Duck Tartare Recipe

yield: 4-6 appetizer servings

1 Duck Breast

Umami Mayo, recipe below

Duck Fat Crackers, recipe below

Spice Mix, recipe below

Grilled Picked Mushrooms, recipe below

1/4 cup Duck Skin Crackling

1 cup Brussel Leaves

2 Tbsp Capers

1/4 cup Gooseberries, quartered

1/4 cup Flat-leaf Garlic Chives, sliced

1 tbsp Sorrel, chiffonade

2 Tbsp Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

salt to taste

To slice duck breast:

Partially freeze duck breast to make slicing easier. Using a very sharp knife, slice breast straight down through the skin into 1/2 centimeter thick slices. Repeat until the entire breast is sliced. Slice skin off each piece and set aside for crackling. Cut pieces into strips and then again into very small dices. The final product will be a 1/2 centimeter cube. Store diced duck breast in a paper towel-lined container over ice until ready to use.

Umami Mayo

1/2 cup Kewpie Mayo

2 tsp Gochijuang Fermented Pepper Paste

1/2 tsp Lemon Juice

1/2 tsp Tamari Soy

1/4 tsp Sesame Oil

Whisk together.

Duck Fat Crackers

1 cup All Purpose Flour 

1 Tbsp Sugar 

1/2 Tbsp Salt 

1/4 t baking powder 

1 ounce duck fat (cold) 

In a stand mixer, fitted with a hook attachment, mix until all the duck fat is incorporated.

Then add: 

6 Tbsp buttermilk 

Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours. 

Whisk together:

1 egg yolk

1 Tbsp Whole milk or cream

Once chilled roll out as thin as possible. Ideal thickness is if you can see the work surface through the cracker dough. Lay rolled dough onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Brush with a light layer of egg yolk/milk wash.

Preheat oven to 325

Bake until golden brown, about 12 minutes.

Spice Mix

2 Tbsp  Ground Sumac

1 1/2 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Mix together and set aside.

Grilled Pickled Mushrooms

4 cups Beech Mushrooms, broken into small groups of mushrooms

2 cups White Vinegar

1/2 cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Salt

1 Tbsp Harissa

Grill mushrooms over medium high heat until slightly charred and wilted. While mushrooms grill bring vinegar, sugar, salt and harissa to a boil. Allow ingredients to dissolve and then pour over grilled mushrooms. Allow to come to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

When ready to use, strain mushrooms and rough chop.

Duck Crackling

reserved duck skin from sliced breast

1/2 cup water

Add duck skin and water to a small pot. Bring to a low simmer and allow to cook until water boils off. Once the water is boiled off the skin will begin to fry in the rendered fat. Keep a close eye because you only want it to fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Once skin is crispy, remove to a paper towel-lined tray and season with a sprinkle of spice mix. Store at room temperature until time to plate.

For Brussel leaves and Capers

Fry capers at 375 for 3 minutes, until just browned and opened. Season with spice mix and set aside.

When time to plate, flash fry brussel leaves at 375 for just a minute, until crispy, season with spice mix.

To plate:

Add sliced duck breast to a bowl and mix with sliced garlic chives, soy sauce, sesame oil and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat and combine.

Form 1/4 of duck breast mix into a 2 inch circle ring mold. Dot plate with 3-4 small circles of umami mayo. Sprinkle with a few pieces of gooseberry and mushroom and top with some duck skin crackling. Top with crispy brussel leaves and scattered crispy capers. Garnish with sorrel. Serve with pieces of cracker.

Repeat this process on 3 other plates with remaining ingredients.