Herbal Smoked Duck Aglio Olio

My Herbal Smoked Duck Aglio Olio is adapted from Asian Food Channel's Cooking For Love. In the show, Chef Nik Michael Imran did a Smoked Duck Truffle Olio. Mine's of course without the truffles! Instead, I did my own adaptation by applying mixed herbs to the smoked duck. 

Talking about frozen smoked duck meat (yes...it's the vacuum packed type that we buy from supermarkets), I was excited when I first discovered them years ago. I thought they were godsend for the convenience, good taste and reasonable pricing. After eating the smoked duck "as-it-is" repeatedly, I got tired of it. It did not occur to me that the smoked duck meat could still be further prepared in various other ways. Here I am....rekindling my interest....

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Ingredients (enough for 2 pax) :

• 170 gm of spaghetti or angel hair
• 1 pc vacuum packed frozen smoked duck (available in supermarkets/markets)(thaw first)
• 1 cup mixed herbs (I use rosemary, basil and English parsley)
• 1 cup wild rocket leaves
• 4 Holland tomatoes (optional)
• 6 cloves of garlic (finely chopped or sliced)
• 1 onion  (finely chopped)
• 2 pcs chilli padi or 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp grounded black pepper 
• olive oil (I use extra light virgin olive oil)
• water to boil

(tsp = teaspoon; tbsp = tablespoon)    

Method :

Pre-heat oven at 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees fahrenheit). Meanwhile, place smoked duck meat on a steel rack.

Rub the skin portion with a pinch of salt and grounded black pepper.

Place mixed herbs on duck meat.

Heat duck meat in oven for 30 minutes at 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees fahrenheit).

Remove duck meat from oven when time's due. Discard roasted herbs and cut duck meat into thin slices. By then, you should see the duck skin being roasted whilst duck meat remains succulent. The smoked duck meat becomes more aromatic than its original form.

Boil water in a separate pot. Add few drops of olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt to water. The salt would add some flavour to the pasta and olive oil would prevent the pasta from sticking together when boil.

Toss in dry pasta when water hits boiling point. Allow pasta to boil till softened.

Drain pasta after boil. Add a little olive oil and give it a toss so that they would not stick together.

Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in skillet.

Add finely chopped onions, garlic and chilli padi and saute.

Fold in pasta. Add 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 grounded black pepper and toss evenly. You may add 3 to 4 tbsp water if you find the pasta a tad too dry. Ensure aromatic ingredients are evenly distributed. Transfer to serving plate when ready.

Assemble pasta with smoked duck slices, wild rocket leaves (my garden fresh harvest from home) and tomatoes (optional). Sprinkle more grounded black pepper and top with more chilli flakes or chilli padi.

This dish brings my boring smoked duck meat to another level.