Ducky Packages

When I worked at the Atrium, the Garde Manger (french pronunciation sounds like "garmage" rhymes with Auge) Chef's name was Hang. Hang was the best Garde Manger Chef I have ever met. A true Garde Manger has it all, including the ability to present beautiful plates and platters on an artistically arranged buffet accented with fruit, vegetable, tallow and ice carvings. I marveled at her creations and she giggled in delight when she saw the joy that erupted when she shared her samples with us. She and her team would make hundreds of these for all sorts of catered festivities. She always made it looks so easy. Knowing how much I loved Duck Packages, Hang explained to me how to make these at home. I miss Hang and I often wonder if she is still at IMS sharing her love of food with the masses.

Duck, onion, lingonberry mixture

Duck Packages


Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of duck breasts (approximately 1 pound)
• 1/3-1/2 Cup lingonberries (4 ounces)
• 1/3 cup chopped onions
• 3/4 pound butter, melted (you may not use it all)
• 1/2 package phyllo dough

Directions:

• To prepare duck: Rinse duck in cold water, pat dry. Score skin with sharp knife. Cook duck breasts by pan searing, skin side down. This will render the fat in the duck and crisp up the skin. You won't use the skin in this recipe. I reserve it for other uses aka....the cooks cuts. The crispy skin is great crumbled in a salad...crunchy unctuousness. My goal is to get the crispiest skin, but to not overcook the duck. Duck can be served (preferred) medium rare, so don't worry if you "under cook" it a bit. The duck will also cook more later when you bake the little guys. Quack quack.
• Once duck is cooked allow, to cool, remove skin and finely chop
• Saute finely chopped onions in 2 tablespoons butter
• Combine chopped duck, sauteed onions and lingonberries
• Layer 4 layers of phyllo, 1 at a time, brushing butter on top of each layer before adding the next layer
• Cut buttered phyllo into 6 - 8 squares
• Add 1 heaping tablespoon of duck mixture on top of each phyllo square
• Gather corners of each square and pinch to form a package
• Bake duck packages for 25 minutes in 350 oven until golden and crisp
• Serve warm, hot, room temp or cold...have it your way
• These freeze amazingly well