Pairing Duck with Fresh Vegetables

For those in warmer states, fresh produce can be found almost all year round, but for those of us who live in colder seasonal weather, fresh vegetables and fruits are few and far between. April brings spring showers, and with the rain comes the delectable fresh flavors of all your favorite healthy treats! Pair these seasonal delights with the equally exquisite duck! With the combined health benefits of fresh produce and our Maple Leaf Farm Duck Breast, create a Baked Eggplant Stuffed Caprese Duck Breast dish for a refreshing dinner for two!

To begin making this tasty treat, you will want to grab a nonstick skillet. Place that skillet on the stove and place it on medium-low heat. Keeping it at this temperature will allow the fat to render off of the duck breast while note overcooking the duck breast itself. While the pan is heating up, grab your duck breast. Score the skin of the duck breast in around ¼" interval diagonally across the duck breast. Once you have finished going one way diagonally, do the same going the opposite way. Cutting a crosshatch pattern in the skin allows the thicker layer of fat located under the skin a way to be rendered when being cooked.

Before you season and add anything to the mix with the main ingredient, make sure to pat the duck breast dry. A paper towel will suffice! Once it is dry, season it with salt and pepper. If you have a specific array of spices you prefer to season your duck breast with, add those spices at this step.

Once it is seasoned, place the duck breast, skin side down in the pan. Cook it skin side down for approximately 8 minutes to render the fat. Once those minutes are up, flip it over and cook it for about 4 more minutes. This will allow the duck breast to finish cooking all the way through. Once it is finished, set it to the side for now. Put the rendered fat in a bowl or keep it in the skillet for later use.

The next step is to get the pancetta out. You are going to want to cube it into ½" to 1” pieces. In the skillet with the rendered duck fat, sauté the pancetta on medium heat until it is crispy. Remove the pancetta from the pan and cover it until later. Keep the fat in the skillet.

After the pancetta is finished cooking, it is time for the eggplant. First you will want to peel the eggplant. After you peal it, cut it in ¼" intervals. Set that aside while you prepare the breading. Next you will want to whisk your eggs in together in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine flour, crumbs and cheese in a separate bowl and mix those ingredients together thoroughly. You will also want to make sure your oven is preheated to 350 F.

In the same skillet with the rendered fat, heat about ½ cups of oil over a medium-high heat. Coat the eggplant rounds in the whisked eggs. Immediately after, cover them in the flour/crumb mixture for the breading. Before you fry them, make sure all sides are thoroughly coated for a crispy outside, and a mildly sweet flavor of the eggplant on the inside!

Place the breaded slices in the skillet and fry them until they are a golden brown. This on average will take about 1 ½ to 2 minutes on each side. Flip them over until they are fried evenly. Place them on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Once they are finished, season them with salt and pepper to your preferred taste.

Now you can bring back the duck breast. First you are going to want to slice each duck breast in half (lengthwise). Make sure to leave one end attached. The more technical term is a butterfly cut but if you aren’t sure what that looks like, imagine a hotdog bun. Once the eggplant has lost its excess oil, put 4 pieces (or however many fit) of fried eggplant across the inside of the duck breast. You can then add the mozzarella cheese to the dish. To top it off, add 2 basil leaves for a perfect addition of a fresh herb and perfect bite of flavor.

Place your masterpiece in the over at 350 F for 5-7 minutes or until the internal temperature of the duck breast reaches 155 F.

While your dish is cooking, you can start on the sauce. Simply add in tomatoes, chopped basil leaves, olive oil and balsamic vinegar and combine in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and finish mixing the ingredients.

Once your duck dish is done cooking, remove it from the oven and top it with the sauce and cut pancetta from earlier.

Find this delicious produce in your grocery store, farmers market, produce stand and your own garden. Add in Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast for a healthy protein option to complete your dinner date night!

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Maple Leaf Farms Boneless Duck Breasts (can be substituted with Roasted Garlic Boneless Duck Breasts)
• Salt and Coarse Pepper, as needed
• 1 small Eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4" thick rounds
• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1/2 Cup Flour
• 1/2 Cup Seasoned Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 Cup - 1 Cup Cooking Oil
• 4 oz Fresh Mozzarella, sliced
• 8 large Basil Leaves