Maple Glaze for Duck

[docsconz]

I will be pan-searing some duck breasts this evening and was thinking of using a light maple glaze. Any suggestions as to what might be the best and/or easiest ways of doing this?

[woodburner]

Sorry Doc, wish I could help.

But..

The best duck breast I've ever had, was very lightly smoked, served at room temperature, sliced as thin as paper and just lightly sauced with horseradish cream concoction.

All that being said, maple syrup and a touch of a freshly squeezed orange, mate like bread and butter.

woodburner

[docsconz]

WB,

Thanks for the suggestion of the pairing with orange. I reduced some orange juice with about a teaspoon of extra dark maple syrup and ancho chile powder. I sauteed my duck to rare to medium-rare, let them rest , sliced them then dragged the slices through the glaze. Not bad if I say so myself. Served with roquefort mashed potatoes and sauteed green beans and 1999 Beaux Freres Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir. The wine was fine but not a stellar match with the sweetness of the orange-maple glaze. It was a better match with duck without the glaze.

[woodburner]

Ancho.

I should have thunk.

We need to hook up this summer.

woodburner

[docsconz]

It would be my pleasure.

[Jaybert41]

As far as the Maple Glaze goes, I am willing to take a stab at it...

I would normally make such a glaze by sweating a little shallot and ginger in olive oil, deglazing with a little sherry, and then adding in a good amount of maple syrup. Let this cook down a bit with a few peppercorns and or coriander seed and wisk in a few more tablespoons of olive oil or butter at the end. This works great when roasting whole ducks because you can apply the glaze every ten minutes of so. As far as glazing individual breasts go I would consider either cooking the glaze down a little further or thickening it with a little arrowroot. Because the breasts will cook much more quickly then a whole duck you will have less time to develope a nice glaze, unless you choose to use it as a sauce as well. In that case a drop of sherry vinegar is nice at the end

Maybe that helps?

[docsconz]

Jaybert, thanks for the suggestion. It looks good. I would think it would go well with pork too.

[Jaybert41]

You're welcome. It would indeed be great with pork, possibly with the addition of Szechwan peppercorns for a little more complexity considering the richness of pork vs. duck. Yes, yes, Szechwan peppercorns are still out there...

[gus_tatory]

you can also do a miso-maple glaze (i use red miso) that kind of resembles peking duck. you brush it as it dries on say a paper-towel rack, before roasting.