This duck dish has simplicity and summery style. Factor in its good taste and low fat quotient, and you may surprise yourself by heading happily for the kitchen. A short stint there, hardly more than half an hour, will earn refreshing rewards and compliments from family or guests at your table.
These wraps owe something to Asian cuisine but make their own statement. The wrappers are crisp lettuce leaves; the contents are based on white pekin duck breasts cooked in the oven or on the grill. The cook can assemble the wraps but if it’s the mood of the meal, diners can build their own from a choice of fresh seasonal ingredients ranging from shredded carrot to cilantro or mint. Finally, the dipping sauce adds its layer of bright flavor. Preparation time is about 20 minutes; cooking time is 15 minutes.
Duck breast lettuce wraps
4 white pekin duck breast halves (6 ounces each)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
8 large red- or green-leaf lettuce leaves
2 cups shredded napa cabbage, bean sprouts or sliced seeded cucumber
1 cup shredded carrots
4 thinly sliced serrano or jalapeno peppers
Cilantro, basil or mint leaves
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
Dipping Sauce:
2tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam) or reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
To make the dipping sauce: In a small bowl, stir together water, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and pepper flakes until sugar dissolves.
Heat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove skin from duck breasts with a small sharp knife and season both sides of the breasts to taste with salt and pepper. In a 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts and brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Place the skillet in the oven. Cook about 6 minutes for rare, 8 minutes for medium-rare and 10 minutes for medium, turning the breasts once after 4 minutes.
To grill, brush the breasts with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on medium-hot gas or charcoal grill about 8 minutes for rare, 10 minutes for medium-rare and 12 minutes for medium.
While the breasts are in the oven, arrange lettuce leaves, cabbage and carrots on a large platter. Cut the breasts crosswise on a slight angle into 4 to 5 slices about 1/2 -inch thick and arrange on the platter. Garnish with peppers and cilantro.
Invite diners to assemble their own lettuce wraps by piling duck, cabbage and carrots onto a lettuce leaf, garnishing as desired with peppers, peanuts and cilantro and rolling up. Serve with dipping sauce.
Makes 4 servings.
Recipe developed by the U.S. Duck Council
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
