DUCK, DUCK, DELISH

Local chefs have perfected the myriad of preparations for the rich-tasting bird

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ

Duck Confit

The Mick

The fall-off-the-bone, juicy leg and thigh meat is cured for six hours in its own fat before being quickly seared in a pan until the skin is perfectly crispy. It is paired with fried rice made using long-grain Caroline Gold rice; pickled pineapple; and charmoula, which is a North African sauce with cilantro, garlic, citrus, and warming spices. $30. www.themickaz.com.

Aged Hudson Valley Duck

Anhelo

Hudson Valley duck is a proprietary breed – a hybrid of the Heritage Mallard and Pekin ducks – exclusively raised by Hudson Valley Farm in New York. Known nationwide for its decadent flavor, reminiscent of the heritage-breed duck from France, it is prepared with local honey, then topped with a housemade lavender spice mix before being plated alongside roasted carrots and hazelnuts. $66. www.anhelorestaurant.com.

Peking Duck Spring Rolls

P.F. Chang's

A nod to the centuries-old use of duck in Chinese cuisine, this dish starts by preparing traditional peking duck in the Beijing style, which is a time-consuming roasting method that results in thin, ultracrispy skin. The peking duck is shredded and combined with julienned vegetables, then wrapped in spring roll paper and fried. Each dish features two spring rolls and is paired with a sweet and savory plum-inspired sauce. $14.50. www.pfchangs.com.

Duck Breast Sevillana

Talavera at the Four Seasons Scottsdale

Troon North

At Talavera, every dish has a kiss of Spanish influence, and this one is no different. It is a twist on classic duck a l’orange, a roasted duck with a specialty bitter orange sauce called bigarade in French cuisine. This modern version also pairs the roasted duck with an orange sauce – a sherry orange sauce infused with duck reduction – as well as manzanilla olives from Spain, Marcona almonds imported from Spain, chopped sweet potato, and Swiss chard. $48. www.talaverarestaurant.com.

Chicken and turkey are the most commonly used poultry on dinner tables nationwide. However, once upon a time, duck reigned supreme on the menus of professional chefs and home cooks alike. The use of duck in recipes, in fact, dates back more than 4,000 years to China, where it continues to be a beloved and oft-used protein today. Prized for its high fat content, abundance of iron, and tender, juiciness, duck is resurging on menus across the Valley. Here are some standout preparations.

Arroz Chaufa, Peruvian Duck Fried Rice

The Mission

The Mission’s homage to this South American staple starts with long, slender-grained Basmati rice. It is combined with a fried egg, scallions, and butter, much like in Chinese fried rice, but then things get very different. First comes carrots that have been roasted in cumin, and next crispy shallots and haricot vert, which are French green beans. A chili oil made using sesame and a moderately hot variety of chili pepper called guajillo seasons the ingredients before the grand finale: slow-cooked duck confit, which is tossed with the rice just before the dish is served. $18. www.themissionaz.com.

Spiced Moulard Duck Breast

The Americano

For decades, celebrity chef Scott Conant has delighted television audiences and diners alike with various preparations of duck, pairing the poultry with everything from black truffle sugo to marsala reduction. His current offering at The Americano features moulard duck breast, often compared to rib-eye steak, cooked with warming spices and herbs and paired with cauliflower puree, pomegranate jus, and foie gras meatballs. $40. www.theamericanorestaurant.com.

Pate Maison

Zinc Bistro

Though most often made using chicken livers as the key protein, this pate, which a mixture of ground meat and fat made into a paste, stars brandied duck. Its flavors are ramped up by the addition of pork and bacon into the mixture, as well a cold egg sauce called gribiche. The result is a luscious, savory spread unlike any other in town. It is garnished with capers, frisee salad, and tiny, tart cornichon pickles. $20. www.zincbistro.com.

Sugar Cured Duck Breast

Roaring Fork

Curing duck is among the best ways to lock in the tenderness of the protein without infusing any preservatives or chemical agents. Here, Roaring Fork cures the duck with a coating of sugar and salt. It is chilled for several days until the flavor locks in and it may be cut and cooked. After a good sear, it is topped with a piquant onion jam and sweet cherry glaze and paired with Brussels sprouts. $30. www.roaringfork.com.

Sonoran Duck Leg Confit

LON's at The Hermosa

Inspired by one of his favorite winter dishes to prepare when he cooked in Provence, chef

Alejandro Martinez created a lighter version of this traditional entree by incorporating sauteed Swiss chard to counterbalance the richness of the duck. The natural sweetness of the charred carrots, the slight acidity from the dried blueberries and the blueberry gastrique, and the nuttiness from the hazelnuts complement the sweet, salty, fatty duck leg. $41. www.lons.com.

Duck Breast

Francine

A celebration of spices and colors, this dish starts with Grimaud Farms muscovy duck breast, an extremely meaty breed with a bit less fat content that is best compared to veal or sirloin. The duck is spiced with za'atar, which is a combination of dried herbs including oregano or thyme, and toasted spices including cumin and coriander. It’s roasted until medium rare, then topped with an orange gastrique and complemented by a red beet puree, confit yellow beets, braised beet greens, and pickled candy stripe beets. $48. www.francinerestaurant.com.

Duck Two Ways

Christopher’s at the Wrigley Mansion

Available on the Christopher's Classic menu every Tuesday and Wednesday, this dish was first developed in 1990 for chef Christopher Gross’ groundbreaking menu at the original Christopher’s. Its popularity earned it long-term placement on chef Gross’ menus for more than 30 years. Made with traditional French technique, duck breast is sauteed in butter and sliced. It’s served next to a confit duck leg and vegetables that change monthly. $125 for the three-course menu. www.wrigleymansion.com.