Smoked Duck Gorditas with Fresh Mango Salsa

Smoked duck breast is shredded and slowly simmered in stock with crushed chipotle en adobo, toasted coriander and Mexican oregano, then tucked inside flaky homemade gorditas (thick corn tortillas) and dressed with fresh mango salsa and crispy fried duck skin..

Smoked Duck Gorditas with Fresh Mango Salsa

For the Salsa

1 fresh mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 ripe tomato, cored and diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 green jalapeño, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon sparkling water
1 teaspoon piloncillo or palm sugar
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl and refrigerate 1 hour.

For the Duck

1 large smoked duck breast
1 1/2 cups rich chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons crushed chipotle en adobo
1 tablespoon raw cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon toasted coriander, ground
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Remove the skin and fat and reserve.  Working parallel to the grain, tear the duck into thin strips, then place into a heavy pot.  Cover with stock and bring to a slow simmer.  Add chipotle, vinegar, oregano and coriander and slowly simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 1/2 hour.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

For the Crispy Duck Skin and Rendered Fat

Pull the skin and fat from a duck breast and lay it flat on the comal over medium heat, weighing it flat with a bacon press or another smaller skillet.  Cook until all the fat has rendered and the skin is crispy on both sides.  Transfer to skin to a cutting board and chop into something resembling crumbled bacon, reserving the fat for frying the gorditas.

For the Gorditas

3/4 cup organic masa harina (fine corn flour)
2 tablespoons organic, all-purpose flour
1/2 cup warm, filtered water
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
3 tablespoons rendered duck fat

Heat a comal or iron skillet over medium heat for 10 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine the masa and water into a soft dough.  Knead in the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper, adding a few drops of water if needed to maintain consistency.  Divide dough into 4 balls and cover with a damp kitchen towel.

Use a tortilla press or rolling pin to shape dough into 4-inch rounds about 1/4 inch thick.  Slide a thin-bladed spatula under each gordita, carefully flipping one-at-a-time onto your open palm before laying onto the hot comal.  Cook for a minute or so on each side (they will be slightly crisp but underdone), then transfer to a plate.

To prepare

Just before service, melt the duck fat in the comal, then fry each gordita until golden brown and puffy (ideally, the gorditas will be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside).  Transfer gorditas to a cutting board, then use a thin knife to cut a sideways slit about 1/2 way across.

Fill each gordita with shredded duck, dress with salsa and crumbled duck skin and serve hot.

This post is part of The Food Renegade’s Fight Back Friday!

This post is part of  The Healthy Home Economist’s Monday Mania!


Smoked Duck Pizza

A crisp cornmeal crust is topped with Aji Mirasol & New Mexico chili sauce, sliced red onions, smoked duck breast, Anaheim peppers, Quesillo Oaxaca and a fried duck egg.  Garnished with chili-lime chicharrón and fresh cilantro..

Smoked Duck Pizza

For the Crust  [makes 2 7-inch crusts] (adapted from a recipe by Martha Stewart)

1 teaspoon active dry yeast
a pinch of sugar
1/3 cups warm water
3/4 cups sprouted wheat flour, plus more for work surface
1/4 cup organic, stone-ground cornmeal, plus more for pizza stone
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for bowl

In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over the warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved and mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.

Combine flour, cornmeal, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, and add the yeast mixture and oil. Slowly stir ingredients with a wooden spoon just until dough starts to come together. Turn out dough on a lightly floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, 7 to 10 minutes.

Divide dough into four 4-ounce balls. Place balls in a shallow oiled bowl, turning to coat with oil; cover with plastic wrap, and let rise 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 500 degrees with a pizza stone on lowest rack. Stretch dough into 7-inch rounds. Sprinkle cornmeal on a pizza peel or inverted baking sheet.  Place dough rounds on top, and cooked until light golden brown, about 10 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Slide rounds onto pizza stone, and bake until crust is crisp and golden and toppings are bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes.

For the Sauce

3-4 New Mexico chilies, stemmed and seeded
3-4 Aji Mirasol chilies, stemmed and seeded
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon raw guajillo honey
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup tomato puree
sea salt to taste

Toast chilies in a dry skillet over medium heat for a minute or two on each side, taking care not to let them burn. Place the chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let stand until soft, about 1 hour.

Drain chilies and add to the bowl of a food processor along with the cumin, garlic, honey, oregano and tomato puree and process until smooth.  Use a bit of the chili soaking water if needed to thin the sauce.  Taste and adjust for salt.

For the Chicharrón and Fried Eggs

The skin and fat layer of 1 duck breast, cut into 1″ julienne
chili powder
fresh lime

Cook duck fat with attached skin over medium-low heat until the fat has rendered and the skin is a deep golden brown.  Transfer to a side dish to drain then immediately season with chili powder and fresh-squeezed lime juice.

Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of duck fat, then crack eggs into hot pan.  Fry just until barely set, as the eggs will be finished in the oven.

To assemble

Use the back of a spoon to spread a thin layer of chili sauce over the cornmeal crust.  Arrange sliced, smoked duck breast, chopped red onion, sliced Anaheim peppers and Oaxaca cheese over the top.  Place fried egg in the center of the pizza then bake in a 500 degree oven until bubbly, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with chicharrón and fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Smoked Duck Tostadas with Guajillo Salsa, Fried Black Beans and Avocado

Thinly-sliced apple wood-smoked duck breast, toasted guajillo salsa, crèma Mexicana, pickled red onions & jalapeños, field greens with cilantro, fresh avocado, fried black beans and pumpkin-balsamic vinaigrette.  If this doesn’t wake up your senses, you may need to consult a trained medical professional..

Smoked Duck Tostadas

For the Fried Beans

2 tablespoons leaf lard
1 cup cooked black beans
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon epazote
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt

Melt lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat and sauté cumin and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add beans with a little of their cooking liquid and mash with potato masher or the back of a spoon.  Stir in epazote, oregano and salt and cook until much of the liquid has been absorbed.  Cover and hold.

For the Salsa (adapted from a recipe by Rick Bayless)

2 tablespoons fat or oil (I’m using leaf lard)
3 guajillo chiles, stemmed
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
filtered water

Heat fat in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Split the chiles and remove the seeds.  Place the chiles flat in the pan and cook, turning continuously, until bright red and fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a napkin and drain.

Pour off fat, then add tomatillos and garlic.  Cook until browned, about 3 minutes, then turn, sprinkle with salt and brown on the other side.   Add all ingredients to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until slightly chunky.  Add water as necessary to form a thick but pour-able salsa.  Taste and adjust accordingly.

For the Vinaigrette

3 oz pumpkin seed oil
1 oz aged balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon guajillo honey

Slowly whisk the oil into the vinegar to form an emulsion, then whisk in honey and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To Assemble

Shallow-fry pumpkin tortillas (I got these from my local tortilleria) in a little very hot leaf lard until crisp, about 30 seconds per side, then transfer to a napkin to drain.  Be sure the fat is hot, otherwise the tortillas will be greasy.

Thinly slice smoked duck breast, season with pepper and heat briefly in the tortilla pan.

Spread one tostada with guajillo salsa and crèma Mexicana, then arrange duck slices on top. Dress with pickled red onions and garnish with pickled jalapeños and fresh cilantro.

Toss assorted fresh field greens (thanks, Meredith!) in vinaigrette and place on top of the other tostada.  Spoon fried beans over the top and garnish with slices of fresh avocado.  Drizzle a little more vinaigrette over all.

Place the tostada with the duck on top the the one with the avocado and serve immediately.

Keep Austin Weird!

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Thursday