Served up with a creamy parsnip and potato purée
Crispy skin duck breast is one of my favourite things to cook and eat. Because of its richness, I only cook it a few times a year, but when I do, I savour its rich, slightly gamey flavour. When cooked to perfection, duck breast should retain some pinkness in the centre, and a good quality breast will cut like butter when cooked well and rested a while.
Duck pairs well with different fruit, so you can make gently spiced compotes with what’s in season. I have paired duck with cherries cooked in port and blueberries cooked down with a little cassis. And of course, orange is the classic French pairing, so duck a l’orange … yum.
Spices that blend well with fruity sauces to serve with crispy skin duck include:
- Star anise
- Clove
- Allspice
- Cinnamon stick
- Fresh grated ginger
This full meal recipe also consists of a smooth and creamy parsnip and potato purée, which adds a sweet creaminess to the whole dish. I’ve included the recipe below, but it’s entirely up to you whether you include this or decide to do something completely different. Thinking of that, this would pair well with:
- Roast potatoes
- Potato gratin
- Charred broccolini
- Honeyed carrots
… just to name a few.
But enough talk. Without further ado, let’s get cooking!
Delicious crispy skin duck with spiced plum compote
2-4
servings30
minutes40
minutesYou will need
2 duck breasts
Salt and pepper to season the duc
Five spice powder (optional)
- For the plums
1 shallot, finely chopped (about 40 grams chopped)
1 tablespoon olive oil
300g plums, stoned and cut into eights
50ml red wine or port
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons good quality honey
100ml chicken stock
2 star anise
1/2 cinnamon stick
pinch allspice
salt and pepper
- For the parsnip and potato purée
200 grams peeled, sliced parsnip
120 grams floury potato peeled and cut into pieces
100ml milk or cream – or half/half
a sprig or two of thyme
1 bay leaf
6 peppercorns
1 generous teaspoon of butter
salt and pepper, to season
Here’s what to do
- Cook the duck
- Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and sprinkle with five spice powder if using. Score the skin diagonally across the breast, being careful not to cut into the meat. This will help the fat render out and give you a much leaner finish.
- Place skin side down in a cold, heavy based pan and place onto a hotplate set on low-medium. Watch it as it heats up and adjust the heat when it starts to sizzle to make sure it doesn’t burn.
- You’ll leave it like this for most of the cooking process – about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the breast. Keep an eye on it to make sure it’s not burning and drain the excess fat off occasionally through the cooking process if you wish. Cook until it’s still a little pink in the middle.
- Just before the duck has finished cooking, flip to sear the flesh side of the duck if it needs it, then flip again to re-crisp. Transfer to a plate and let rest in a warm (not hot) place.
- Make the plum compote
- Heat the olive oil in a non-reactive pan and add the shallot. Gently fry until it’s soft, but not browned.
- Add the plums and honey and bring to a simmer, before pouring in the wine and stock. Add the spices, season with salt and pepper and simmer, semi-covered, until the sauce is jammy and thickened, but the plums are still holding their shape.
- Remove from the heat and set aside until ready.
- Make the parsnip purée
- Place the parsnips into one pan and the potatoes in another and cover both with cold, salted water. Bring to the boil. They will be cooked at different times. When cooked, drain the water and let dry then place in the one pan.
- Bring the cream/milk and herbs to just below boiling point and remove from the heat. Set aside for the flavours to infuse, then remove or strain out the herbs.
- Transfer the parsnip and potato to a small food processor and whizz up until smooth. Add the butter, then start adding the milk a little at a time. You may not need it all – just stop when it’s a good consistency suitable for spooning onto a plate but don’t let it become too liquid. If you don’t have a food processor, you can also use a stick mixer.
- If you want to get really cheffy, pass through a sieve for a super smooth finish.
- To plate up
- Spoon some of the purée onto a plate and top with sliced duck breast.
- Arrange plum quarters to the side and drizzle some of the juice over.
- Serve with some greens on the side.
