At the Collingwood Farmers’ Market yesterday I bought some duck, basically on a whim, from Milawa Chicken. I was remembering the gorgeous lightly smoked confit duck salad I’d had a Gerald’s a few weeks ago, and also I was looking for a filling for some dumplings to stock up the freezer.

The two plump breasts (about 500g) were just beautiful, firm in texture and a lovely colour.

I trimmed them a little bit, but not much, rinsed them and dried them well then with a sharp knife I scored through the skin and fat so that you could see the meat underneath.

Spice rub

• 1 tsp star anise
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt.

I started breaking these down in my mortar and pestle and finished them off in a spice grinder.  Rub the mix into the cuts and the underside of the fillet. Then I placed them on a rack in an open container in the fridge for a few hours while I went off to the movies.  The flavour will infuse in this time and the skin will dry out a bit.

So now I need to set up my wok as a smoker.  Line it with a double layer of foil and tip in ½ cup of my tea smoking mix.  Put the wok on a medium heat and in 5 – 7 mins smoke will start to form.  Brush most of the rub off the duck (I forgot to do this, which is why my duck looks so dark) Place the duck in a steamer (you can see I’ve used a clean Chux underneath it) and pop on the lid.  Smoke for 7 mins.

I’ve been asked about smoking inside: I smoked this duck, and the tomatoes previously in my small kitchen with the door open and the extractor fan on full.   The smoke seems to just curl around the food, it doesn’t go up in a plume, so it seems quite contained.  Although the rest of the house faintly smelled of smoke for a few hours afterward, it doesn’t smell like it now, a day after.

Pre-heat a heavy fry pan, and when the duck is smoked – pop it into a hot frypan, skin side down, and turn the heat to medium.  After 6 mins turn it over and cook for a further five.  Test the duck  by poking it – or using a meat thermometer.  I think duck should be served quite rare.  Let it rest.

Dressing

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of Chinese cooking wine
• dash of sesame oil
• dozen pitted cherries chopped in half.

While the duck is resting, pour out the rendered fat from the fry pan and wipe with paper towel.  Toss in the cherries and  half of the dressing.  Season with pepper.

Slice the duck diagonally across, serve with salad (I used cabbage, cucumber, watercress and fried noodles) add cherries and dress with reserved dressing.

**Thanks for the inspiration Mario

Let’s avoid the sobriety (of watching fireworks in town with families and NO alcohol – blerg) and the transport troubles of going somewhere for a meal / drink.  Lets cook something wonderful and open a darn nice bottle of wine.

So we did.  We opened two in fact.  Starting with a Coldstream Hills Vintage Bubbles – we made bellini’s with beautiful ripe white peaches.  Very nice, but if someone can tell me the trick of pouring them I will be ever so grateful.  Lots of bubble and froth and mess.  But sooooooo yummy!  we kept half for midnight toasting.

The we roasted some confit duck, and cooked some puy lentils in duck stock, carrots, onion, bay leaf and orange.  I had macerated some fresh cherries in red wine, orange rind and star anise and poured them over the duck for the last 5 mins of cooking.

It was delicious and we drank it with a 2004 Curly Flat Pinot Noir – which is coming along nicely, but still needs more time in the cellar.