This Petaluma family is devoted to duck

Several Sonoma County chefs contributed recipes for cooks who are ready to take on that next step, including John Ash, Mark Malicki and Duskie Estes and John Stewart, who provided a recipe for roasted duck lettuce cups that are a great party appetizer or meal when paired simply with a bowl or rice.

Dustin Valette, chef at Valette and The Matheson in Healdsburg, provided a recipe for roasted maple-glazed duck as an alternative to turkey for smaller holiday celebrations. The accompanying recipe for butternut squash hash works as a seasonal side dish for almost any meal.

Recipes aren’t solely meat-centric, either. There are several salad recipes, one for beans crisped in duck fat, and a trio of potato recipes: duck fat fries, latkes fried in duck fat and British-style roasted potatoes in duck fat.

“Potatoes and duck fat were really made for each other,” said Jennifer with a laugh. “I’ll die on that hill.”

Her father echoed the sentiment.

“Duck fat is love,” he said.

Duck fat figures into a chapter on desserts, too. It’s a somewhat unexpected coda in a cookbook about duck, but who can resist a double chocolate duck fat cabernet cake? There’s even a vegetarian recipe for a custard made with duck eggs — no meat or fat necessary.

As restaurants have reopened and are back to full dining rooms, the Reichardts are trying to find a balance in providing duck for their longtime chef clients while meeting the demand of their new retail business.

The book could create an uptick in that retail demand, too.

“We can’t supply the whole country with duck,” Jennifer said. “There’s other duck producers and there’s duck meat aplenty. People can buy the book from us and use it as a launching point.”

She also points out that many of the recipes are easily adapted to other proteins.

“I hope that people read it as a story,” Jennifer said, noting that she sometimes got teary while writing the book. It was like writing a diary of memorable life experiences and the people she’s met along her journey at Liberty Ducks and Raft Winery.

“The best cookbooks are the ones that really draw you in that you can almost read like a novel, cover to cover. I hope that people do that with this and take inspiration from it.”

The following recipes are from “The Whole Duck” (Cameron + Company, 2022, $35) by Jennifer Reichardt.

Pan-seared duck breasts are a simple place to start if you’ve never cooked duck before. Follow Jennifer’s advice and treat them like a steak rather than chicken to avoid overcooking them.

Here, she offers two methods (see alternative stovetop method, below).

Pan-Seared Duck Breasts

Makes 2 to 4 servings (2 duck breasts)

2 duck breasts

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.

With a sharp knife, work with one duck breast at a time, while the duck breasts are still cold from the refrigerator. First, score the skin on each breast on the diagonal, spacing the cuts about ½ inch apart and being careful not to cut through to the meat. Rotate the duck breast 90 degrees and score the same way in the opposite direction to make a crosshatch pattern. This will help the fat render more quickly and the skin to brown. Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and pepper and set aside for 20 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.

Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a cold cast-iron or other heavy frying pan. On the stove top, turn on the heat to medium and let the breasts cook undisturbed until they have rendered their fat, about 10 minutes. Every so often, lift each breast with tongs to make sure the skin is not burning. If it is getting too dark, lower the heat.

Once the fat is rendered and is deep golden brown, transfer the breasts, skin side up, to a sheet pan, place in the oven and roast until browned and medium-rare, 3 to 5 minutes longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast should register 130 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Alternative stovetop method: Score the skin on the duck breasts as directed, then place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a cold cast-iron or other heavy frying pan. On the stovetop, turn on the heat to low and let the breasts cook undisturbed until they have rendered their fat, 10 to 15 minutes. Every so often, lift each breast with tongs to make sure the skin is not burning. If it is getting too dark, remove from the heat.

Once the fat is rendered and is deep golden brown, raise the heat to medium-high, turn the breasts over and continue to cook until the meat is browned and the breasts are medium-rare, 2 to 4 minutes longer. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast should register 130 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Note: Save rendered fat by pouring through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container, let cool, cover and refrigerate. This will keep for 6 months and can be used in any recipe that calls for duck fat.

You can render your own duck fat for this recipe, or you can find it at some grocery stores. Locally, Oliver’s Market sells duck fat near the cheese counter.

British Style Roasties (Potatoes Roasted in Duck Fat)

Makes 6 servings

4 pounds russet potatoes

Kosher salt

1 cup rendered duck fat

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Have ready a large, heavy roasting pan that will hold the cut potatoes in a single layer with just a little space between the pieces. Line a large plate with paper towels.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into roughly 2- to 3-inch chunks; they should all be about the same size. Put the potatoes into a large saucepan, add just enough water to cover them and season with plenty of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring once or twice, for 5 minutes.

While the potatoes simmer, add the duck fat to the roasting pan and place the pan in the oven to heat.

Holding the lid of the saucepan slightly ajar to keep the potatoes in the pan, carefully drain off the water from the pan. Then cover the pan and give it a good shake to bash up the potatoes a bit (don’t shake too hard, as you don’t want to completely smash them). This creates a rough surface all over the potatoes, which helps them crisp in the hot fat. Uncover the pan and let the potatoes dry out in the pan for about 5 minutes.

Remove the hot roasting pan from the oven and carefully add the potatoes to the hot fat, arranging them, not touching, in a single layer. Return the pan to the oven and roast the potatoes, turning them about every 15 minutes or so, until they are deeply golden brown, very crispy on the outside and very tender inside, 1 to 1 ¼ hours.

Using tongs, transfer the potatoes to the towel-lined plate to drain. Sprinkle with salt and serve right away.

This recipe in “The Whole Duck” is from Sonoma County chefs Duskie Estes and John Stewart of Black Pig Meat Co. It has three parts but comes together without a lot of effort, and the mushrooms can be made ahead of time. These lettuce cups are great for a crowd.

Roasted Duck Lettuce Cups

Makes 6 servings

For the Spiced Roasted Duck

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground star anise

¼ teaspoon ground fennel

Pinch of ground cloves

3 duck legs

For the Sesame Shitake Mushrooms

1 cup stemmed and thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

½ cup water

2 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce

¼ cup rice vinegar

1 slice fresh ginger

Pinch of Sichuan peppercorns

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

For the Sauce

½ cup hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

½ teaspoon ground Sichuan pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground star anise

Pinch of ground fennel

To assemble

1 head butter lettuce

Chopped fresh cilantro and mint

Sliced green onions, white and green parts, for garnish

To roast the duck, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, stir together the salt, Sichuan pepper, cinnamon, star anise, fennel and cloves. Liberally season both sides of the duck legs with the spice mixture. Place the legs, skin side up, on a sheet pan.

Roast the legs, rotating the pan back to front halfway though roasting until the legs are dark golden brown, about 1 hour. Let the legs rest on the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. The legs may stick a little to the bottom of the pan; use a spatula to loosen them. Pull the meat and crisp skin from the bones and discard the bones. Chop meat into bite-size pieces and transfer to a small serving bowl.

While the duck is roasting, make the mushrooms and the sauce. To make the mushrooms, put the mushrooms in a small heatproof bowl. In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, tamari, vinegar, ginger and Sichuan peppercorns. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Pour the hot mixture over the mushrooms, then stir in the sesame seeds. Let sit for at least 10 minutes before using. The mushrooms will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To make the sauce, in a small saucepan, combine all the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute to blend the flavors. Thin the sauce with some of the mushroom marinade. Add half the sauce to the warm duck and toss to combine. Transfer the remaining sauce to a small bowl.

To serve, separate the lettuce into individual leaves. Pile the lettuce leaves on a platter. Arrange the cilantro, mint and green onions in separate mounds on a plate. Transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl. Set out the bowls of duck and sauce. To assemble the cups, spoon some duck meat onto a lettuce leaf and top with some of the mushrooms. Drizzle with extra sauce, if desired, and garnish with the cilantro, mint and green onions. Enjoy at once.

This recipe, contributed by Chef Dustin Valette of Valette and The Matheson restaurants in Healdsburg, will acquaint cooks with roasting a whole duck, ideal for smaller holiday gatherings. The roasted butternut squash hash is a seasonal side that pairs well with many other roast meats, too.

Roasted Maple-Glazed Duck with Butternut Squash Hash

Makes 4 to 6 servings

For the Roasted Maple-Glazed Duck

1 whole duck

1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 bunch fresh thyme

¼ cup pure maple syrup (not imitation)

For the Butternut Squash Hash

½ cup dried currants

1 cup boiling water

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small butternut squash, (about 1.5 pounds, peeled, halved, seeded and cut into ½-inch cubes)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 shallots, finely chopped

⅔ cup raw pepitas, lightly toasted in a dry pan

About ¼ cup grape must (violette) mustard, or your favorite sweet-spicy mustard.

To roast the duck, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Set a rack in a roasting pan, and rub the outside of the duck all over with the oil. Season the outside and the cavity of the duck with salt and pepper. Place the thyme in the cavity. Place the duck, breast side up, on the rack in the roasting pan. Tie the legs together with kitchen twine (or truss the whole duck).

Roast the duck for 15 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and, using a pastry brush, brush the outside of the duck all over with the maple syrup. Return the duck to the oven and continue to roast until the skin is browned and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the duck (not touching bone) registers 145 degrees, about 30 minutes longer.

When the duck is nearly ready, make the butternut squash hash. In a small heatproof bowl, combine the currants with the boiling water (to cover them) and set aside to plump. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the squash, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Drain the currants and add to the pan along with the pepitas and mix well. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed. Cover to keep warm.

To carve the duck, cut away the whole leg (thigh and drumstick) in one piece, then cut between the thigh and drumstick to separate them. Cut along the side of the breastbone to separate the meat from the breastbone, then cut along the rib cage to remove the breast. Repeat to remove the whole leg and breast on the opposite side and split the thigh and drumstick. Slice the breast and thigh into medium thick slices; each should yield 4 to 5 pieces.

To assemble each serving, on a warmed individual plate, make a swipe of the mustard and place a scoop of the squash hash in the center. Arrange some of the duck around the hash and serve.

You can reach staff writer Jennifer Graue at jennifer.graue@pressdemocrat.com