From: Bridges Restaurant, Danville, CA. Yield: 4 servings.
4 Maple Leaf Farms duck breasts
⅓ cup baby bok choy, washed, cored, julienned
⅓ cup savoy cabbage, washed, julienned
⅓ cup red cabbage, washed, julienned
1 tsp. finely chopped garlic
¼ cup sherry wine
2-3 oz. apricot teriyaki (recipe follows)
3 lb. Kennebeck potatoes, chopped to 2" large dice
1 Tbsp. finely chopped garlic
¾ cup cream, heated with butter to warm
¼ lb. sweet butter
to taste, salt and pepper
2 Tbsp. wasabi powder
1 qt. dashi
10 apricots*, washed, halved, pits removed
1 cup soy sauce
3-4 cups sugar, depending on preferred sweetness level
½ cup sake
⅛ cup ginger, peeled, sliced
¼ cup finely chopped shallots
For duck breast: Crosshatch score the skin on duck breasts and season with salt and pepper. Heat pan to medium heat with very little oil to start. Place duck breasts skin-side down and let them sear for approximately 5 minutes. Turn them over and sear another 3-4 minutes. Finish in a 350°F oven for approximately 8 minutes, to 165°F. Take duck breasts out of pan and let rest at least 3 minutes.
For cabbage trio: Saute cabbage in a little oil with garlic for 2-3 minutes. Deglaze with sherry wine and continue to cook another 1-2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and 2-3 oz. apricot teriyaki sauce.
For wasabi mashed potatoes: Place potatoes in nonreactive pot and fill with enough water to cover. Add garlic and turn heat to high. When water comes almost to a boil, turn down to simmer and cook until potatoes are tender. Use a ricer or hand potato masher and gently crush potatoes. Add cream/butter/wasabi powder and finish with salt and pepper.
For apricot teriyaki sauce: Saute ginger, shallots and apricots in a little oil. Deglaze with sake and reduce to syrupy consistency. Add dashi, soy and sugar. Bring to scalding temperature, then turn down to simmer 20 minutes. Strain sauce, lightly pressing cooked apricots and refrigerate.
*Reserve 2-3 apricots (washed, halved, pitted) cut into small wedges and lightly sauteed with a little sweet butter, salt and pepper. Deglaze with a little sherry wine and use as a garnish.
To serve: Slice duck breast and fan over cabbage and wasabi mashed potatoes (cabbage is placed in center of mashed potatoes). Ladle 2 oz. sauce around base of mashed potatoes and drizzle a little over duck breast. Garnish with apricot wedges.