Grilled Duck with a Soy Sauce
Another Recipe from Don Morrison

For most of us, good duck recipes are hard to come by.  But for Don Morrison, a member of Delta Waterfowl’s board of directors, duck recipes seem to grow on trees.

In the last issue Don provided a recipe for duck with a wonderful orange sauce. This time he came up with a recipe for grilled duck with a soy-based sauce.

Don says this recipe is best with duck breasts with the skin on, which means you have to pluck or wax the birds.  It’s worth the effort.

Don starts by mixing up a marinade consisting of:

• ½ cup soy sauce
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
• 1½ tablespoons of oregano
• 11⁄2 tablespoons of fresh-ground black pepper

Don says to marinate the duck breasts in a bowl covered with Saran Wrap for several hours or even several days.  Make sure the meat is completely covered by the marinade.

Remove the breasts from the marinade and allow them to sit until they reach room temperature.  Reserve the marinade for a sauce.

Over a hot grill, sear the breasts skin-side down for four to six minutes, depending on the thickness.  Searing skin-side down allows the excess fat to drip off.  Turn the breasts and grill on the other side for another four to six minutes until the meat is medium to medium-rare.  Don’t overcook the duck.

Heat the sauce in a skillet or in the microwave, but don’t overheat or the Parmesan will separate.

Slice the meat into diagonal strips and place on a plate along with a scoop of squash, wild rice or mashed potatoes.  Drizzle some of the sauce over the meat and serve with a good Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Syrah.   

This Bud’s for You

Wine isn’t the only thing that goes well with game and fish.  Beer is a great accompaniment for wild cuisine too.  But you already knew that, didn’t you?

As is the case with wine, there are no hard-and-fast rules for pairing beers and meats.  A strong, dark ale probably wouldn’t be a good choice to serve with a delicately flavored fish, ruffed grouse or quail, but it might be perfect with duck, goose or venison.

You can go with your favorite American brew or you can experiment with some of the more heavily flavored imports.  Or both.

So grill that duck, pour yourself a cold one and enjoy…in moderation, of course.

Study Shows Beer is Healthy!

A report from Japan suggests that beer may protect against certain carcinogens that are produced when food is cooked. Scientists tested 24 different beers, including lagers, stouts, ales, and one nonalcoholic beer. All but the nonalcoholic beer had cancer-fighting effects. Stouts were listed as most effective.