For special occasions I like to make a special meal. Duck comes to mind. I love duck and I think I found the perfect condiment to serve with it!
I am loving the Ataulfo mangoes that are easy to source in the market these days. They ripen nicely and blend their flavor with many other foods.
I was making this mango relish with the mangoes and orange juice, but there was not enough. I happened to have cooked butternut squash in the refrigerator (which I usually have) and thought it would go well with the mango.
I thought correctly! It added substance and texture and along with the ginger and other seasoning it was fantastic! Let me know how you like it!
When you buy the duck breasts, make sure they have the fatty layer. This is critical to making the duck savory and succulent! I ordered duck breast from a few reputable suppliers, but was so disappointed to find that the fat had been removed. So be sure to check for this.
An alternative dipping sauce is simply the fat left in the pan. It is delicious and is a healthy fat. If you don’t use up all the fat for dipping, pass it through a coffee filter into a small jar and keep for some other cooking use.
Nutrition Profile of Mango
Mangos contain many nutrients – notably vitamins A and C, folate, choline and potassium. They also contain a very nice omega 3 to 6 ratio and some fiber.
As with most fruits, they do have a rather high amount of sugars, but when paired with fat it becomes balanced – and there is plenty of fat in this recipe!
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts (where to get humanely raised duck breasts)
- garlic powder (where to buy spices and salt)
- Sea salt and pepper
- Ingredients for the Mango Relish
- 2 medium mangoes chopped (I used Ataulfo mangoes)
- 1 cup cooked butternut or Kabocah squash
- 1/4 cup orange juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- water to thin it out
- Chives minced for garnish (and you can mix in)
Instructions
- Instructions for the duck
- Preheat the oven to 400º F
- Clean the duck breasts and pat dry
- Score lines across the fat 1/2 inch apart, taking care not to cut into the meat
- Score lines across in the other direction for a checkerboard pattern
- Season the breast with the ground spices above
- Heat the fry pan to medium (#4) and place the breasts fat side down
- Cook for 6 minutes or until the fat is browned
- Turn the breasts over and place in the 400 degrees oven for 10 - 12 minutes for medium rare or 16 - 18 minutes for medium if the breasts are 1 inch thick. Adjust cook time to thickness of breast.
- Taking care to use an oven mitt, remove the pan (it will be hot) and place the breasts on a plate to rest
- While they are resting make the dipping sauce or you can make the dipping sauce earlier and serve cold
- Slice the breast into thin slices with a sharp knife and serve
- Instructions for the Relish
- Heat the chopped mangoes in a small pot until softened
- Add all the ingredients (except the chives) to the cup that comes with your stick blender (or use a mini processor) and puree
- Add water if it is too thick – it should be the consistency of apple sauce
- Store in a jar and serve cold or warm
Equipment
- Large fry pan that is oven safe
- Sharp knife
- Pot for the dipping sauce