Sporting Chef Recipes

Don't miss these tasty recipes prepared by Scott Leysath, as seen on DU TV. For other recipes, be sure to visit the Sporting Chef Web site.

Recipes from the 2008 Season

1.   Snow Goose Bourguignon

2.   Black and Bluebill

3.   Grilled Diver Duck Breasts

4.   Basting Sauce for Grilled Ducks

5.   Redhead "Steak" Sandwich

6.   Prosciutto-Wrapped Duck and Oyster Appetizer

7.   Chesapeake Duck Stew

8.   Grilled Duck Salad

9.   Wild Duck Pizza

10. Spicy Mallard Skewers on Mississippi Shrimp 'N Rice

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Snow Goose Bourguignon

Serves 6

Don't let the fancy French name throw you off. This is a simple dish that requires a little time to cook, but the preparation is relatively simple. It's great for cooking in large batches and freezing for later use. It's also a good way to make use of a bunch of snow geese!

1/2 pound bacon, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 cups snow goose breast, skin and gristle removed - cut into large cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil
20-24 pearl onions, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups mushrooms, quartered
2 cups dry red wine
2/3 cups beef stock
1 cup chopped tomatoes, fresh or canned
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme

1. Heat a large oven-safe casserole dish over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp and golden brown. Remove bacon and reserve.

2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Dredge cubed goose in flour mixture and brown in bacon grease, adding a few pieces at a time. When well browned, remove from dish and reserve.

3. Increase heat to medium-high and add olive oil. When oil is hot, add onions and cook while stirring often for 5 minutes, or until onions are lightly browned. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes more. Stir in remaining ingredients, including reserved bacon and browned goose.

4. Cover and place in a preheated 325-degree oven for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.

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Black and Bluebill

Serves 4

12 bluebill breast half-fillets
2 tablespoons coarse steak seasoning (your favorite)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup melted butter
1 large onion, cut into thin rings
1/3 cup crumbled bleu cheese
1 cup fresh tomato, seeded and diced

1. Heat a cast-iron or other heavy skillet over high heat for at least 5 minutes.

2. Combine steak seasoning, paprika and cayenne pepper. Rub mixture evenly over duck breasts. Brush seasoned breasts with butter.

3. Add duck breasts and onion to pan. Leave breasts in pan until dark brown on each side, but not past rare in the center.

4. Arrange 3 breast halves on each plate. Top with cooked onions, bleu cheese crumbles and diced tomato.

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Grilled Diver Duck Breasts

Serves 4

Diver ducks can often use a little help from a flavorful marinade. They're typically leaner and darker than puddle ducks, but can be just as tasty, provided you know how to cook them.

8-12 diver duck breast half-fillets (depending on size of ducks)
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1. Whisk together olive oil and remaining ingredients. Place duck breasts in a zipper-lock bag, pour half of marinade over, reserving the other half to serve with cooked breasts. Squeeze out air and refrigerate for 2 hours.

2. Heat a well-lubricated grill to medium-hot. Remove duck from marinade, drain and place on grill. Cook until medium-rare on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.

3. Allow meat to rest for a few minutes before serving. Arrange on plates and drizzle on remaining marinade.

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Basting Sauce for Grilled Ducks

Whether your ducks are marinated or dry seasoned, you can add additional flavor while grilling by brushing with a basting sauce. Keep in mind that basting sauces have to be used carefully. One that's full of sugar, or anything sweet, will cause the meat to burn over direct heat. Basting sauces that contain fats, butter and oils will cause the grill to flame up and burn the meat as well. Just go easy on the sauce, keep your face away from the 'cue and use a long-handled basting brush.

1 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup butter, cut into cubes

1. Combine all ingredients except butter in a small saucepan, uncovered, over medium-high heat. Reduce liquid by one-half.

2. Stir in butter until melted. Use mixture to baste ducks while grilling.

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Redhead "Steak" Sandwich

Serves 4

3 cups skinless redhead duck breast fillets
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
Tabasco sauce
8 slices Provolone cheese
4 Italian rolls, split

1. Slice duck breasts as thinly as possible. If possible, place in the freezer for an hour or so to firm up meat before slicing. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

2. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or on a griddle over medium-high heat. Add onions, pepper and garlic. Cook until onions are lightly browned. Add mushrooms and sauté with onions and peppers until soft.

3. Move vegetables over to one side of skillet and add duck breast slices. Cook meat until lightly brown but not overcooked. Season with a dash or two of Tabasco sauce.

4. Arrange meat into 4 rectangular mounds, about the size of the Italian rolls. Top with equal portions of the vegetable mixture. Top with 2 slices of cheese for each pile until cheese melts.

5. Using two spatulas, scoop up each portion of meat and vegetables and place on rolls.

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Duck and Oyster Appetizer

Serves 4-6

This recipe works with any size duck. This recipe can also be prepared under a broiler or in a hot, lightly oiled skillet.

NOTE: Large duck breasts should be cut in half or in thirds before pounding. If using all mallards, you'll get three pieces out of each breast half. With medium-sized ducks, like widgeon, you'll cut each breast in half and get two pieces from each half.

Skinless duck breast fillets - number of breasts will depend on type of duck (see NOTE above)
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
12 raw oysters, well drained
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon garlic salt
12 thin slices prosciutto (or substitute partially cooked bacon)
12 small wooden skewers

1. Prepare duck breasts. Cut into 1 1/2 - 2-inch pieces. Small duck breasts, like those taken from a teal, can be used "as is," without cutting into smaller pieces. Place breasts on a firm surface, cover with a zipper-lock bag and lightly pound with a mallet or heavy skillet until about 1/4 - 1/8 inch thick. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Toss oysters with parsley, lemon juice and salt.

3. Lay out prosciutto on a flat surface. Place one piece of duck on the bottom end of the strip of prosciutto. Place an oyster in the center of each piece of duck. Grasping the edge of the prosciutto, duck and oyster, roll the prosciutto tightly toward the opposite end. Secure with a skewer.

4. Place on a medium-hot grill. Cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side.

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Chesapeake Duck Stew

Serves 6-8

Early settlers to the Chesapeake Bay kept a pot of stew on the coals all day long, adding meat and vegetables to the pot as they were harvested. This recipe is a bit more refined, but the process is basically the same – slow cooking with liquid for fall-off-the-bone-tender duck.

1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 whole ducks, quartered (skin on or off)
1/2 cup flour
2 cups onions, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 quarts beef broth
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into sixths
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
1 cup okra, sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 cup corn kernels
Salt and pepper to taste
Sour cream for garnish

1. Heat oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Dredge duck pieces lightly in flour and add to hot oil a few pieces at a time, until all pieces are well browned.

2. Add onions, thyme, allspice, bay leaf and beef broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Check liquid to make sure beef broth covers contents of pot. If necessary, add additional broth to cover. When ducks are tender, remove from pot, allow to cool and pull meat from bones. Discard bones and return meat to pot.

3. Add potatoes and carrots, and cook for an additional 30 minutes. Add corn and cook for 15 minutes or more, or until meat is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4. Ladle stew into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream.

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Grilled Duck Salad

Serves 4

Dressing
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 tablespoons fresh basil or parsley leaves, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup olive oil

Salad
4-6 duck breast half-fillets
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 whole garlic cloves
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup roasted pistachio nuts (or substitute any nut)
3 1/2 cups cooked and cooled wild rice
1 cup fresh orange segments
1 cup seedless grapes, halved
4 butter lettuce "cups" (intact butter lettuce leaves; you might need more than one for each salad

1. Prepare salad dressing. In a deep bowl, combine all dressing ingredients except oil. Add oil in a thin stream while whisking.

2. Season duck with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add duck breasts and garlic cloves and brown duck evenly on both sides until medium rare. Remove duck and allow to cool. Lower heat to medium-low and cook garlic, stirring often, until golden brown but not burnt. Slice cooled breasts thinly into strips.

3. In a large bowl, combine browned garlic, onions, bell pepper, pistachio nuts and rice. Add half of the dressing and toss to mix. Fold in orange segments and grapes.

4. Arrange lettuce cups on plates. Place equal portions of salad mixture into cups. Arrange sliced duck on top and drizzle on reserved dressing.

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Wild Duck Pizza

Serves 4-6

The concept is simple: You buy a prepared pizza crust and top it with your favorite toppings, including cooked duck. What you put on your pizza will depend on what your kids will eat. It's also a great way to make use of leftover cooked duck breasts.

2 10-12" pizza crusts
1 cup prepared pizza sauce
1 cup pepperoni, thinly sliced
4 skinless duck breast fillets, cooked, cooled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, your choice
Additional toppings as desired

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2. For each pizza crust, spread 1/2 cup sauce evenly over dough. Arrange pepperoni and duck over sauce. Top with shredded cheese and any additional toppings.

3. Place on a pizza screen, pan or stone in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned. Slice into wedges and serve.

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Spicy Mallard Skewers on Mississippi Shrimp 'N Rice

Serves 4

Rubbed with olive oil and seasonings, these skewers cook quickly so don't walk away from the grill, broiler or skillet or you just might overcook 'em.

Skewers
6 skinless mallard breast half-fillets, quartered
1 medium onion, quartered
24 small mushrooms
2 bell peppers, any color, halved, cored and each half cut into 6 pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
1 lemon, juice only
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
12 long wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes

Mississippi Shrimp 'N Rice
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 pound smoked cajun sausage, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, finely diced
1/2 cup bell peppers, any color or mixed colors, seeded and finely diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound small raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
1 cup white rice, cooked and cooled
Worcestershire sauce

1. In a medium bowl, combine quartered duck breast, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, olive oil, jalapeño pepper, garlic powder, kosher salt and Tabasco sauce. Cover and refrigerate for 1-6 hours.

2. Prepare rice. Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add bell pepper, garlic and shrimp and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Stir in rice and a dash of Worcestershire sauce and cook for 5 minutes more to warm rice. Keep warm.

3. For each skewer, alternate mushrooms, duck, onions and bell pepper, placing two pieces of each per skewer.

4. Grill, broil or pan sear each skewer until duck is browned but not overcooked.

5. Mound rice on plates and arrange three skewers over rice.

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