Cured Duck with Braised Red Cabbage and Asparagus

Ingredients

• 1 whole duck, backbone and wing joints removed, cut in half through breast plate
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 cups salt
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon rosemary
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 head purple cabbage
• 3 jalapeno peppers, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 spears asparagus, cut on the bias in 2-inch pieces
• 1 sprig rosemary

Directions

Combine sugar, salt, garlic, rosemary and thyme and cover the duck evenly. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F. Place cured duck in a roasting pan and cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or until leg bone twists free with ease. Let duck cool, de-bone and julienne meat. Thinly slice the cabbage. In a pot add cabbage, jalapeno peppers, 1/2 cup red wine vinegar, dry mustard, black pepper, salt, celery salt and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a simmer, turning and stirring often for 20 minutes.

Blanch the asparagus in boiling water until tender and immediately shock in ice water bath. Reheat the duck, cabbage and asparagus and plate. Garnish with rosemary and sprig.