This Healthy Duck Recipe Is Perfect for Any Occasion

More Information

Recipe From
Pete Evans

Most people associate duck with a fancy meal with a
hefty price tag. This isn’t surprising, because duck meat is prized for its rich
taste, especially when the layer of fat under the skin is rendered and seared perfectly.

Cooking duck correctly can be daunting for some
cooks because this requires precision and technique. However, with the proper skills,
you can make a delectable duck dish that’ll be perfect for various occasions. Such
is the case for this remarkable roasted duck breasts with baby cos and paleo hoisin
sauce [CO1] recipe.

If you’re searching for other recipes like this
that’ll offer sumptuous flavor and all-important health benefits, make sure you
check out the “The Fat for Fuel Ketogenic Cookbook,” which world-renowned chef
Pete Evans and I have worked on. Apart from healthy recipes, this book also offers
valuable information regarding the basic tenets of a ketogenic diet.

Ingredients:

For duck
breasts

3 duck breasts (about 1/2 pound each)

Sea salt

2 teaspoons coconut
oil

2 heads baby cos or romaine lettuce,
leaves separated

2 green onions, cut into 3-inch-long strips, plus
extra, sliced to serve

1 Lebanese cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeds
removed, cut into 3-inch-long strips

Black and white sesame seeds,
toasted, to serve

For Paleo
hoisin sauce

Juice of 1 orange

2 tablespoons almond butter

1 teaspoon grated garlic

1 tablespoon grated ginger

2 teaspoons apple
cider vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

4 tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos

1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon chili flakes or chili powder

2 teaspoons tomato paste

Procedure

1. To
make the paleo hoisin sauce, place all the ingredients in a saucepan. Add 2
tablespoons of water and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring
constantly, for five minutes. Allow to cool, then blend until smooth. Store in
an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

2. Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Score
the skin of the duck with a sharp ceramic knife [MJU2] by cutting slices diagonally through the
skin and fat, about 1/2 inch apart from each other. Season with salt.

4. Heat
coconut oil or fat in a medium nonstick frying pan over medium heat. Place the
duck breasts skin-side down in pan, and fry for seven to eight minutes or until
well browned.

5. Transfer
the duck breasts to a shallow-sided baking tray. Roast for five to six minutes
or until medium-rare. Cook for a couple more minutes if you prefer the duck
breast to be well done. Allow to rest for five minutes before slicing.

6. To
serve, arrange the duck slices in lettuce cups, drizzle with some of the hoisin
sauce and top with green onion and cucumber strips. Garnish with sesame seeds
and extra sliced green onion.

This recipe makes 4 servings.

This
Duck Breast Recipe Is a Feast for the Eyes and the Body

If you struggle with cooking duck, maybe it’s time
to rethink your game plan. According to writer Brady Klopfer, most people
forget that duck has a rich and dark meat covered by a thick slab of fat,
making it different from chicken. When you cook duck just like chicken, the
meat may become unappetizing — dry, chewy and covered with a “half-inch piece
of blubber.”[1]

Fortunately, there are guides nowadays that can
help you cook duck correctly and combine it with other vegetables, sauces, herbs and spices that’ll
complement the meat’s flavor, just like this recipe.

How Can Duck
Breast Be Beneficial for Your Health?

Duck breast is a good source of protein, as well as
minerals such as iron, selenium, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc. You can also
find B vitamins such as thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine
(B6), folate (B9) and cobalamin (B12).[2]^,[3] Apart from these nutrients, what makes
duck special is its ability to be safely cooked to a lower temperature, unlike
other types of poultry, because it doesn’t carry salmonella.

Duck meat is lean too. Most of the time, duck is
considered “fatty” or “greasy” because of the layer of fat underneath the skin.
However, you can remove or cook most of the fat out before serving. Slice
through the skin before cooking to allow the fat to drain as the meat cooks.
Meanwhile, if you’re roasting whole duck, you may pierce the skin with a fork
before cooking — this is another method to drain out the fat without soaking
the meat and skin.[4]

Whole ducks are available fresh on a limited basis
from late spring through late winter. However, 90 percent of duck sold nowadays
is frozen. Some duck breasts are also available in specialty food markets, and
may be fresh.[5]

When buying duck, purchase from a source that you
trust, such as a supermarket that sells GMO-free and humanely raised duck, a
local butcher or a farmers market or shop. BBC Good Food advises that you choose
duck meat with clear and soft skin without bruising, blemishing or tears.

Duck must be stored inside the refrigerator as soon
as you get home. Take off wrappings and wipe the duck all over (and inside the
cavities) with kitchen paper. Place the duck on a tray or plate that’s wide and
deep enough to contain blood or juice that might seep out. Afterward, cover the
duck loosely with foil. Ensure that the duck doesn’t touch any food in the
refrigerator that’s meant to be eaten raw, or meat that’s already cooked. Whole
birds and pieces of duck may keep for up to two days.

Before cooking and roasting duck, make sure it’s at
room temperature first. Take the bird out of the refrigerator before cooking:
at least 30 minutes for a cut of duck, or at least an hour for a whole duck. Keep
the duck covered and in a cool place.[6]

Why Coconut
Oil Is Crucial in This Recipe[MJU3]

Compared to other vegetable oils and types of fat,
coconut oil is and remains to be a top choice in cooking foods because of the
health benefits it can provide. To begin with, coconut oil has good amounts of saturated
fat in it, particularly medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), such as C6, C8, C10
and C12 fats.

These fats are metabolized differently by the body
because they don’t require bile or pancreatic enzymes in order to be digested.
Instead, when MCTs reach your intestine, they start to diffuse through the
intestinal membrane into your bloodstream and are then transported to the liver,
which is responsible for naturally converting MCTs into ketones. The liver
releases the ketones back into the bloodstream, where they’re transported
throughout the body.

Unfortunately, saturated fats like MCTs have been
vilified because of their supposed links to rising numbers of coronary heart
disease. However, research has shown that coconut oil and healthy fats like
MCTs may contribute to:

·
Increasing good HDL cholesterol levels

·
Helping convert bad LDL cholesterol into good cholesterol

·
Improving heart health and lowering risk for
heart disease caused by increased LDL cholesterol levels[7]

MCTs may also be readily available and used as an
energy source, instead of being stored as fat. These fats can even provide your
brain with much-needed energy by passing through the blood-brain barrier.

Coconut oil may also be beneficial for Alzheimer’s
disease, Parkinson’s disease and even Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
patients. Patients with these conditions have neurons that slowly die off
because they have become insulin resistant or have lost the ability to
efficiently use glucose. Introducing ketones in your diet, such as from coconut
oil, may help these neurons to survive and thrive.

Liven Up
This Dish With Cos (More Known as Romaine Lettuce[MJU4] )

Did you know that cos is actually another name for
Romaine lettuce? The name was derived from the Greek island of the same name
where it was believed to have originated.[8] Cos is valued for its potential to
improve heart health, thanks to these nutrients:

·
Vitamin
B9 or folic acid: Assists with converting a damaging chemical called
homocysteine into other benign substances

·
Vitamin C
and beta-carotene: Helps with preventing cholesterol oxidation

·
Dietary
fiber: Combines with bile salts in the colon and eliminates these from the
body

·
Potassium:
Aids with lowering blood pressure levels and heart disease risk

Romaine lettuce may also:

Although lettuce may provide health benefits, this
vegetable has fewer nutrients compared to other leafy greens. Avoid relying
solely on lettuce as a main nutrient source. Instead, mix it up with other
vegetables such as microgreens or sprouts that can improve your nutrition and
deliver other flavors to a meal. For this recipe, consider substituting lettuce
with another healthy leafy green.

About
Pete Evans

Pete Evans is an
internationally renowned chef who has joined forces with Dr. Mercola to create
a healthy cookbook that’s loaded with delicious, unique Keto recipes, ideal for
people who want to switch to a ketogenic diet. The “Fat for Fuel Ketogenic Cookbook” is the
perfect tool to help get you started on your ketogenic journey. CLICK HERE to order your copy now.

Pete has had numerous noteworthy contributions to
the culinary world. He has not only cooked for the general public, but he’s
also cooked a royal banquet for the Prince and Princess of Denmark, a private
dinner for Martha Stewart, and even represented his hometown at the gala GʼDay
USA dinner for 600 in New York City.

Pete’s career has moved from the kitchen into the
lounge room with many TV appearances including Lifestyle channel’s “Home” show,
“Postcards from Home,” “FISH,” “My Kitchen Rules” and “A Moveable Feast.”

Source:: Mercola Health Articles