SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH ROASTED PLUMS

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH ROASTED PLUMS image

Categories Duck

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 33

Ingredients

Seared Duck Breast and Dry Rub
4 duck breasts
1 tbsp black pepper
zest of 1 orange
2 tsp crushed juniper berries
1/3 cup chopped parsley, about 1/2 bunch
1 tbsp thyme leaves
1 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 cup port
1 tbsp butter
Roasted Plums
4 large plums, halved and pits removed
2 tbsp sugar
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch salt
Roasted Celeriac
4 small bulbs celeriac
2 tbsp duck fat (reserved from rendering duck breasts) or olive oil
1 tbsp butter
2 sprigs thyme
salt and pepper to taste
Orange Relish
1 large orange
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
Frisee Salad
1 heads frisee, washed well and dark, tough outer leaves trimmed
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1 small shallot, finely minced
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil

Steps:

Seared Duck Breast and Dry Rub Score skin side of breast lightly. Combine black pepper, orange zest, juniper berries, parsley and thyme and pat firmly onto flesh side of duck breasts. Let marinate for 30 minutes (can also be used right away). Preheat oven to 400. Let duck breasts stand at room temperature for at least 10 minutes. Season generously on flesh side with coarse sea salt. Place duck skin side down in a large cold, oven proof skillet and cook slowly over medium heat until fat renders and skin becomes crispy and golden, about 7-8 minutes. Drain excess fat as needed; reserve 2 tbsp of duck fat for celeriac. Finnish cooking in oven about 4-5 minutes. Remove form heat and let rest at least 10 minutes in a warm place. Slice thinly against grain just before serving. Roasted Plums Preheat oven to 400. In medium bowl, toss to combine plums, sugar, salt, rosemary and olive oil. Arrange mixture in oven safe pan or shallow baking dish and roast until plums are soft and jammy, about 30 mins. Transfer plums to serving dish. Deglaze plum roasting pan with port and bring to simmer, reducing volume by half. Swirl in butter off heat and season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Roasted Celeriac Peel and cube celeriac into large bite sized pieces. Heat duck fat (or olive oil) in large oven-safe skillet. Sear celeriac until light golden on all sides; add butter and thyme sprigs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and roast in 400 oven until outside is golden and insides are tender, about 20 minutes. Orange Relish For orange relish, peel orange, avoiding white pith. Blanch peels briefly in boiling water; drain and chop roughly. Trim off and discard white pith from orange. Cut orange into small pieces and combine with chopped peel, sugar and white wine vinegar in a small pot. Simmer gently until liquid cooks down and relish becomes slightly syrupy, about 5-6 minutes; season with salt and pepper.