2 D'Artagnan Moulard duck breast halves
Red Curry Sauce
While the duck is grilling, heat peanut oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add curry paste and tomato paste. Cook another minute. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and basil. Raise heat, bring to a boil, and turn heat to low to simmer. Just before plating, add carrots.
Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large pot. Add the salt, both types of ginger, chili powder, and Tabasco®. Add polenta and cook per package directions. Just before serving, add the milk and butter, stirring well.
I like to use pasta bowls to plate this meal. Put a small mound of polenta in center of bowl. Thinly slice the duck breasts and fan slices around the polenta. Nap breast slices with the curry sauce. Then make a small hole in center of polenta mound and fill with sauce. Serve forthwith.
Matching Thai food with wine is always a challenge. Here we have a rich sauce (you didn't wimp out and use low fat coconut milk, did you?) that is also pretty spicy. The polenta also has a mild kick from the chili powder and hot sauce. I like a fairly acidic wine to serve as a counterpoint to the richness of the sauce. A little sweetness in the wine will balance out and cool the spicy heat. Finally, some bubbles to scrub the palate clean between bites are always refreshing. A Schramsberg Cremant was ideal.
Red Curry Sauce
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 2 ½ teaspoons Thai red curry paste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
- ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
- ½ cup diced cooked carrots
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- a dash or two of Tabasco®
- 2 cups instant polenta
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup milk
While the duck is grilling, heat peanut oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add curry paste and tomato paste. Cook another minute. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and basil. Raise heat, bring to a boil, and turn heat to low to simmer. Just before plating, add carrots.
Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large pot. Add the salt, both types of ginger, chili powder, and Tabasco®. Add polenta and cook per package directions. Just before serving, add the milk and butter, stirring well.
I like to use pasta bowls to plate this meal. Put a small mound of polenta in center of bowl. Thinly slice the duck breasts and fan slices around the polenta. Nap breast slices with the curry sauce. Then make a small hole in center of polenta mound and fill with sauce. Serve forthwith.
Matching Thai food with wine is always a challenge. Here we have a rich sauce (you didn't wimp out and use low fat coconut milk, did you?) that is also pretty spicy. The polenta also has a mild kick from the chili powder and hot sauce. I like a fairly acidic wine to serve as a counterpoint to the richness of the sauce. A little sweetness in the wine will balance out and cool the spicy heat. Finally, some bubbles to scrub the palate clean between bites are always refreshing. A Schramsberg Cremant was ideal.
