Soft Taco Filling: Seared Duck

By tonyglib

Makes 12 tacos serving 4 to 6

Recipe from Season 4 of Mexico - One Plate at a Time

Ingredients

• Salsa
• 1/2 pound (about 4 medium) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut into quarters
• 1 large garlic clove, peeled
• Hot green chiles to taste (roughly 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stems broken off, roughly chopped
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup (loosely packed) cilantro, thick lower stems cut off
• Salt
• 1 ripe, medium avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• Finishing the dish
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup mirin (sweet rice wine) - available at well-stocked grocery stores
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 cups (8 ounces) coarsely shredded roast duck meat (pulled off half of a Chinese roast duck)
• 12 warm flour tortillas, for serving

Details

Servings 12

Preparation

Step 1

Combine tomatillos, garlic, chile and cilantro in a blender jar. Add 1⁄4 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt. Begin blending on low, at first pulsing to get the mixture moving evenly through the blender blades. Blend to a coarse puree. Taste and season with additional salt, if you think necessary. Pour into a serving dish and stir in the avocado.

In a small saucepan, combine the soy, water, mirin and sugar. Simmer over medium heat until just beginning to thicken, 15 to 20 minutes.

In a wok, heat the oil over high heat. When just beginning to smoke, add the duck and stir-fry until browned. Dribble in 2 or 3 tablespoons water, stir-fry a minute longer (to soften any overly crispy edges), then add 1⁄4 cup of the sauce. Stir-fry a minute longer, until the duck is glazed. Scoop onto a serving platter. Serve with warm corn tortillas, the tomatillo salsa and the remaining sweetened soy sauce.