Duck
Dirty rice is a traditional Cajun dish of white rice cooked with chopped chicken livers. The liver darkens, or “dirties,” the rice and infuses it with its mild yet distinctive taste. My version is classically flavored but prepared in a not-so-traditional manner: I use Arborio rice, cook it as I would a risotto, and fold in cooked wild rice as one of the last steps so that its nutty flavor and chewy crunch run throughout the dish. I think of this as a Louisiana-style dish, and the southern flavors of deep bourbon and sweet, crunchy pecans are fitting accomplices to the rich duck and aromatic rice.
Recipe information
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Dirty Rice
Pan-Roasted Duck
BOURBON SAUCE
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2
To cook the rice, heat the stock in a medium saucepan and then keep warm over low heat.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until the oil begins to shimmer. Pat the chicken livers dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Cook, turning once, until golden brown and cooked to medium, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, let cool slightly, and then coarsely chop. Set aside.
Step 4
To cook the duck, heat a large ovenproof sauté pan over medium heat. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, cutting 1/8 inch into the skin at 1-inch intervals in a crosshatch pattern. Season both sides of the duck with salt and pepper. Place the breasts in the pan, skin side down, and cook until golden brown and the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Carefully drain most of the fat from the pan, turn the breasts over, and roast in the oven to medium-rare, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Step 5
While the duck is cooking, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and the butter in a large deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the celery, garlic, and jalapeños and cook until soft, 4 minutes. Add the roasted yellow and red peppers and cook for 1 minute. Add the Arborio rice, stir to coat, and cook for 1 minute.
Step 6
Begin adding the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time to the rice, stirring constantly until absorbed. Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is al dente, about 20 minutes. You may not need all of the stock.
Step 7
Stir in the wild rice, chicken livers, parsley, thyme, and maple syrup and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl or platter and top with the toasted pecans.
Step 8
Slice the duck crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices, transfer to a platter, and drizzle with the bourbon sauce. Serve extra sauce on the side.
BOURBON SAUCE
Step 9
Heat the oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery, and leek, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes.
Step 10
Increase the heat to high, add 1 cup of the bourbon, and boil until completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and thyme sprigs and boil until reduced to a sauce consistency (see page 250), about 1 1/2 cups, 20 minutes.
Step 11
Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and return to the saucepan. Stir in the 2 tablespoons chilled butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons bourbon, and the chopped thyme. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste and keep warm.
