This is a true story.
Duck is one of my favorite meats.
Though many people overcook it, but that is another story. Despite how the average person views duck, it is for eating any time, for any meal.
Say picnic time, in the winter-time. When it’s in season-time. This year I decided to make a concerted effort to add meat to my list of seasonal eating. And it brought me to the question of when to eat duck. The natural season is in late fall and winter. SO that’s when I plan to eat it. And make things like sandwiches, stir fries & chili with it. Oh My.
My girlfriend tells me that sometimes I read too much into things. But I really do believe that a sandwich can be a political statement. A super fantastic political statement that will win you lots of friends. I mean, who wouldn’t love being political all the time if it always made your toes curl?
If we make food in its season, we are choosing to eat in a healthful manner that is far reaching. It reaches the family of the farmer, it reaches the chicken coops that go on a natural hiatus in winter, it reaches our belly that is cold and wants something warm and delicious.
If we eschew all the malarkey about “Eating Healthy” meaning eating only lean meats all year long and adopt the eating healthy that translates to eating sustainably, then duck should be all the rage. All winter long. Eating healthy is about eating in balance. And to me there is an element of health that includes wealth. Wealth in the form of sumptuous delicious wintry meat balanced with bright crisp vegetables. Which is why I served this sandwich with a kale, cabbage & fennel slaw.
If making a sandwich means helping biodiversity, then I want to eat all kinds of sandwiches. If we march into our butcher and insist on eating what is in season, then our dollars tell the story to our farmers and distributors that we want balance. Delicious, meaty, braised natural balance. And we are helping support a really delicious indoor picnic when we make this pulled duck leg sandwich with pickled onions and meyer lemon aioli.
Braised Duck & Meyer Lemon Aioli Sandwiches
what you need:
-excellent sandwich bread
-a handful of greens for each sandwich: lettuce, arugula, spinach, pea greens, you name it
-warm braised duck legs, meat pulled from the bone
-meyer lemon aioli
-pickled red onions
-a picnic blanket to keep you warm
Braised Duck Legs with Ginger, Spices & Fresh Orange
what you need:
sauté pan with high sides & tight fitting lid
ingredients:
2 whole duck legs
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp allspice
¼ tsp cayenne, optional
sea salt
fresh cracked pepper
1 large navel orange, zest & juice
1 inch chunk fresh ginger, cut in slices
2 cloves garlic, just crushed & removed from skin
2- ½ inch slices of yellow onion & outer skin of half the onion
½ cup white wine
vegetable stock or water as needed
how to make it:
-mix together the cinnamon, cumin & allspice & optional cayenne. season duck legs with salt & pepper & massage into skin & meat, follow with seasoning blend.
-place pan over medium flame until surface is warm, place skin side down and sear. It should take about 15-20 minutes at least to draw out the fat, and be a deep dark brown. Tip pan and drain fat as needed.
-flip legs & sear second side about 5 minutes
-remove duck from pan & drain excess fat, save fat for later use
-saute ginger, garlic & onion for about one minute over medium high flame, add wine & juice of half the orange & scrape the cooked bits up into the liquid (deglaze)
-place duck back into pan, add juice & water or vegetable stock to come just up to 1/3 of the way up the side of the duck legs. bring to a simmer & cover with lid.
-cook at a steady bubble over a medium low to low flame for about 1.5 hours, rotate pan to keep heat evenly distributed
-remove lid & continue to simmer about 15-20 minutes, remove duck from pan, remove flavoring elements & lightly simmer juices to just thicken. Turn off heat.
-when cool to touch, remove skin & pull meat from bone, tea into pieces & place back in pan to simmer in remaining juices (if there is still meat on the bone, its great to use for a soup, so don’t pitch it out!)
-once meat is coated tender, about 5-10 minutes, turn off heat & cover to keep from drying out
Pickled Red Onions
what you need:
small sauce pan
ingredients:
half a small red onion, sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
fresh cracked pepper
water to cover
how to make it:
-place sugar, salt, vinegar & a few turns of fresh cracked pepper into a small sauce pan & bring to a simmer over medium-low heat
-once sugar & salt has dissolved, add sliced onions to mixture, add water to just cover & simmer until bright fuchsia
-set aside to cool & drain to serve
Meyer Lemon Aioli
what you need:
a medium high sided mixing bowl
a whisk
a slightly damp kitchen towel*
ingredients:
1 large egg yolk
½ a Meyer lemon, zest & juice
splash white wine vinegar
dash hot sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, minced finely w/a pinch of salt
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
¾ cup canola or grapeseed oil
¼ cup olive oil
how to make it:
-whisk together egg yolk, mustard, a squeeze of the lemon juice, all of the zest zest, garlic & a dash of hot sauce in a medium sized mixing bowl with a pinch of salt using a figure 8 motion until the ingredients are well blended & yolk begins to lighten
-gradually pour canola oil down the side of the bowl in a steady stream while you whisk constantly, if oil starts to separate, stop pouring & continue whisking until it comes back together, you may need to do this several times or you may not need to do it at all, just don’t let the oil get too separated or it will be virtually impossible to bring it all back together without adding another yolk
-continue adding oil gradually while continually whisking together & creating an emulsion
-taste the aioli for balance, add lemon juice if needed & a few turns of freshly cracked pepper
-finish aioli by gently whisking in the remaining quarter cup of olive oil.
-taste again & adjust seasoning by adding more hot sauce, lemon juice or Dijon
-to store for up to a week or so: put in a small container and press a piece of plastic wrap into the top of the aioli before sealing it with a lid, this will help prevent the formation of a skin
*sometimes its hard to get your bowl to stay steady, so take a slightly damp kitchen towel and twist it, then turn it into a ring, place it on your counter & cozy the bowl into your newly created slip proof aioli whisking collar. This frees your hands up for whisking & oil pouring. Voila.
Man that meyer lemon is so beautiful!!!