A Green Meal From An Irish Chef

Always one to surprise, Chef Bobby Flay sometimes chooses to make a Pekin-style duck he calls Sour Orange Glazed Duck with Herb Crepes. His compromise: the herbs are green and the crepes are slightly green in appearance.

The following is his recipe:

Sour Orange Glazed Duck with Herb Crepes

Serves: 10

Sour Orange Glaze

4 cups fresh orange juice

2 cups fresh lemon juice

1 cup fresh lime juice

6 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoon whole fennel seeds

1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Preparation

1. 
   Place the juice, garlic, fennel and peppercorns in a medium saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 cups.
   
2. 
   Strain the sauce into a bowl and let cool to room temperature. Once cooled, remove 3/4 cup and place in a bowl to serve with the crepes.
   

Roast Duck

1 Pekin duckling (Long Island), about 5 pounds

Zest of one orange

Zest of one lime

Zest of one lemon

1 small onion, halved Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. A day before roasting, remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the bird and discard. Trim the neck flap and excess fat from around the cavity. Rinse and dry the bird well. Set the duck on a rack on a baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.
2. Heat the oven to 300 degrees F. Pierce the duck skin all over (including the back), every 1/2-inch, with a skewer or small knife. Season the cavity with salt and pepper and stuff with strips of the orange, lemon and lime zest and the onion. Set the duck on a rack in a roasting pan, and pour a cup of water in the pan. Roast the bird for 3 hours, removing the duck from the oven every hour to prick the skin again. Remove the duck from the oven and carefully pour off the excess fat from the pan. (If desired, reserve this fat for frying potatoes or wilting greens.) Raise the oven temperature to 450 degree F. Return the duck to the oven and roast until crisp and brown, about 30 minutes more. During the last 20 minutes of roasting, brush the duck with 1 cup of the orange glaze. Let the duck rest for 20 minutes before carving.
3. Brush the duck skin with glaze 4 to 5 five times during the resting period. Carve the duck and transfer pieces to warm serving platter. Serve the remaining glaze at the table to drizzle over the duck, if desired.
   

Herb Crepes

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

3 tablespoons melted butter

Butter, for coating the pan

Garnish: Watercress

Preparation

1. In a blender, combine all of the ingredients and pulse for 10 seconds. Place the crepe batter in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Heat a small non-stick pan over high heat. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook for 30 seconds and flip. Cook for another 10 seconds and remove to the cutting board. Lay them out flat so they can cool. Continue until all batter is gone
3. Brush the surface of the crepe with some of the sour orange glaze. Place a few slices of duck in the center of the crepe and top with a few sprigs of watercress. Fold over or roll up and serve.