Episode 10: Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Mash [Discussion]

[ronaldo]

Um. Ahem. Did you really just save the mushrooms but then drain the sweet potatoes over that super delicious duck fat? THE HORROR! My eye is twitching!

Otherwise a good show. It was smart. You went with very few ingredients while upping the technique slightly. A good balance.

Loved the comments about making your own dressings, sauces, pestos, whatever. It makes everything better if you spend the few moments making your own.

[coldv]

This is definitely the best episode to date!

It was humorous and I have been dying to learn how to cook duck! I love how you taught slightly advanced stuff like plating and super basic stuff like chopping techniques all in one show!

About chopping onions, when I was small I tried using goggles to prevent myself from crying. It didn't work because the juice goes in through the nose and that's how it makes you cry. I have a few methods to keep yourself from crying:
- Keep the knife wet. (This one is the simplest and works the best)
- Instead of chopping down, run the knife along the onion and chop gently, that way the juices won't get quirted out.
- Try chopping in a slight angle that the juices don't get quirted in your direction. (my brother uses this method, I don't know how it works)
- Breathe accordingly so you don't breathe in the juices (kinda silly lol)

I am guessing that technique of biting on a spoon kinda makes you to breathe through your mouth? I don't know. Any one of the above method should work. I started off by keeping the knife wet. After a while, I somehow just learned how to chop so my eyes don't water anymore without constantly wetting my knife. I think I got used to the 2nd method.

I also have a question. Shouldn't it be better to bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling? I like to bake mine but my mum boils them. Whenever she does, the flavour of the sweet potatoes leaks out into the water and the potatoes don't taste like anything anymore.

[psychomike]

I noticed you there was no seasoning on the duck at any point during cooking. Do duck breasts not need to be seasoned with salt/pepper?

I also went to my local Whole Foods today. Frozen duck breasts (they only had frozen) were $12/lb. Pricey! The butcher said they receive them fresh, but if they don't sell fast, they tend to freeze them so they last longer. That didn't sound very good, but none of the other stores seemed to carry duck. I guess we'll see how they turn out.

[vpr]

Originally Posted by masherscf

Chinese crispy Duck would be so killer.

Having lived in China for 4 years, and currently living here I can tell you it's proper name is 'Beijing Duck' The Chinese are very proud of it.

[kurokat57]

Originally Posted by vpr

Having lived in China for 4 years, and currently living here I can tell you it's proper name is 'Beijing Duck' The Chinese are very proud of it.

Er actually love there is a difference between crispy duck and PeKing duck slightly. New generation like to call it Beijing, but most locals still call it PeKing. (I lived in China for 6 years and picked it up the local way :P ) They are cooked similarly but the meat has less fat and is drier and crispier compared to that of Peking Duck, both are soooooo good though!

I really want to try this but am not sure where to find fresh duck in Aus. Great show by the way!

[eddielee]

Originally Posted by coldv

This is definitely the best episode to date!

It was humorous and I have been dying to learn how to cook duck! I love how you taught slightly advanced stuff like plating and super basic stuff like chopping techniques all in one show!

About chopping onions, when I was small I tried using goggles to prevent myself from crying. It didn't work because the juice goes in through the nose and that's how it makes you cry. I have a few methods to keep yourself from crying:
- Keep the knife wet. (This one is the simplest and works the best)
- Instead of chopping down, run the knife along the onion and chop gently, that way the juices won't get quirted out.
- Try chopping in a slight angle that the juices don't get quirted in your direction. (my brother uses this method, I don't know how it works)
- Breathe accordingly so you don't breathe in the juices (kinda silly lol)

I am guessing that technique of biting on a spoon kinda makes you to breathe through your mouth? I don't know. Any one of the above method should work. I started off by keeping the knife wet. After a while, I somehow just learned how to chop so my eyes don't water anymore without constantly wetting my knife. I think I got used to the 2nd method.

I also have a question. Shouldn't it be better to bake the sweet potatoes instead of boiling? I like to bake mine but my mum boils them. Whenever she does, the flavour of the sweet potatoes leaks out into the water and the potatoes don't taste like anything anymore.

If your knife is super sharp it won't make the juices come out! A dull knife does that



Loved this episode, recipe looked really delicious

[vpr]

Originally Posted by kurokat57

Er actually love there is a difference between crispy duck and PeKing duck slightly. New generation like to call it Beijing, but most locals still call it PeKing. (I lived in China for 6 years and picked it up the local way :P ) They are cooked similarly but the meat has less fat and is drier and crispier compared to that of Peking Duck, both are soooooo good though!

I really want to try this but am not sure where to find fresh duck in Aus. Great show by the way!

If you go to Xi'an you can also find 'Xi'an Duck' which is pretty much the same as Peking (Beijing's old name)/Beijing Duck. I believe when you order Beijing duck they also give you pieces of crispy skin, which is what I think of when talking about 'crispy' duck.

Never the less - I'll ask someone here and see what they say

Thanks for the heads up

[xfuuey]

Originally Posted by herrkanin

...
How long can you keep pesto without it getting bad?

im curious about this as well...anyone?

[smack300]

Originally Posted by vpr

Having lived in China for 4 years, and currently living here I can tell you it's proper name is 'Beijing Duck' The Chinese are very proud of it.

Beijing Duck is very good. In China that is, I have had it out here in the states before and , well it just wasn't good. Maybe because it was Panda Express, that could be my problem haha

[ronaldo]

Originally Posted by herrkanin

Great episode!

How long can you keep pesto without it getting bad?

We have grow basil year round so we don't make huge batches and it always gets eaten in less than three weeks. Keep it in an airtight container in the icebox with an olive oil barrier and it will probably go months.

Originally Posted by psychomike

I noticed you there was no seasoning on the duck at any point during cooking. Do duck breasts not need to be seasoned with salt/pepper?

If you pan fry it and leave a pink center you shouldn't need any salt. Also, generally you would want to save the rendered duck fat to use for another dish and salt breaks it down.