Orange-Pineapple Duck

A couple of weeks ago we received an email from one of our friends who also happens to be a follower of Cooking D’Lites. Scott asked if we could post some recipes for Duck.   I have always had a fondness for Wild Duck, I’d been hunting them with my Dad since I was a boy, and I was more than happy to oblige. 

  

Wild Duck, however, with its gamy taste and minimal amount of fat, bears little resemblance to the “tame” farm raised duck found in fine restaurants and local supermarkets.  And, you can’t purchase Wild Duck at the store. That’s what Duck Hunting is for. 

Farm raised Duck has a very thick layer of fat which has to be rendered off during the cooking process, so recipes for its use would seldom be found in any weight loss regimen. Or so I thought. While searching the Weight Watchers website I happened upon three recipes for Duck. The first requirement was that they had to be skinless. No rendering required. 

I had been looking forward to making today’s featured recipe since discovering it on the web. After preparing, eating and truly enjoying the end result, I can’t wait to try the other two Duck recipes.

This dish has a sweet and slightly spicy flavor profile.  You can also try substituting Chicken, Beef or Fish for the Duck remembering that the PointsPlus value may change slightly with each substitution.

Delicious “Lite” recipes from our kitchen to yours. Enjoy the adventure. 

And a big "Thank you" to Scott for the request.  Send in your requests and we'll certainly try to accommodate.

Orange-Pineapple Duck

Ingredients

Orange-Pineapple Duck

15 ½ oz Pineapple, canned, packed in juice, chunks

¼ cup Orange Juice

¼ cup Rice Vinegar

2 Tbsp Brown Sugar

2 Tbsp Ketchup

1 Tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce

1 tsp Sesame Oil, dark

1 Tbsp Cornstarch

¼ tsp Red Pepper flakes, crushed. Or to taste

1 pound Duck breasts, uncooked, skin removed

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp Pepper, Black, freshly ground

2 tsp Canola Oil

6 medium Scallions

1 Tbsp Ginger root, fresh, peeled and minced. (Still not too late to order the Microplane Zester/grater.)

2 cloves Garlic, chopped, medium

1 medium Sweet Red Pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 medium Oranges, sectioned. (4 Clementine Tangerines, or “Cuties”, would be a great substitute)

2 cups Rice, hot

Instructions

Drain the Pineapple, reserving the liquid. Transfer the pineapple to a small bowl and set aside.  Combine the Orange juice, reserved Pineapple juice, Vinegar, Sugar, Ketchup, Soy Sauce, Sesame Oil, Cornstarch, and Crushed Red Pepper flakes in a medium bowl, set aside.

Sprinkle the Duck with Salt and Pepper. Heat 1 tsp of Canola Oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Duck and cook, turning once, until browned, about 8 minutes.  Transfer the Duck to a cutting board and cut across the grain into slices.

Cut 5 of the Scallions diagonally into 2 inch pieces. Thinly slice the remaining Scallion into thin slices and set aside, apart from the 2 inch pieces.

Add the remaining 1 tsp of Canola Oil in the same skillet. Add the 2 inch Scallion pieces, Ginger and Garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the Red Bell Pepper and Pineapple Chunks. Cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 3 minutes. Whisk the Orange Juice mixture and add it to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until it bubbles and thickens.

Return the Duck to the skillet and add the Orange sections. Heat through. Sprinkle the Scallion slices over the top and serve over Rice.

Yields ¾ cup of Duck and Sauce and about 1/3 cup of Rice per serving.  PointsPlus value per serving, including Rice is 7.  Level of difficulty is Easy. Prep time is about 25 minutes. Cooking time is about 12 minutes.

Recipes shown may not be exactly the same as those found on any website. Judy and I "tweak" each recipe we feature, to some degree, incorporating our own unique tastes. PointsPlus values, however, are accurate. 

Weight Watchers and PointsPlus are registered trademarks of Weight Watchers Intl. Inc. 

 

Photo by Barry Baruh