French Food Safari by Maeve O’Meara & Guillaume Brahimi

Author:Maeve O’Meara & Guillaume Brahimi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
Published: 2012-11-22T05:00:00+00:00

PAN-ROASTED DUCK BREAST,

CONFIT DUCK LEG, KALE,

AND CHERRY JUS

from Michael Smith

This classic dish from French-trained chef Michael Smith brings together the rich flavour of duck with the acidic complement of a fresh cherry sauce. Duck confit usually involves overnight salting, but Michael’s recipe is a quick version that can be prepared all in the same day. His method for pan-roasting the duck breast is also cleverly simple.

Serves 4

10 black peppercorns

2 juniper berries

2 garlic cloves

1 bay leaf

4 thyme sprigs

grated zest of 1 lemon

100 g rock salt

4 duck marylands

800 ml duck fat

3 duck breasts

1 bunch kale or silverbeet, stalks removed

extra-virgin olive oil

100 ml Veal Jus

12 cherries, halved and pitted

Crush the peppercorns and juniper berries in a mortar, then add the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and lemon zest and crush again, releasing the flavour from the herbs. Stir in the rock salt without crushing it.

Lay the duck legs flat in a baking dish (small enough so they fit snugly) and cover with the salt mixture. Place in the refrigerator and leave salting for 1–1½ hours.

Preheat the oven to 130°C. Wash the salt from the duck legs and pat dry. Wash and dry the baking dish and return the legs to it. Heat the duck fat in a saucepan until hot, then pour it over the legs. Bake the legs in the oven for 1–1½ hours, or until the meat can be pulled easily from the bone.

When the duck legs are cooked, take them out of the fat and place on a warmed plate. Cover with foil to keep warm while you cook the remaining components.

Heat a frying pan over low heat. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper, then place skin-side down in the pan without oil. Cook gently for about 15 minutes, until the skin is golden brown. Fat will render out as the duck cooks. Turn the heat up to medium, turn the breasts over, and cook the flesh side for 1–2 minutes, until the meat is springy to touch (indicating that it should still be a little pink inside). Transfer the breasts to a warmed plate and leave to rest for 4–5 minutes.

While the breasts are cooking, bring a saucepan of water to the boil. Once boiling, add the kale or silverbeet and blanch for 10 seconds. Drain, then put in a bowl, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.

Warm the veal jus in a small saucepan and add the cherries to heat through. Slice the duck breasts.

To serve, divide the kale or silverbeet between 4 plates. Place a confit duck leg on top, and some slices of duck breast alongside. Pour over the cherry jus.

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