In preparation for this class, I visited Mumm Napa Valley and was treated to a delicious lunch with winemaker Ludovic Dervin (lucky me!). After a brief tour, we settled down to a table set with six flutes apiece. Glasses were filled, food began to arrive and tasting ensued. Two things particularly struck me. One was that Mumm's delicious sparkling wines, in all their various styles, go incredibly well with food. The other was—duck. Specifically, as I was enjoying my entree of five-spice roasted duck and washing it down with Mumm's Cuvee M, I thought, "Yum—duck! Why don't I eat it more often?" That thought, and that meal, inspired this recipe.
Feel free, however, to riff. You can use this basic method to make chicken, beef or classic shrimp summer rolls. You can swap some or all of the carrots and scallions for shredded lettuce. You can use fresh cilantro—instead of or in addition to the mint and basil. Experiment and make them your own.
Two words of caution, though. Resist the urge to overfill the summer rolls—that'll make them likely to tear. And, don't even think of serving them with anything other than Mumm!
Makes 8 rolls
2 boneless skin-on duck breasts (about 1 pound total)
1 tablespoon fish sauce
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces thin dried rice noodles
Eight 8- to 10-inch round rice paper wrappers, plus a few extra in case of breakage
2 carrots, peeled and finely julienned or shredded
6 scallions, trimmed, cut into 4-inch lengths, then cut lengthwise into thin strips
24 fresh mint leaves
24 fresh Thai or regular basil leaves
Dipping sauces (recipes below)
To prepare the duck: Rinse the duck breasts and pat dry. Trim any silver skin from the meat side. Scrape the tendon out of the tender, if it's still attached, and pat the tender back in place. Trim the edges of the skin so there's about 1/4-inch overhang. With a sharp chef's or boning knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, with the cuts about 1/2-inch apart, being sure not to cut into the meat.
In a shallow bowl, combine the fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil and pepper. Add the duck, turning to coat well, and set aside for 30 minutes.
Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the duck, skin side down, and let it sear for about 6 minutes, until medium brown. As the fat renders from the duck and collects in the pan, spoon it off once or twice. Reduce the heat to medium and continue cooking until much of the fat is rendered and the skin looks crisp and deep golden brown, another 2 to 4 minutes. Turn the breasts and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until an internal thermometer reads 140°F (see note below). Transfer the duck to a plate and allow to cool thoroughly.
Once the duck has cooled, slice it thinly on an angle, then cut the slices into thin strips; set aside. (The duck can be prepared up to 2 days in advance.)
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a rolling boil over high heat. Drop in the rice noodles, remove the pan from the heat and let it stand for 8 to 10 minutes, gently stirring the noodles occasionally as they soften to keep them from clumping. Drain the noodles and rinse them with cold water.
Arrange the noodles, rice paper wrappers, carrots, scallions, mint, basil and duck around a work surface. Have a platter nearby for the finished rolls.
Fill a large skillet halfway with very warm water. Slide a sheet of rice paper into the water, submerging it until it becomes very pliable, 15 to 30 seconds. Remove the rice paper, shaking it gently to drain any excess water, and lay it on your work surface. (As you work, if the water becomes too cool to soften the wrappers, change it or briefly heat it on the stove.)
Arrange about 1/4 cup of noodles in a row on the wrapper about 2 inches from the edge that's closest to you. Add a tangle of carrots and some scallions on the wrapper just above the noodles. Add 3 mint leaves and 3 basil leaves. Fold the edge of the wrapper closest to you up and over the fillings. Tuck the fillings tightly into the wrapper, then fold the sides in. Make another turn, keeping the roll as tight as possible without tearing the wrapper, then add a few strips of duck. Finish rolling the wrapper, pressing it closed. If the top edge is too dry to stick, dip your finger in the warm water and moisten the wrapper. Set the roll, seam side down, on the platter.
Continue to fill and roll wrappers until you've made all 8. Try to avoid letting the finished wrappers touch because they may stick together. Serve immediately with the dipping sauces or cover the rolls with damp paper towels, wrap the platter tightly with plastic wrap and serve within 2 or 3 hours.
Note
The USDA recommends cooking duck breasts to an internal temperature of 170°F, but since I prefer the meat medium-rare, I cook it to only 140°F. Do as you see fit.
Copyright Jill Silverman Hough. All rights reserved.
www.jillhough.com.