Recipe: Roasted duck breast with lemongrass and green onion

Ingredients

2 stalks lemongrass, tender bottom 4 inches only, thinly sliced
2 green (spring) onions, trimmed
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro (fresh coriander)
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 cup light coconut milk
4 skinless, boneless duck breast halves, 5 ounces each
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 tomato, peeled and seeded, then diced
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

Directions

To make the marinade, In a blender or food processor, combine the lemongrass, green onions, garlic, ginger and cilantro and process until finely chopped. Add the curry powder, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, fish sauce and coconut milk and process to puree.

Place the duck breasts in a large lock-top plastic bag. Add the marinade to the bag and seal, pressing out the excess air. Put the bag in a large, shallow dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, turning the bag occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Remove the duck breasts from the marinade and pat dry, reserving the marinade. Lightly coat a large, nonstick, ovenproof frying pan with cooking spray. Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat until hot. Add the duck breasts and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Pour off any accumulated fat from the pan and immediately transfer the pan to the oven. Roast the duck until fairly firm when pressed in the middle and slightly pink inside and an instant-read thermometer reads 160 F. Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the pan over medium-high heat. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomato and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved marinade and the stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

To serve, slice the duck breasts diagonally across the grain. Arrange on individual plates, fanning out the slices. Top the slices with the sauce and garnish with the mint.

Nutritional Analysis (per serving)