Recipe of the month: pan-fried duck with autumn vegetables

PUBLISHED: 16:23 17 August 2014 | UPDATED: 16:35 17 August 2014

Sarah Sturt

Duck with autumn vegetables

Archant

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

2 duck breasts, skin on

4 baby turnips

4 baby beetroot

4 candy beetroot

100g Shimeji mushrooms

One onion

One butternut squash, head part only

400ml milk

Salt and pepper

For the jus:

100ml port

100ml red wine

50g butter

METHOD:

1. Trim and peel the turnips and beetroot. Place in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer until tender.

2. Drain and place straight into a bowl of iced water to cool.

3. Peel and finely dice the butternut squash. Place in a saucepan and pour over half the milk, just enough to cover. Bring to the boil and simmer until soft. Add salt and pepper. Puree with a hand blender.

4. Repeat the same process with the onion and remaining milk, so that you have two purees, one onion and one butternut squash. Keep warm.

5. To make the jus, put the port and wine in a saucepan and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half.

6. Add the butter and whisk into a glossy sauce.

7. Place the duck breasts, skin side down in a cold frying pan and turn on the heat. Cook for about 10 minutes until you have crispy skin, pouring off the fat at regular intervals. Turn over and cook until the meat has just coloured, approx.5-7 mins. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.

8. Add a knob of butter to a frying pan and stir fry the baby turnip and beetroot with the mushrooms until warm and the mushrooms are cooked.

9. To serve: Slice the duck breast into thick pieces and place on a plate surrounded by the vegetables. Decorate the plate with the onion and butternut squash purees. Pour over the port and wine jus just before serving.

Tom’s tip: No need to add oil to the pan when frying the duck and always start it off in a cold pan to create a crispy skin.