Ingredients:
White Peking Duck Breast
Fennel Seed
Star Anise
Brown Sugar
Banyuls Vinegar
Safflower Oil
Ginger Root
Vanilla Bean
Parsley
Watercress
Lemon Juice
Black Pepper
Salt
Method:
Gently rub protein side of duck breast with ground star anise, fennel seed, pepper, brown sugar and salt. Let it sit for 6 hours. Score skin side and place in pan on medium heat and score to render fat. Do this for 7 minutes. Pour fat from pan away, save fat for salad. Smoke breast in applewood chips, jasmine rice and chamomile tea. Place duck breast in smoker on a rack at 225 degrees for 20 minutes. You want to serve it at about Medium-rare. Let stand a moment before slicing.
For Ginger Banyuls Vinaigrette, take minced shallot, fresh minced ginger root, scraped vanilla bean, ground pepper, salt and Banyuls vinegar. Let stand for 5 minutes to infuse vanilla bean into vinegar. Emulsify safflower oil into prepared vinegar. This recipe calls for 2 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. Finish with chopped parsley.
When making the salad, toss watercress with lemon juice, salt & pepper. Add warm duck fat to wilt the watercress.
Serve Watercress Salad on a plate, with thinly sliced Tea Smoked Duck Breast top both with the Ginger Banyuls Vinaigrette.