best regional restaurant in the 2014 Cuisine Good Food Awards. He is also author of Riverstone Kitchen: recipes from a chef's garden and Riverstone Kitchen Simple. Situated on SH1 in North Otago, just south of the Waitaki bridge, it is open Thursday-Monday from 9am-5pm, and also from 6pm from Thursday to Sunday, but closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Quick duck soup with bok choi, ginger, chilli and star anise
Serves 4
1 whole roast duck
3 litres duck or chicken stock
2-3 fresh long red chillies (or dried)
2 5cm pieces fresh ginger, peeled, finely sliced into matchsticks
1 head garlic, peeled, finely sliced
5 pieces star anise
8 whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 stalks fresh lemongrass
6 kaffir lime leaves
Fish sauce to taste
3-4 small bok choi, washed and quartered
2 spring onions, finely sliced
1½ cups coriander, picked
¼ cup mint, picked (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 200degC. Remove legs and breasts from the cooked duck. Place duck on to a baking paper-lined oven tray and set to one side. Place stock in a medium-sized pot and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Roughly chop chilli and add to the stock (including the seeds) along with half the ginger and garlic, star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks. Skim away any fat and impurities that may rise to the surface and continue to simmer for 5 minutes before increasing heat and bringing the stock back to the boil for 10 minutes or until the volume of the stock has been reduced by a third. Reduce heat to a simmer. Bash 2 pieces of lemongrass with the back of a cook's knife and add to the stock along with 4 kaffir lime leaves and simmer for 5 minutes. Place duck in oven for 5 minutes to heat up. Season the soup with fish sauce to taste then strain liquid into another pot, discarding the aromatics. Return soup to a gentle boil. Add remaining ginger and garlic. Finely slice remaining lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf and add to the soup along with the bok choi. Simmer for a further minute before dividing soup and greens between 4 bowls. Remove duck from oven and place a piece in each bowl. Finish with spring onions and herbs and serve immediately.
Thai duck salad withroast peanuts, shaved cabbage,tamarind and fresh mandarin
Serves 4
1 whole roast duck
4 cups cabbage, finely shaved
4 spring onions, finely sliced
1 small red onion, finely sliced
2 cups coriander, picked and washed
1½ cups mint, picked and washed
12 mandarins, peeled and sliced in half
¼ cup roast peanuts, roughly crushed
¼ cup deep-fried shallots
1 cup tamarind dressing
Tamarind dressing
Makes 1 cup
½ tsp shrimp paste
2cm knob ginger, peeled and finely sliced
¼ tsp salt
2 Tbsp desiccated coconut, toasted
1 Tbsp peanuts, blanched and roasted
2 small red chillies
1 cup palm sugar, crushed
½ cup water
3 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp tamarind
Method
Preheat oven to 200degC. Remove meat from duck, discarding bones, and place on a baking paper-lined oven tray. Place duck in the oven for 4 to 5 minutes to warm up before removing from oven and roughly chopping. Place warmed duck into a large bowl along with the cabbage, spring onions, herbs, mandarin and half the roast peanuts and deep-fried shallots. Add half the tamarind dressing and toss together. Divide between 4 plates and finish each salad with the remaining dressing, peanuts and shallots. Serve immediately.
Tamarind dressing
Preheat oven to 200degC. Wrap shrimp paste in a small piece of aluminium foil and place on a small oven tray with the ginger and roast for 5 to 10 minutes or until shrimp paste becomes fragrant. (Wrapping shrimp paste in foil will prevent it from burning as it roasts.) Remove from oven and place in a mortar with salt, coconut, peanuts and chillies and grind to a smooth paste. Place palm sugar and water into a small saucepan and heat until sugar is dissolved and liquid starts to thicken. Add fish sauce and paste and simmer over a medium heat until aromas from the paste are released. Add tamarind and simmer for a further minute before removing from heat. Allow to cool and adjust seasoning with a little more fish sauce if desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Roast duck with smashed swede, carrots,blackened Brussels sprouts and herb oil
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 whole roast duck
600g Brussels sprouts, cut in half lengthways
75ml olive oilsea salt and pepper
smashed swede and carrots
120ml jus, warmed (optional)
herb oil
Smashed swede and carrots
Makes 4 portions
1 small swede, peeled and cut into 2cm pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
800ml chicken stock
80-100g unsalted butter
sea salt and pepper to taste
Herb oil
¼ tsp sea salt
1 cup Italian parsley, picked
1 tsp fresh thyme, roughly chopped
½ a clove garlic, peeled
80ml extra virgin olive oil
Method
Preheat oven to 200degC. Remove legs and breasts from cooked duck. Reserve carcass for later stock. Place duck on a baking paper-lined oven tray and set to one side. Heat olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan, over a high heat. When oil is very hot, carefully add Brussels sprouts to pan and lightly season with a little salt and pepper. Toss sprouts in oil often until outside leaves start to burn. Place sprouts in oven and cook for 5 minutes before placing duck in the oven as well. Cook sprouts for a further 5 minutes as duck comes back up to temperature. Meanwhile, warm smashed swede and carrots in a small pot over a medium heat. Once hot, divide swede between 4 plates. Top with blackened Brussels sprouts followed by the duck. Finish with jus if using and a healthy drizzle of herb oil.
Smashed swede and carrots
Place swede, carrots and chicken stock in a medium-sized pot and bring to the boil. Reduce temperature to a medium heat and cook for 25 to 30 minutes or until tender. Top up with a little extra water as necessary. Once cooked, drain vegetables and roughly mash with a potato masher. Return smashed swede to pot, stir in butter and season with salt and pepper. Reserve until ready to use. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.
Herb oil
Place salt in a mortar with parsley and grind to a paste. Add garlic and grind it into the paste before muddling in oil until combined. Place to one side until ready to use.
