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Chrismukka Blends Holiday Traditions, Flavors
Photo by JADEN HAIR
This recipe for seared duck is the perfect blend of celebrity chief Ming Tsai's signature East and West cooking.
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Published: December 3, 2008
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My parents are Buddhists, but they've lived in the United States since 1967 and have celebrated Christmas with food and presents every single year. When my brother and I were little, we believed in Santa Claus — until the day I found my mother's secret hiding place for gifts. I didn't let on that I knew about the stash, because I totally enjoyed sneaking into the walk-in closet and wading through the piles of clothes, blankets and luggage to get to the booty in the back.
I'd just stare at the Cabbage Patch Kid and the Barbie doll convertible, caressing the boxes and counting down the days till Christmas Eve. So, yeah, Christmas was more about new toys back then and not so much the religious stuff.
My in-laws take Christmas seriously, and they spend much of December decking the house with holiday lights and trinkets. You can't sneeze without knocking over a jolly elf or shorting out the dancing Santa.
At our home, I like to think we have a nice blend of traditions. For the past six years, we've hosted "Chrismukka"; because we have good friends who are Jewish and Christian, our house becomes the melting pot of religions. My in-laws also come down to be with the family, and each time they make the trip, they stuff an entire suitcase with more holiday decorations to hand down. I love it when Scott shows the boys the carefully preserved ornaments and says, "I made this wooden reindeer in first grade!"
I got a chance to chat with celebrity chef Ming Tsai recently, and I asked him about his holiday plans. He's preparing a slow-roasted lamb for his family. He also gave me tips for my Chrismukkah meal. I'm making Ming's Seared Duck Breast with Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney from his self-published book called "Ming's Master Recipes" (www.ming.com). I tested the recipe a couple of weeks ago and, holy holiday cheer, it was fabulous!
Ming says the key to searing duck breast is to render, or melt away, the fat first. This savory fat is used to cook the duck and also sauté the potatoes. The Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney is the perfect blend of Ming's signature East and West cooking.
SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH SWEET AND SOUR CRANBERRY CHUTNEY
(Adapted from "Ming's Master Recipes" by Ming Tsai)
4 duck breasts, fat trimmed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 4 Yukon gold potatoes, either boiled or baked with skin on for 45 minutes at 350 degrees, sliced into 1/2-inch discs
Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney (recipe below)
Use a sharp knife to score the skin on the duck breast several times, making 3 to 5 slashes on the diagonal then rotating knife to slash the other way, to make a slanted checkerboard of sorts. Score all the way through the fat, but take care not to cut through to the meat.
Place the duck breasts skin-side down in a large frying pan and then heat the frying pan on low heat. As the pan heats up, the fat will begin to render. Let fry until the skin is brown and crispy, about 7 to 10 minutes and you get a nice puddle of duck fat. Transfer to a plate, meat side down and let rest. In the same pan, with the luscious duck fat, turn the heat to high and add the potato slices and brown both sides, about 3 to 5 minutes each side. Transfer the potato slices to a plate.
Add the duck breasts back into the pan, this time meat-side down and sear for 3 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Flip the duck breast skin-side down to recrisp the skin. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney.
Sweet and Sour Cranberry Chutney
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 red onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup rice vinegar
Heat a sauté pan over high heat. When hot, add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the onions and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cranberries, sugar and the rice vinegar. Simmer on medium-low for 10 minutes, until most of the liquid is absorbed. When cool, transfer to container and cover, store in refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Yields 4 servings
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