Smoked Duck Breast With Spaetzle in Broth
Tony Adams is currently the Chef de Cuisine under Chef Seth Raynor at The Boarding House on Nantucket, one of the signature spots on Nantucket Island. The Boarding House’s menu is usually seafood heavy, but look forward to the cooler times in the “shoulder seasons” when some dishes may be a bit more rich than the lighter fare of the warmer months. This dish is a perfect example of the dish Chef Tony waits for all summer. “This dish is a mashup of international influences that make a dish that will warm you up in the cooler months, especially when you are stuck on an island with little to no ethnic food available!”
Chef Tony Adams was awarded the Michael Ginor Scholarship from The James Beard Foundation in 2001. Coincidence? Yes! Maybe? Who knows?!
SERVING SIZE: FOUR
INGREDIENTS
BROTH
- Veal stock, defatted as best as possible, and 1 gallon when COLD
- Ginger, 3” knob
- Onion, halved
- Star Anise x 5 cloves
- Cinnamon sticks x 3 ea.
- Black Garlic x 2 heads
- Fish Sauce, Golden Boy Brand or similar x 1 cup + more to taste
- Lime juice x 2 limes
SPAETZLE
- Egg Whites, 12 ea.
- Milk x 12 oz.
- Flour, AP x 7 oz.
- Black Pepper x 2 T. or 2 large pinches
- Garlic cloves, microplaned into fine paste x 1 ea. large
- Kosher salt as needed
APPLEWOOD SMOKED HUDSON VALLEY MAGRET DUCK BREAST
- Two magret breasts, sealed in small cryovac bags individually, held in immersion circulator at least 3 hours at 125° F.
- Pumpkin, Long Island Cheese or Sugar variety, peeled, and cubed into 1” cubes
- Brussels sprouts, shaved thin on mandolin x 1 cup
- Canola oil, as needed
- Watermelon Radish, julienne
- Scallion, sliced thin for garnish
For the broth:
Char the ginger and onion on a grill or in a dry pan until blackened significantly on all sides. Place in pot. Use a torch to char toast the star anise and cinnamon sticks, and then add those to pot as well. Cut on head of black garlic and add to the pot with all of the stock, and the egg whites. Stir to incorporate well, and place pot on heat. Bring up slowly to a small simmer, stirring as you go until you start to see coagulated egg whites starting to float. Stop stirring, and keep at a very light simmer for 1 hour, until clarification is complete. (Clarification with egg whites is optional, but if you are taking the time to infuse the flavors, you might as well). Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth. Peel remaining black garlic, and add to broth. Blend with immersion blender, and reserve for later use.
For the Spaetzle:
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl with a stiff whisk. Let batter rest for 20 minutes. Bring several gallons of water to a stiff simmer. Using a perforated pan, pass the spaetzle batter through the holes of the pan into the simmering water below in batches of 1/3 of the batter each time. As the batter drips into the water, it will form dumpling pasta balls that will be fully cooked in as little as 90 seconds. Remove from the simmering water with a spider strainer, and place on a sheet pan, coating with oil to prevent sticking. Reserve for service.
To order:
Place pumpkin cubes on a sheet pan and season after coating lightly with oil. Roast in 400° convection oven or ten minutes. While pumpkin is roasting, bring broth to a simmer. Start two sauté pans over medium high heat. Remove duck breasts from cryovac bags, and place skin side down in one of the pans to crisp and render. In the other, sauté spaetzle dumpling pasta until lightly colored, adding shaved brussels sprouts and tossing to lightly wilt. Place brussels and spaetzle mixture into the bottom of the bowl. Add cubed roasted pumpkin around the bowl. Slice rendered crispy duck breast thinly, and place on pile of spaetzle. Ladle hot black garlic broth around. Garnish with sliced scallions and radishes.
Note: We served this dish with beluga lentils in place of the spaetzle a few times, and honestly I like it almost better! We’ve also done it with faro, and it always gets good reception from guests!
-Chef Tony Adams
