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WOK-SEARED DUCK SALAD

This recipe was inspired by a Thai dish called laap, which is made with minced or ground chicken, fish, pork, or duck and seasoned with the wonderful flavors of chiles, ginger, fish sauce, and citrus. I decided to use the same flavors with a seared duck breast and make it into more of a main-course salad. This is a refreshing take on northern Thai street food.

2 tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice

1 tablespoon minced fresh red Thai bird chile

2 magret duck breasts (about 12 ounces each) or 1½ pounds other domestic duck breasts

1/3 cup minced shallot

1½ tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

¼ cup fish sauce (Pad Thai with Shrimp and Tofu)

¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice

¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1½ teaspoons palm sugar or light brown sugar

½ cup fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup fresh mint leaves

½ cup fresh basil leaves

1 medium head of red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces

2 cups bean sprouts

1 cup julienned red bell pepper

1. Heat a wok over medium-high heat and add the rice. Toast the rice, shaking the wok constantly, until all the grains have turned golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the rice to a mortar and set aside to cool. Once the rice has cooled, grind it using a pestle until it reaches a sandy consistency. Alternatively, grind the toasted rice in a clean spice grinder. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

2. Place the chile in the wok over medium-high heat and cook, shaking the wok, until lightly colored and fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds. Remove the chile from the pan and add to the bowl with the rice.

3. Using a paring knife, score the fatty side of the duck breasts by making shallow cuts in a diamond pattern; this allows the fat to render more easily. Place the duck breasts in the wok, fatty side down, and cook over medium heat until the skin is golden brown and slightly crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board, slice them into thin strips, and return the strips to the wok. Add the shallot and ginger and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the duck is just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer the duck from the wok to the bowl with the rice and chile and set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, lime juice, orange juice, and palm sugar and mix well. Pour the mixture over the duck and toss until well coated. Add the cilantro, mint, basil, lettuce, bean sprouts, and julienned red pepper and toss to combine.

5. Serve the salad immediately.

4 servings

TEMPURA “FISH AND CHIPS”

Try my Japanese twist on the classic “fish and chips”: here we use sweet potatoes and a tempura batter to really kick things up. The tempura batter makes for an extra-light and crispy coating, and, oh man, the simple ponzu sauce is great drizzled over everything!

½ cup ponzu sauce

2 tablespoons finely shredded radish

½ cup water

5 cups peanut oil or enough to come 2 to 3 inches up the sides of a wok

2 egg yolks, beaten

1½ cups cold seltzer water

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup cornstarch

¼ cup rice flour

2 teaspoons salt

1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1½ pounds skinless firm-fleshed white fish fillets (such as grouper), cut into 3 × 1½-inch pieces

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Combine the ponzu sauce, shredded radish, and water in a dipping bowl. Stir to mix well and set aside until ready to serve.

2. Add the oil to a large wok and heat over high heat until it reaches 375°F.

3. While the oil is heating, combine the egg yolks and seltzer in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to mix well. In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir quickly to combine, taking care not to overwork the batter (lumps are okay). Working in batches, dip the sweet potato slices into the batter, allowing excess to drain off, and place them in the hot oil. Cook, working in small batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, until golden brown and