Seared Duck with Oranges and Cauliflower Purée
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
Up the ante at you next dinner party with this stunning dish.
Ingredients
Oranges
6 oranges, peeled (blood oranges if you can find)
100 g light brown sugar
pinch of salt and white pepper
olive oil to drizzle
Cauliflower Purée
2 medium heads of cauliflower, rinsed and roughly chopped
100 g butter
50 ml milk
2–3 drops of truffle oil
grated nutmeg to taste (or a dusting of dried nutmeg)
Duck & Red Wine Reduction
6 duck breasts
salt and white pepper to taste
2 tsp (10 ml) fresh thyme, finely chopped
200 ml quality red wine
1 clove of garlic, bruised
Instructions
Oranges
Preheat the oven to 200 ºC.
Cut the peeled oranges in half and place into a small, deep roasting tray. Sprinkle with the sugar, white pepper, salt and olive oil and roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes until soft and slightly shrivelled.
Cauliflower Purée
Place the cauliflower into a saucepan and add enough water to cover. Cook over medium heat for 25-30 minutes until soft. Drain the extra water and then add the butter, milk, truffle oil and seasoning and blend until smooth. Add little more milk to make a smooth soft purée.
Duck & Red Wine Reduction
Score the duck breasts and season with salt, pepper and thyme. Heat a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and cook the duck breast, skin side down, for 8-10 minutes until the fat is crisp. Turn and cook for a further 4-5 minutes.
Remove the duck and set aside to rest for 10 minutes. Pour the fat out of the pan and into a dish and set aside.
Deglaze the pan with the red wine and add the clove of garlic and simmer to reduce the liquid by half. Add a tablespoon of the reserved duck fat, remove the garlic clove and blend the mix with a stick blender to emulsify the wine reduction.
Cut the duck into slices and serve on the cauliflower purée with the oranges and a spoonful of the red wine glaze.
Notes
Two handy tips to remember when making this recipe:
– Cook the duck on the fat side first and sear on the other.
– Be sure to rest the duck for 10 minutes before slicing.
