James's Duck Avocado
3 x Ripe, but firm, avocados
1 qt Water
Juice of 1 lemon
The breast and thigh meat from a whole roasted duckling
6 med Oranges, peeled and segmented
Lettuce leaves
1/4 cup Chopped pecans or toasted sliced almonds
6 tbl Mayonnaise
2 tbl Frozen undiluted orange juice, defrosted
Parsley sprigs
Orange wedges (optional)
Method :
1. Peel the avocados, cut them in half, and immediately dip them in the water
with the lemon juice added to keep them from discoloring.
2. Be sure the duck meat is skinless and boneless. Cut it into bite-sized
pieces.
3. Mix the duck meat with the orange segments. Divide into six portions. Fill
the avocado halves, which have been placed on a platter lined with crisp lettuce
leaves, with the portions of meat and oranges.
4. Mix the concentrated juice with the mayonnaise and spoon this over each
stuffed avocado. Top each with the nuts. Decorate with parsley sprigs and orange
wedges.
CHEF'S SECRET: Always peel the avocado first and then cut it in half. This is
important, because if avocados are ripe enough to be eaten, the halves would be
mashed during the peeling process.
If you leave the pits in after halving the avocados and dipping them in the
lemon water, you can wrap the avocados in plastic wrap and keep them all day in
the refrigerator. They won't discolor.
You can give this dish an oriental flavor by mixing 1 tbs. soy sauce into the 6
tbs. mayonnaise, replacing the orange with canned tangerine segments, and
grinding some roasted sesame seeds over the dish. (The sesame seeds are
available in very bandy little plastic throw-away grinders in grocery stores
carrying oriental foods.)
When using the canned tangerine segments, you can greatly improve the taste by
pouring off the canned syrup, rinsing the segments quickly in cold water, then
transferring them to a plastic container.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over them and, if you like, add 1 or 2 tbs. brandy
and enough water to cover. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Makes 6 servings.