Chef William Bradley
Addison | San Diego, CA

Canard Roti with Caramelized Chicory and Ginger
Adapted by StarChefs.com
February 2010

Yield: 4 Servings

INGREDIENTS

Crystallized Ginger:
2 whole ginger roots
1 pint simple syrup
1 pint rice wine vinegar
1 lime leaf
1 cinnamon stick

Port Wine Sauce:
4 juniper berries
1 cup port wine vinegar
1 quart port wine
2 cups sugar
Sea salt

Duck Breast:
2 large Canard duck breasts
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 cloves garlic
½ cup fresh thyme leaves

Caramelized Endive:
2 whole endives, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt

METHOD

For the Crystallized Ginger:
Prepare the ginger at least one month in advance. Peel and slice the ginger lengthwise into paper thin slices. Put sliced ginger in a heavy saucepan with the simple syrup, rice wine vinegar, lime leaf, and cinnamon. Cook over low heat for 3 hours. Remove the mixture from the heat, pour into a jar, and let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator for 1 month to allow the ginger to crystallize.

For the Port Wine Sauce:
In a heavy-duty saucepan, combine the juniper berries, port wine vinegar, port wine, sugar, and sea salt. Cook over low heat for about 1 hour to reduce the mixture by two-thirds. Set aside.

For the Duck Breast:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the duck with salt and pepper and place each breast skin-side down in a Dutch oven skillet over medium-high heat; cook for 1 minute. Add the butter to the pan and distribute the garlic cloves and a handful of thyme on top of each duck breast. Cook for an additional 3 minutes, constantly basting the duck with the butter. Remove the pan from the heat, flip the duck breasts over, and place in the oven for 8 minutes. Remove the duck breasts from the oven and let them rest at room temperature. 

For the Caramelized Chicory:
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Put endive halves into a mixing bowl and add olive oil, sugar, balsamic vinegar, and salt and toss thoroughly. Put endive halves on preheated grill and cook on each side for 3 minutes. When both sides have been grilled, remove endive halves from heat and let them rest at room temperature.

To Assemble and Serve:
Slice the rested duck breasts into 6 slices.Arrange three slices of duck breast on each plate and sprinkle with sea salt. Spoon the port syrup around the duck and place 1 piece of grilled endive and 3 pieces of crystallized ginger on top of the duck. 

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