There are certain recipes that are so versatile that they are a perfect place to incorporate your favorite wild game—especially those extra scraps that you don’t know what to do with. One of my favorite such recipes is fried rice—full of bold flavor, spice and sweetness and a perfect base in which to incorporate wild duck. If you don’t have duck it will also work well with diced venison, elk, pheasant, squirrel or pretty much anything else you have on hand. You can also incorporate whatever vegetables that you have on hand—shredded carrots, exotic mushrooms and bamboo shoots would all be great additions. Buy a sweet and sour sauce to serve as a side to the rice. The bold flavors will taste just as good as any dish you’d have at a Chinese restaurant and the meat will be even better.
If using wild duck or any other strong flavored meat, let it soak in orange juice or other acidic marinade overnight to help temper the strong flavor. I like orange juice in this case because it adds a sweetness that pairs well with duck.
Give this a try with the wild duck meat in your freezer. It will become your new favorite go-to dish, and makes great leftovers as the flavors improve over the next day.
“Wild Duck Fried Rice”
• 4 tablespoons sesame oil
• 2 cups diced duck meat, soaked in 2 cups of orange juice for at least 4 hours
• 1 cup thinly sliced green onion (white and green portion)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cups diced cabbage
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
1. Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the duck meat and cook through, about five minutes. Remove from the pan to a plate and set aside.
2. Add two tablespoons of sesame oil to the pot over medium-high heat. Add the green onion, garlic, ginger and red pepper flakes and stir-fry for one minute until fragrant.
3. Add the cabbage, mushrooms and peas, season with salt and pepper and sauté until soft, about eight minutes. Remove from the pan to a plate.
4. Over low heat, pour the beaten egg into the pot and scramble with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the rice and add in the vegetables and duck. Moisten with the soy sauce and stir.
5. Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and serve.
