Quick Duck Jambalaya
By Kurt Snyder (GH)

Yum is an understatement! You can cook this recipe in about a half hour, but you will need to plan it a day ahead of time to season the duck. It will feed two (2) to three (3) normal people. (I can eat the whole thing, lol). A cast iron pan is a must for frying the duck. The skin should be fried a bit crispy and cast iron will do this wonderfully. Also, you will need these two items;

It may seem like cheating to use a rice mix but I have found Zatarain’s products to be about as good as a mix can be. You can make your own Jambalaya of course, but that is your choice. Just cook the duck like in the recipe and add it to your home‐made Jambalaya. To make this a quick meal, use the Zatarain’s! I use diver duck for this, but any good duck will work if you leave the skin on. Fry the whole duck breasts fast and hot so to not over-cook them. They should be warm but still red inside after frying. When frying, stay at the pan. You can fry bacon and use the bacon grease instead of oil to fry the duck if you wish. Crumble the bacon and add it to the Jambalaya. Don’t you DARE use farmed duck for this!

The frying of this duck and sausage will make a GREAT gravy for just about anything. Like duck! If you can make a good gravy, DO IT after frying this recipe. Save it for another day!

Ingredients

• Six (6) ringer breasts, or any diver duck, cleaned, dry with skin left on. Two or four will do if that’s all you have.
• One half pound andouille sausage
• 1 box Zatarain’s Jambalaya mix
• Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
• Fine ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons of oil for frying. I like peanut or avocado oil but Mazola will do. Or use bacon grease.

Instructions

1. Prepare the duck the day before cooking by drying them with paper towels.
2. Coat lightly with the black pepper then coat with the Tony’s seasoning on both sides. (How much is a taste thing. I like a moderate coating but not so much that it overpowers the duck.
3. Cure overnight, uncovered in your refrigerator or on a garage shelf if it’s winter. Do not rinse or wipe before frying.
4. Slice the andouille to ¼ inch slices at an angle then fry in the oil until browned well; drain; then set aside.
5. Fry the duck breasts two or three at a time in the hot oil on just below high. Fry for one minute then flip.
6. Move the breasts around to keep the meat from sticking. Make sure the skin gets browned well.
7. Drain and set aside.
8. Prepare the Jambalaya mix according to the instructions.
9. Cut duck breasts into ½ inch cubes while the jambalaya mix is heating up.
10. As soon as the jambalaya comes to a boil, set burner at simmer and add the sausage and duck meat (and the crumbled bacon if you want)
11. Check for doneness at 15 minutes. The rice should be cooked to firm. al dente, if you will. Like your rice soft? Simmer for another 5 minutes.

12. Serve hot and enjoy! 

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