Six O’Clock Solution: Maple Duck Breast (2024)

A new indigenous cookbook combines classic chef’s traditions with a rich heritage of First Nations’ culinary practices.

David Wolfman, who grew up in Toronto as the son of a talented cook from the Xaxli’p reserve in British Columbia, has the ideal combination of skills to introduce us to the pleasures of what he calls indigenous fusion cuisine. A culinary teacher at Toronto’s George Brown College and an experienced TV chef, Wolfman has written both a storybook and a cookbook. Called Cooking with the Wolfman: Indigenous Fusion (Douglas & McIntyre, $29.95), it’s a good read and a fine cooking course in one.

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If you like to cook outdoors, his section on the various methods, smoking food in particular, are instructive. He goes beyond First Nations’ usual seasonings into the wider world of today’s international ingredients. This recipe, suggesting you flavour kosher salt with a vanilla bean, is an example, but you can use plain kosher salt. Some chefs criticize the fatty Canadian-produced duck; that bird would be perfect for this recipe. The marinating process may be done the night before. Double the recipe for four servings.

Maple Duck Breast

Serves 2

2 duck breasts, skin on (500 g total)

1 teaspoon (5 mL) vanilla salt or kosher salt

½ teaspoon (2 mL) freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons (30 mL) maple syrup

2 tablespoons (30 mL) red wine vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

Chopped fresh parsley

Score duck skin with ½-inch (1 cm) deep incisions in a criss-cross pattern, avoiding cutting through to the flesh. Season skin side with half the salt and half the pepper, rubbing it in. Set aside for five minutes in a non-reactive baking dish (ceramic, glass or stainless steel). Turn and repeat, using the remaining salt and pepper. Set aside in the baking dish for five minutes.

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In a cup, whisk together the maple syrup, vinegar and garlic and pour over duck, coating it. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight, bringing it to room temperature before baking. When ready to bake, drain duck, discarding marinade.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 C). Transfer duck to a cold, cast-iron frying pan, skin side down. Place pan over medium heat and brown duck without turning it for about three minutes. Raise heat to medium-high and continue to cook three more minutes.

Turn duck over, to skin side up, and cook two more minutes.

Turn duck over again, to skin side down, and place roast in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meat thermometer inserted in thickest part of breast registers 165 degrees F (75 C).

Place duck on a cutting board, covered with aluminum foil, for three to four minutes. Then slice meat and serve with pan drippings and parsley.

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