Duck Sushi with Ginger-Wasabi Drizzle
Tender sous vide mallard breast delicately served over sushi rice and topped with ginger-wasabi drizzle
First things first: we aren’t advocating for eating your next mallard raw. Instead, this recipe is about a unique presentation of tender duck breast. Sure, you could make a simple bowl of rice, put a carved duck breast on it, and drizzle the wasabi-ginger sauce overtop. But duck sushi sounds cooler and offers a bit of an eating experience for this delicious appetizer. This dish features perfectly cooked slices of mallard breast served on top of sushi rice, similar to nigiri, except the meat is cooked sous vide and finished with a reverse sear.
Yes, other waterfowl may be used in this recipe. The main appeal of this dish lies in its presentation, and the steps listed here will help you make that happen.
Sealing with herbs, sweet citrus, and a bit of wine, then cooking low-and-slow in a sous vide bath and following it with a reverse sear has become my favorite way to prepare duck breasts. The two hours at 105 F results in a tender, velvety texture, while the reverse sear makes for the perfect crust and mouthfeel while eating. Keep in mind that there may still be shot present in the meat. Slicing it thin helps to find those last few pellets, but still remember to chew carefully and remind anyone you’re serving to do the same.
Duck Sushi with Ginger-Wasabi Drizzle
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 mallard breasts skin on if possible
- 2 tbsp garlic freshly minced
- 4 oz ginger freshly smashed
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- ½ Honeycrisp apple thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp mirin
- ¼ tsp sesame oil
- ¼ cup chardonnay wine
- Peanut oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper freshly cracked
- Soy sauce for dipping
For the rice
- 1 cup sushi rice
- 1¼ cup cold water
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
For the ginger-wasabi drizzle
- 1½ oz wasabi paste
- 11½ oz pickled ginger
- ¼ cup liquid from the pickled ginger
Instructions
- Lightly salt and pepper both sides of the duck breasts. Seal them with freshly minced garlic, freshly smashed ginger, rosemary, thyme, apple slices, and chardonnay wine in a vacuum-sealed sous vide bag.
- Sous vide the sealed duck breasts at 105 F for 2 hours.
- While the duck cooks, make the sushi rice according to the instructions on the packaging. Make sure not to undercook the sushi rice.
- Make the ginger-wasabi drizzle. Blend wasabi paste, ginger, and ginger liquids thoroughly. If the texture is too pasty, add a bit more liquid from the pink ginger jar. Set the drizzle aside until you are ready to serve.
- Before removing the duck breasts from the sous vide, heat a thin layer of peanut oil in a skillet to 500 F. Upon opening the sealed duck breasts, pat the breasts dry. Then sear them skin-side-down for one minute, flip, and sear for one more minute on the other side.Tip: It helps to add a grill weight atop the breasts when searing. Duck breasts tend to plump up and not fully contact the heat surface.
- Pull breasts from the skillet and lightly tent them with aluminum foil. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
- Make the sushi. It may help to lightly oil your hands. You want to form ovals of sushi rice approximately the size of a 2 ⅔-inch shotshell but a little thicker than a 12-gauge’s circumference. Set them on a plate.
- Carve the duck breasts thinly and diagonally and place the slices atop the formed sushi rice. Serve immediately with ginger-wasabi drizzle on the side. You can also put out soy sauce for dipping. Coarse sea salt adds a nice crunch and enhances flavor when lightly sprinkled over the cut duck. Sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds are also great optional garnishes.
Nutrition
