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Grilled Duck Breasts in Red Curry Sauce with Ginger Chili Polenta

2 D’Artagnan Moulard duck breast halves

Red Curry Sauce

• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• 2 ½ teaspoons Thai red curry paste
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 14 oz can unsweetened coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
• ½ teaspoon dried basil leaves
• ½ cup diced cooked carrots

Ginger Chili Polenta

• 6 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• a dash or two of Tabasco®
• 2 cups instant polenta
• 3 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup milk

Preheat grill. Score the skin of the duck breasts; I like to do a cross hatch. Start skin side down, grill for 8 minutes. Flip and grill for another 8 minutes for medium rare. Transfer to a cutting board, tent with foil, and allow to rest.

While the duck is grilling, heat peanut oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Sweat ginger and garlic for 1 minute. Add curry paste and tomato paste. Cook another minute. Add coconut milk, fish sauce, and basil. Raise heat, bring to a boil, and turn heat to low to simmer. Just before plating, add carrots.

Bring 6 cups water to boil in a large pot. Add the salt, both types of ginger, chili powder, and Tabasco®. Add polenta and cook per package directions. Just before serving, add the milk and butter, stirring well.

I like to use pasta bowls to plate this meal. Put a small mound of polenta in center of bowl. Thinly slice the duck breasts and fan slices around the polenta. Nap breast slices with the curry sauce. Then make a small hole in center of polenta mound and fill with sauce. Serve forthwith.

Matching Thai food with wine is always a challenge. Here we have a rich sauce (you didn’t wimp out and use low fat coconut milk, did you?) that is also pretty spicy. The polenta also has a mild kick from the chili powder and hot sauce. I like a fairly acidic wine to serve as a counterpoint to the richness of the sauce. A little sweetness in the wine will balance out and cool the spicy heat. Finally, some bubbles to scrub the palate clean between bites are always refreshing. A Schramsberg Cremant was ideal.