GRESSINGHAM DUCK BREAST WITH RHUBARB SAUCE

Gressingham Duck Breast with Rhubarb Sauce image

Categories Duck Roast Vanilla Red Wine Spring Rhubarb Anise Cinnamon

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 18

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Ingredients

2 Gressingham ducks
salt and pepper
mild olive oil, for frying
For the rhubarb sauce
285 ml (1/2 pint) red wine
6 sticks forced rhubarb, cut into 1.5 cm (1/2 inch) chunks
55 g (2 ounces) caster (superfine) sugar
1 vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways and seeds scraped out
4 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
140 ml (1/4 pint) reduced duck stock
For the reduced duck stock
Mild olive oil, for frying
4 large carrots, roughly cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) dice
2 celery sticks, roughly cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) dice
2 large Spanish onions, roughly cut into 2.5 cm (1 inch) dice
3 cloves garlic, chopped
4 litres (8 pints) water

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F / gas mark 4. With a sharp knife, cut the breasts and legs from the ducks. Keep the legs for another dish.
2. Put the carcasses in a roasting tin and cook in the oven for 1 - 1 1/2 hours, until brown. Remove the browned carcasses.
3. Put the roasting tin containing the meat juices over a medium heat and stir in the red wine for the rhubarb sauce. Bring to a boil and reduce until the liquid is syrupy.
4. To make the duck stock, heat a little olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and fry the carrots and celery until light brown. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until golden brown, then add the duck carcasses and cover with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface.
5. Strain the stock into a clean saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
6. Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F / gas mark 6. Season the duck breasts. Heat a little olive oil in a very hot frying pan and quickly sear the breasts until golden on both sides, then roast in the hot oven for approximately 10 minutes. Rest the meat for 5 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, to make the rhubarb sauce, poach the rhubarb in 565ml (1 pint) water with the sugar, vanilla seeds, star anise and cinnamon until the rhubarb is tender but still chunky. Remove the whole spices and gently stir in 140ml (1/4 pint) reduced duck stock and the red wine reduction.
8. Thinly slice the duck breasts and spoon around the rhubarb sauce.