Duck Tacos Recipes

Steps:

• Combine the honey, tamarind concentrate, lime juice, garlic and chiles in a saucepan, bring to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Transfer to a food processor, season with salt and pepper and process until smooth. Pour into a bowl and let cool.
• Preheat a charcoal grill for medium-low and medium direct heat, and indirect grilling. Have ready a squeeze bottle filled with water to handle flare-ups.
• Score the duck breasts with a sharp knife to make a diagonal cross-hatch pattern and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the duck on the grill, skin-side down, and cook, uncovered, until the skin is nicely browned, about 15 minutes. If the flare-ups are too great, or the duck browns too quickly, move the duck occasionally over the indirect heat, and then back to direct heat.
• Once almost all of the fat has rendered and the skin is a deep golden brown, flip the duck over, move over medium heat, brush generously with the tamarind glaze and continue grilling until an instant-read thermometer reaches 140 degrees F for medium-rare, about 5 minutes. Remove the duck to a cutting board, brush with more of the glaze and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the diagonal into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
• Spread some glaze on the corn tortillas. Top with some duck slices, Pineapple Relish, Pickled Onions and cilantro leaves.
• Preheat a charcoal grill for direct medium-high heat.
• Brush the pineapple slices with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the pineapple until charred on both sides and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the pineapple, cut into dice and place in a bowl. Add the green onions, serrano chiles, lime juice and 2 tablespoons canola oil and toss. Add the cilantro and toss again. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and add more oil, if desired. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• Combine the lime juice, vinegar, sugar and salt in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt dissolves. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
• Pour the liquid mixture over the onions and mix to combine. Top the onions with a small plate to weigh down slightly, cover with foil or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
• Combine the onions and oregano in a medium bowl.

Steps:

• For the taco filling: Preheat the oven to 280 degrees F.
• Combine the hot sauce, salt, achiote paste, garlic and half of the cilantro in a large stainless bowl. Add duck necks and duck tongues to the bowl and mix well to coat.
• Pour into a braising pan that will accommodate everything. Cover and bake until the duck neck meat easily pulls away from the bone, about 4 hours. (Alternatively, cook in a crockpot set on 280 degrees F.) Let cool until cool to the touch.
• Pick the meat from all the neck bones and set aside in a small container. Next, remove the cartilage bone from each duck tongue by gripping the back of a tongue between the index finger and thumb and pinching the tip of the tongue with the other hand to feel for the bone and pull it out.
• Combine pulled duck meat and deboned duck tongues and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
• Stir together scallions and remaining cilantro in a small bowl and set aside.
• For the taco shells: Pour several inches canola oil into a large wide pot fitted with a deep-frying thermometer. Heat to 375 degrees F.
• Use a taco shaping fry basket to fry the corn tortillas until crisp to the touch and light golden brown. Let drain on paper towels and season with salt.
• For the pickled red onions: Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt, chile and 1 cup water in a medium nonreactive saucepot and bring to a boil. Place red onion in a bowl. Pour the vinegar solution over the onions and let sit for 1 hour.
• To finish: Heat a large cast-iron pan over high heat until smoking hot. Add oil, then spread the duck meat in the hot pan to caramelize. (Be careful, as the sauciness of the duck will induce splattering!) Don't disturb the meat; let it stick to the bottom just a little bit. After a minute or two, scrape the meat off the bottom with a metal spatula and mix well. Add the scallion-cilantro mixture and cook another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring continuously. Remove duck meat from pan.
• Divide duck filling evenly among the taco shells. Add several slivers of pickled red onion to each taco. Sprinkle each taco generously with queso fresco. Serve without delay.

Steps:

• Remove the duck meat from the bones, discarding all skin and sinew. Shred meat. Heat the fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Saute' the onion with the salt and pepper until translucent. Add the red peppers and duck meat and cook, stirring frequently, until heated through. Keep warm. Combine the salsa, honey and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
• For tacos, toast 12 small corn tortillas as for carnitas tacos. Divide the filling and center on each tortilla. Top each with a tablespoon of salsa and a slice of avocado, and serve.

Steps:

• Cut the peppers into thin slices. In a large serving bowl, combine them with the romaine and green onions. Toss well.
• Preheat an oven to 200°F. Place the tortillas in a covered heatproof container such as a tortilla warmer or a shallow casserole with a lid. Place the tortillas in the oven and heat for 20 minutes.
• Place the duck meat, lime wedges, sour cream, and salsa in separate serving bowls. Let the diners spread a little sour cream on a tortilla, add a little salsa, a little duck, a little lettuce mixture, and squeeze a little lime juice over all. Roll and eat.