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Pan-seared duck breast with potato fondant and port and madeira sauce

Treat someone special to this pan-seared duck breast dish from Adam Tomlinson
Old Mill Bistro

Adam Tomlinson, head chef at Old Mill Bistro in north Cornwall, shares his recipe for pan-seared duck breast with potato fondant and port and madeira sauce

www.oldmillbistro.co.uk

Serves    2
Oven temp    185°c / gas 5

For the pan-seared duck

  • Cornish duck breasts 2

For the potato fondant

  • Maris Piper potatoes 2 large, peeled
  • Salted butter 150g
  • Garlic 2 cloves, crushed
  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Rosemary 3 sprigs

For the sauce

  • Ruby port 375ml
  • Madeira wine 100ml
  • Chicken stock 75ml

To serve

  • Green veg
  • Apricot puree

  1. For the pan-seared duck: preheat the oven to 185°c / gas 5. Score the skin of the duck and place skin-side down in a large non-stick frying pan. Sear over a low-medium heat and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Continue to cook until the skin becomes golden and crispy at the edges, then carefully drain the fat into a bowl and set aside. Transfer the duck into the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes for a medium-rare finish. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  3. For the potatoes: remove the top and bottom from each potato so that they form cylinders with two flat sides. Heat the duck fat in a non-stick pan with the potatoes. Add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary – once melted, the butter should almost cover the potatoes.
  4. Turn the potatoes every 5 minutes until they are golden brown. Transfer the potatoes into the oven for a further 10 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
  5. For the sauce: place the port and madeira in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Add the stock and reduce again by half. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready.
  6. To serve: spoon the sauce onto the middle of a plate and place the fondant on top. Slice the duck breasts in half lengthways and place on top of the fondant. Garnish with green veg and a dollop of apricot puree.

Supported by

FOOD Magazine issue 187

You will need

For the pan-seared duck

  • Cornish duck breasts 2

For the potato fondant

  • Maris Piper potatoes 2 large, peeled
  • Salted butter 150g
  • Garlic 2 cloves, crushed
  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Rosemary 3 sprigs

For the sauce

  • Ruby port 375ml
  • Madeira wine 100ml
  • Chicken stock 75ml

To serve

  • Green veg
  • Apricot puree

Method

  1. For the pan-seared duck: preheat the oven to 185°c / gas 5. Score the skin of the duck and place skin-side down in a large non-stick frying pan. Sear over a low-medium heat and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Continue to cook until the skin becomes golden and crispy at the edges, then carefully drain the fat into a bowl and set aside. Transfer the duck into the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes for a medium-rare finish. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  3. For the potatoes: remove the top and bottom from each potato so that they form cylinders with two flat sides. Heat the duck fat in a non-stick pan with the potatoes. Add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary – once melted, the butter should almost cover the potatoes.
  4. Turn the potatoes every 5 minutes until they are golden brown. Transfer the potatoes into the oven for a further 10 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
  5. For the sauce: place the port and madeira in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Add the stock and reduce again by half. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready.
  6. To serve: spoon the sauce onto the middle of a plate and place the fondant on top. Slice the duck breasts in half lengthways and place on top of the fondant. Garnish with green veg and a dollop of apricot puree.
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For the pan-seared duck

  • Cornish duck breasts 2

For the potato fondant

  • Maris Piper potatoes 2 large, peeled
  • Salted butter 150g
  • Garlic 2 cloves, crushed
  • Thyme 3 sprigs
  • Rosemary 3 sprigs

For the sauce

  • Ruby port 375ml
  • Madeira wine 100ml
  • Chicken stock 75ml

To serve

  • Green veg
  • Apricot puree

  1. For the pan-seared duck: preheat the oven to 185°c / gas 5. Score the skin of the duck and place skin-side down in a large non-stick frying pan. Sear over a low-medium heat and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Continue to cook until the skin becomes golden and crispy at the edges, then carefully drain the fat into a bowl and set aside. Transfer the duck into the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes for a medium-rare finish. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
  3. For the potatoes: remove the top and bottom from each potato so that they form cylinders with two flat sides. Heat the duck fat in a non-stick pan with the potatoes. Add the butter, garlic, thyme and rosemary – once melted, the butter should almost cover the potatoes.
  4. Turn the potatoes every 5 minutes until they are golden brown. Transfer the potatoes into the oven for a further 10 minutes until crispy on the outside and soft in the middle.
  5. For the sauce: place the port and madeira in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half. Add the stock and reduce again by half. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon when it’s ready.
  6. To serve: spoon the sauce onto the middle of a plate and place the fondant on top. Slice the duck breasts in half lengthways and place on top of the fondant. Garnish with green veg and a dollop of apricot puree.

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