Duck Adobo with Pineapple and Dates
Posted on 10. Feb, 2010 by grace in Filipino, GF-Adaptable, Poultry
As every Filipino knows, words do not do justice in describing the alchemy of adobo. The magic of the Philippines’ national dish can only be captured in the permeating smell and unforgettable taste of food transformed by the slow simmering of garlic, soy, vinegar, bay leaf, and peppercorns. As the national dish, adobo is most often made with chicken and/or pork. But as a cooking technique, the five adobo ingredients can be applied to most any food, including vegetables. The classic preparation of Adobo Manok, or chicken adobo, is one of my favorite foods and a regularly scheduled dish on my weekday dinner repertoire. The simple unadorned stew is a quick and zesty standard, subject to regional variations, including the addition of coconut milk, ginger, or citrus juice. Adobo, prepared here “in the style of nuns” or a la monja, is an old dish lightly embellished with pineapple and tomato. I have taken the liberty of substituting flavorful Muscovy duck for chicken, a minor departure from the original that only adds to the dish’s complexity. In general, I don’t like to adobo breast meat because the long stewing time needed to tenderize the leg and thigh inevitably leads to chewy overcooked breasts. Instead, I adobo the legs, thighs, and wings and reserve the breast for a stovetop sear that allows me to crisp the skin, melt the excess fat, and cook the duck breast to a perfect medium doneness.
Duck Adobo with Pineapple and Dates (Adobong Pato a la Monja)
By Andrea M. Aranas, Author, The Filipino-American Kitchen
Makes 4 servings
4 to 5 lbs (approximately 2 kg) Muscovy duck
1⁄4 cup (50 ml) coconut or palm vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bay leaves
4 cloves garlic, peeled
1⁄2 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1⁄4 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 to 21⁄2 cups (500 to 625 ml) Chicken Stock enough to cover the duck pieces
1⁄4 cup (50 g) diced pineapple
1⁄4 cup (40 g) chopped Chinese red dates (substitute Medjool dates)
Prepare the duck: Remove the innards from the duck cavity. Rinse the duck under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the duck into six pieces, separating each of the two breasts, thighs, legs, and wings from the carcass. Reserve the carcass for duck stock. Set aside the duck breasts.
Make the adobo: Place the legs, wings, and thighs into a large sauté pan (3 to 4 quarts/liters). Add the vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, tomato paste, oyster sauce, and chicken stock. Bring the adobo to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes covered. Remove the cover and add the pineapple and dates. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
Cook the duck breast: While the sauce is reducing, lightly score the skin on the duck breasts in a diagonal cross-hatch pattern. Heat a 10-inch (25-cm) skillet over a medium-high flame. Place the duck breasts in the skillet skin side down, searing the skin until golden brown, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes. Turn the breasts to cook the other side, 5 to 6 minutes, until the meat reaches medium doneness. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of the breast should read 150 to 155°F (65 to 70°C). Remove the breasts from the pan and let rest for 3 minutes before slicing into thin pieces.
Serve the duck: Place the stewed duck and sliced duck breast on a serving platter. Spoon the adobo sauce over the duck and serve with steamed white rice.
Variation: Classic Filipino Adobo. This classic dish is either made with pork, chicken, or a combination of both and is one of the simplest and most delicious dishes in Filipino cuisine. For a classic adobo manok, or chicken adobo, follow the above recipe substituting 2 pounds (900 g) chicken legs, thighs, wings, or any assortment of the three for the duck. If you’d like to enjoy pork in your adobo, use 1 pound (450 g) chicken and 1 pound (450 g) cubed pork roast (pork butt, country rib meat, or belly). Follow the recipe as directed, excluding the tomato paste, pineapple, and dates.
Reprinted with the express permission of Tuttle Publishing, a member of the Periplus Publishing Group.
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