Sheet Pan

Tea-Smoked Duck Fettuccine

February 11, 2013
4.8
4 Ratings
  • Serves 2
Author Notes

This dish uses an Asian-inspired smoking technique to infuse duck legs with a subtle tea flavor, although the finished dish has an Italian slant. Fettuccine is boiled with tea bags so that the pasta has a delicate tea note that echoes the duck. The two tea-infused elements are brought together with ingredients that classically pair well with duck - shallots, mushrooms and cherries - along with a creamy sauce and a sprinkle of crunchy pistachio. This decadent pasta serves 2 as a satisfying main course, or 4 to 6 as a tasting-portion appetizer. —foxeslovelemons

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 2 duck legs (about 1 pound)
  • 2-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup ground tea leaves (I took the leaves out of Lipton tea bags)
  • 1/4 cup white rice
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
  • 4 tea bags
  • 6 ounces fettuccine
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons dried cherries, coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Directions
  1. Rub duck legs with 2 teaspoons salt. Place on rack set over sheet pan, and refrigerate, uncovered, overnight. (This step is very important because it allows the skin of the duck to dry out (form a pellicle), which allows the smoke flavor to adhere to the duck).
  2. Preheat oven to 275°. Create a smoking chamber: Line a roasting pan crosswise with several sheets of foil, overlapping each sheet by at least 2 inches. The bottoms and sides of pan should be completely covered in foil; at least 18 inches of excess foil should extend over long edges of the pan. Scatter bay leaf, flour, sugar, tea leaves, rice and 1 teaspoon rosemary on bottom of foil-lined pan. Heat pan on stovetop over high heat until rice starts to smoke, about 2 to 3 minutes; remove from heat. Place roasting pan rack on foil above smoking ingredients; place duck legs on rack. Fold foil up and over rack and duck; fold and crimp to seal tightly (this process is a little tricky, but don't worry about it being perfect -if you need to, press an extra sheet of foil across the top to make sure the smoking chamber is sealed tightly). Roast 2 hours or until internal temperature of duck reaches 165°. Remove meat from bone and pull meat; set aside.
  3. Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add tea bags and pasta and cook as label directs; drain. Discard tea bags.
  4. Meanwhile, in medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add shallot and mushrooms; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until mushrooms are deep golden brown, stirring frequently. Add cherries and remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon rosemary; cook 1 minute. Add cream; heat to simmering over medium heat. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until cream is reduced by half. Reduce heat to low; stir in lemon juice and pepper. Stir in duck; cook 2 minutes or until meat is heated through. Add pasta to saucepan and gently toss.
  5. Divide pasta mixture between warm pasta bowls; sprinkle with pistachios and parsley.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • savorthis
    savorthis
  • LeBec Fin
    LeBec Fin
  • aargersi
    aargersi
  • foxeslovelemons
    foxeslovelemons

6 Reviews

CG July 11, 2022
This looks awesome! Couple of questions….. do you think chicken thighs could be substituted for the duck (without the cherries perhaps). And what is the purpose of the rice in the smoking step? I’m assuming uncooked rice? It isn’t used further in the recipe I believe
 
savorthis February 23, 2015
Wow- this sounds decadently delicious.
 
LeBec F. February 22, 2015
fll, i have rarely seen a 52 recipe that has impressed me this much. I LOVE your textures and flavors- chewy, crunchy, creamy, and attention to color! And i love that you used and taught a user-friendly technique for the rewarding world of smoking foods. (I have always done my smoking in a wok but i really like your oven technique!) And i love that you cooked the noodles in tea- great thinking!
Can't wait to try this! Calling for the blue ribbon!
 
foxeslovelemons February 23, 2015
Thanks so much for your kind words, Le Bec Fin! I learned the oven smoking technique from one of my husband's co-workers JUST so I could make this recipe, and I'm so glad it paid off :)
 
aargersi February 12, 2013
holy crap this sounds ah-MAZE-ing!!!
 
foxeslovelemons February 12, 2013
haha, thank you!