Smoked Duck Breasts – Serves 6

A Cameron stovetop smoker is affordable, easy to use, and will enable you to smoke everything from duck to sausages, fish, vegetables, Portobello mushrooms, tofu . . .

6 duck breasts, skin on, brined as follows:

Brine:
2 quarts water
2/3 cup Morton's kosher salt
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup Muscat vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
4 sprigs thyme
2 bay leaves
1teaspoon juniper berries
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Process
1. Combine the brine ingredients in a large pot over medium high heat and bring to a good simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve salt. Turn off heat and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold.

2. Place duck breasts in a zippered freezer bag and add the brine. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours, turning bag on occasion to distribute the brine.

3. Lifts the breasts from the brine and pat dry.

4. Hot smoke the breasts to an internal temperature of 160F. This takes about an hour using the Cameron smoker.

5. Reserve in a warm place for 10 minutes, then slice thinly and serve with:

Peach Gastrique, Sweet Corn, and Haricots Verts
Ingredients:
6 small or 3 large freestone peaches or nectarines, pitted and cut in halves
3 tablespoons butter
¼ cup orange blossom honey
1/3 cup Muscat vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
 6 ears fresh sweet corn
2 tablespoons melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
3 cups haricots verts, stem end trimmed off
4 cups salted water
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon minced parsley

Process
1. While the duck is smoking, prepare your vegetables and the peach gastrique.

2. Shave the kernels off the ears of corn. You should have about 3 cups. Reserve.

3. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, and add your peaches, cut side down

4. Sauté for a few minutes, then add the honey and vinegar.

5. Turn the peaches over, and cook for a few more minutes. They should feel tender but not fall apart.

6. Remove the peaches from the pan, and keep warm.

7. Taste your sauce, and add salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

8. Bring 4 cups of salted water to a boil, and blanch your haricots verts until tender, about 3 minutes

9. At the same time, melt the 2 tablespoons of butter into a skillet, and add the corn kernels over medium low heat. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, until tender.

10. Drain the haricots verts and toss with butter and minced parsley.

11. Season the corn with salt and pepper.

12. Plate your corn, haricots verts, and peaches on warmed dinner plates and serve with the smoked duck in a pool of peach gastrique.