[Jamestown1630]

I didn’t know about that, and I envy you all those restaurants.

[Liz]

Thanks, JT. Here's a duck recipe from a Thai restaurant in Lyon, France, no less. Satisfying specialty, frequently requested by French locals. France produces high-quality ducks. French sure love their duck. Specialty of NE Thailand, Chef Phanuphong, voluptuous French duck breast — sliced to preserve virtues of the magret. Bangkok Royal’s recipe is made special with homemade toasted rice powder scented w/ lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime.

TOASTED RICE POWDER
Add one stalk of lemongrass, one inch fresh galangal, both in thin slices, 3-4 torn kaffir lime leaves or a couple of inch strips of kaffir lime rind. Once the rice turns light brown, discard the herbs and grind the rice as instructed.) The chef also uses prepared tamarind pulp as a souring agent w/ lime juice resulting in a more complex flavor that is ‘wow’ at the first bite.

Spicy Duck Salad Serves: 2-3 / by Bangkok Royal, Lyon, France

ING One skin-on large duck breast or 2 skin-on smaller ones, totaling 1½ pounds ¼-1/2 cup chicken broth (see notes) or water large shallot, weighing 1½-2 ounces, peeled and sliced thinly lengthwise tb fish sauce 2 tb lime juice tsp grated palm sugar or br/sugar tb tamarind pulp (see notes) tb toasted rice powder (see notes) Dried red chili powder, to taste ½ cup loosely-packed chopped cilantro leaves ½ cup loosely-packed chopped mint leaves.

METHOD Score skin (not flesh); sear, skin side first on med-high til skin side is golden brown, some fat has been rendered, and meat side is browned on the outside---3-4 min (should still be raw inside). If using one large duck breast, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces and slice each piece thinly crosswise. If two smaller duck breasts, halve each lengthwise and cut each half thinly crosswise.

Measure reserved juices. You should have roughly ¼ cup. But if less, add just enough chicken broth or water to measure ½ cup. Transfer duck slices to skillet set on med-low heat. Add the juice-broth mixture. Saute just til duck is barely pink (tastes better slightly undercooked.) Offheat, add shallot slices, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and tamarind pulp; mix well. Taste/adjust seasoning. Should be primarily sour, followed by salty w/ just a hint of sweet. Stir in toasted rice powder and dried red chili powder. For more heat; add chili. If it suits your taste, stir in cilantro/mint. Plate; garnish, w/ green lettuce and tomato slices.

SERVE immediately as a warm salad.

VARY Serve as an entrée with warm Thai/Lao sticky rice or jasmine rice along w/ fresh vegetable crudités such as cabbage wedges, trimmed yard-long or green beans, or cucumber slices; add fresh Thai basil on the side.