From a tropical Jamaican dish to an entrée that fuses Mexican and Middle Eastern flavors, winning recipes in the 2016 “Strut Your Duck” Recipe Contest showcased the versatility of Maple Leaf Farms duck products. The annual contest challenges home cooks to create an original recipe that features Maple Leaf Farms duck and submit a photo of the plated dish as part of the entry.
This year, Merry Graham of Newhall, California, took the Grand Prize of $5,000 with her Crossed Cuisines Shakshuka with Duck Sausage and Duck Fat Toast. Duck sausage and jalapeno peppers provide an extra kick in this spicy spin on a traditional dish from Israel. As the Grand Prize winner, Merry will also receive free Maple Leaf Farms duck products for a year.
Sherri Williams of Crestview, Florida, earned the First Runner-Up award of $2,500 for her Jerk Duck and Mango Salsa Lotus Root Sliders recipe. The Second Runner-Up prize of $1,000 was claimed by Jill Gilber from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She created a Southern comfort food recipe of Duck Fat Seared Scallops Over Cheddar Duck Corn Grits.
All recipes with accompanying final dish photos were evaluated anonymously by a panel of judges from Maple Leaf Farms in two separate judging rounds. The Top 10 finalists’ recipes were prepared by staff chefs in the final round of judging, which focused on the taste of the prepared duck dish.
“We were impressed by the variety of ethnic cuisine influences this year in the recipes,” said Nora Macon-Rauen, director of consumer marketing for Maple Leaf Farms. “It’s always a treat to see the creativity of home cooks and the way they incorporate duck into new dishes.”
The full list of winners and finalists may be viewed on the contest website at www.duckrecipecontest.com.
About Maple Leaf Farms
Maple Leaf Farms, Inc. is America’s leading producer of quality duck products, supplying retail and foodservice markets throughout the world with innovative, value-added foods. Founded in 1958, Maple Leaf Farms is a fourth generation family-owned company. For more information, contact Maple Leaf Farms at 1-800-348-2812 or visit www.mapleleaffarms.com.
