INGREDIENTS [Duck]

3 ea duck breast (preferably Liberty Farms)

1 cup salt

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 Tbsp black peppercorns

METHOD

On a small sheet pan or in a baking dish, add all dry ingredients together and mix well. Place duck breast skin side up, on top of the dry cure mixture, being careful not to get any of the dry cure on the fat cap. Place breast in the refrigerator to cure for 2 hours.

[Smoking Ingredients]

1/2 cup dried green or jas mine (loose tea)

2 star anise pods

1 Tbsp whole fennel seed

1 small handful apple wood chips, soaked in water

1 Tbsp whole coriander seed

METHOD

Remove the duck breast from the refrigerator and rinse off the dry cure under cold running water. Pat dry. In the bottom of a stove top smoker place tea, woodchips and all other spices. Turn heat to medium and watch for the first sign of smoke. Once you see smoke, turn down the heat to low, and then continue to smoke for 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove the duck from the smoker immediately. Pat dry. In a large sauté pan, place duck breast skin side down and render the fat from the duck breast (about 8 minutes). Skin should be browned and nicely caramelized. If need be, you can place the duck in the oven for just a few minutes to cook it just a touch, but it should be a perfect medium rare from the hot smoke. Once cooked, place in the refrigerator to cool.

[Bulghur Wheat]

2 cups bulghur wheat

2 cups water

3 shallots, minced

1 head fennel, small dice

1 orange, zest and juice

2 lemons, juiced

1 Tbsp za’atar (optional)

5 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

5 Tbsp chervil, rough chopped

Salt to taste

METHOD

In a small pot, boil the water. Place bulghur wheat in a medium-sized bowl. Once the water is boiling, pour over bulghur and mix in with a fork. Let stand at room temp for 15 min. Place shallots and fennel in a medium sized bowl and pour over lemon juice; let stand for 5-10 min. Add in all other ingredients, including bulghur wheat and mix well. Season with salt to taste.

[Stewed Kumquats]

20 kumquats, each sliced into 3 rounds and seeded

1 1/2 cups orange juice

1/3 cup sugar

1 pod star anise

2-inch stick of licorice root (optional)

METHOD

In a small pan place orange juice, sugar, star anise, and licorice and reduce by a third. Add kumquats and cook on low for about 25 minutes, stirring the kumquats every couple of minutes. Remove from heat and place in refrigerator until cool. Reserve the cooking liquid to dress the garnishes with.

[Garnishes]

1 each kohlrabi, peeled and cut into 3 rounds

1/4 lb sunflower sprouts

30 each raw kumquats, sliced

Extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

2 Tbsp reserved stewed kumquat liquid

20 small sprigs of chervil

Salt and pepper to taste

METHOD

Divide bulghur onto the center of 6 plates. Thinly slice duck and lay over the top on the bulghur mix, layering duck slice by slice.

Using a mandoline, shave kohalrabi paper thin into 3’’ by 1/2’’ slices. In a small bowl, toss all of the garnishes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place 10 slices of stewed kumquats around each plate for garnish.