What to do with leftover duck?

September 2, 2010 5:24 PM

Leftover smoked duck breast should be used...how? A pasta sauce?

I bought a smoked duck breast to slice and serve over salad. There's about half left over, plus all the fat I cut off the half we ate. It was rather expensive and I don't want to waste any of it. I'm thinking it would be good to flavor a tomato sauce for tomorrow night. What do you super-duper chefs think? Anyone have a recipe for a duck ragu? The simpler, the better--I am not an intuitive cook.

posted by pipti to Food & Drink (18 answers total)

I am not a super-duper chef (altho I am married to one) but I am thinking...risotto?? that could be really yummy. enjoy!
posted by supermedusa at 5:31 PM on September 2, 2010 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Here's a good duck ragout we used at one of the restaurants I used to work at (I reduced the ingredients for smaller portions):

1 cans of chopped tomatoes (I like muir glen fire roasted tomatoes for this)
2 cloves garlic
handful of pichelines
1 cleaned small artichoke (I don't like canned or jarred artichokes, but that's up to you)
1/2 an onion
1 shallot
red wine
1 carrot

Saute onion, artichokes, and carrot. Add shredded duck. Add shallot and garlic and pichelines. Add wine and reduce for a couple of minutes. Add tomatoes (without liquid) and toss. Salt and pepper and pasta.

Coat the pasta and plate.

I'm not very good with recipes, so this may need to be tweaked to make sure flavors are alright. The idea behind it, though, is a lighter sauce.
posted by TheBones at 5:33 PM on September 2, 2010 [3 favorites]

Best answer: Depending on what the weather's like, you could try a kind of soup (alternative recipe) or mock cassoulet with white beans, perhaps some sausage if you have any at hand, and some aromatics. That fat is going to make the beans sing.
posted by holgate at 5:35 PM on September 2, 2010

I came in to suggest salad, but hey, already done. You could have a light meal of assorted bits of tapas. Nice crackers, shaved parmesan, smoked duck and a decent wine. You could cook some mushrooms in olive oil with slivered garlic, and bread for dipping. Maybe a Spanish omelet for a central filling portion of the meal. It's not overly extravagant, but it's a nice, easy pace kind of meal.
posted by Ghidorah at 5:36 PM on September 2, 2010

Duck pizza is awesome
posted by trialex at 5:40 PM on September 2, 2010

Pichelines are a type of olive. If you have any other questions, please pm me.
posted by TheBones at 5:49 PM on September 2, 2010

You could make a sandwich. Bahn mi comes to mind.
posted by slow graffiti at 5:57 PM on September 2, 2010

For TheBones' (awesome sounding!) Duck Ragout...maybe saute the veg in a little of that duck fat?

Just hit it on a low flame, melt the goodness out, discard any duck bits left over beyond the amount of rendered fat needed before throwing in the onions, etc. Add a little extra oil if there isn't enough duck fat rendered to ratio of veg.

If anything, that should bump up the duck flavor in the recipe:)
posted by jbenben at 6:02 PM on September 2, 2010

One of the best things I have ever eaten was duck pad thai.
posted by oulipian at 6:38 PM on September 2, 2010

Don't underestimate the deliciousness that is a (very) simple duck sandwich. High-quality mayo on really good bread + duck (cold) will be fantastic. I made ducks last year for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and everyone enjoyed duck sandwiches the next day for lunch.
posted by phunniemee at 6:46 PM on September 2, 2010

I recently had duck tacos. They were great.
posted by mmascolino at 6:51 PM on September 2, 2010

Nthing salad, risotto, pizza. Risotto will make a small amount of duck go a long way. With some dried porcini or other mushrooms you get a lovely dish.
posted by smoke at 7:11 PM on September 2, 2010

I admit that this is my answer for any ingredient with a strong salty/smoky/meaty flavor, but I'm thinking pasta in a cream sauce.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:50 PM on September 2, 2010

I know you just had salad, but how about another one! Like this:

Main Ingredients-

Finely sliced duck breast
Slightly bitter greens
Handful mint and cilantro
1 tablespoon shredded ginger
2-3 teaspoons very finely minced lemongrass
2 hot chillies, seeded and finely shredded
2-3 minced garlic cloves (or 2-3 sliced shallots if you hate fresh garlic)

Dressing -
1-2 tablespoons tamarind water
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-2 tablespoons palm sugar (to taste, really)
pulp and juice of 1 passionfruit
posted by Ahab at 11:07 PM on September 2, 2010

Duck-Brie-Cranberry Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!
I went to a wedding that had these during the dancing part as everyone got drunker and peckish.... they were best late night treat I've ever had. There was almost a feeding frenzy.

Sliced, soft white bread, crusts cut off
Duck (torn up with a fork)
Slim slices of brie, rind removed
Dab of cranberry jam
Dash of salt

... all these heavenly ingredients, made into grilled-cheese sandwiches on a buttered pan.
They were rich, salty, sweet, and decadent. The best sandwiches ever.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:11 AM on September 3, 2010 [1 favorite]

Also, the duck schmaltz (fat) will make delectable roast potatoes.
posted by pseudostrabismus at 12:15 AM on September 3, 2010

Slice it up and put it in a salad with blue cheese and other goodies.
posted by The Michael The at 3:49 AM on September 3, 2010

Response by poster: Alrighty, the pasta sauce was terrific. Tonight I'm making a mock cassoulet with the leftover duck fat. Then I may try frying some potatoes in duck fat and layering them with, say, goat cheese, as a side dish. This shall be the most stretched duck breast ever. Thanks all!
posted by pipti at 11:22 AM on September 4, 2010