Duck with berry and port sauce (serves 4)

Ingredients

  • 4 duck breasts, skin on
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 800g medium potatoes, peeled and chopped in quarters
  • 25g of butter
  • 2 tablespoons of créme fraiche
  • Salt and pepper
  • 200ml port
  • 200ml chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp of thyme leaves
  • 2 tablespoons of redcurrant sauce
  • 100g of fresh cherries
  • 20g of cubed butter
  • 2 pak choi bulbs, leaves separated and washed
  • Olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce

Method
• Leave the cherries to soak in half the port.
• Cook the potatoes in some salted water until they are tender and then drain.
• Pat them with a kitchen towel to remove any excess moisture and place in a food processor with the butter, créme fraiche and some seasoning. Mix until smooth and creamy.
• Make a couple of slits in the skin and then rub in some seasoning into the duck and then place it into a large frying pan over medium heat with their skins down.
• Fry for approximately 4 to 5 minutes until the skin is golden brown and then turn them over to brown them on the other side. Remove the duck breasts from the pan and keep them warm.
• Remove any of the excess fat from the pan and then pour in the cherries and port. Maintain the heat and cook for approximately 30 minutes. Then re-add the duck, thyme and the chicken stock and bring to the boil.
• Once is has boiled turn the heat down so it simmers and then leave so that the liquid reduces and thickens. Carefully turn the duck over a couple of times so that it continues to cook evenly.
• Stir in the butter until it is melted, this will create a rich sauce. Remove the pan from the heat and remove the duck to rest for a few minutes.
• Add the chopped garlic, olive oil, soy sauce and a little seasoning to a mixing bowl and then stir in the pak choi leaves. Heat a little oil in a pan and then fry the pak choi with its dressing for a few minutes until it is slightly softened but not overcooked.
• Serve the pak choi with the mashed potato, the duck placed on top and the port sauce drizzled over.

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