Pan Seared Duck Breast with Roasted Beetroot & Red Wine Glaze
Ingredients
4 Duck Breast
Sea Salt
Olive Oil
2 Bunches Baby Beetroot
1 Bulb Garlic
½ Brown Onion, finely chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Plain Flour
1 Cup Red Wine
2 Cups Beef Stock
150 gm Butter
600 gm white Potatoes
100 ml Rich Cream
50 gm Butter
1 Bulb Garlic
½ Bunch Thyme
Method
To prepare the duck breasts, remove from the packaging and pat dry with paper towel. Score the skin with a very sharp knife at half centimetre intervals, sprinkle with sea salt (Allow the duck breasts to come to room temperature before cooking)
Preheat oven to 180℃, remove the tops of the beetroot leaving about 2 centimetres of the stalks, wash well. Drizzle the beetroots and garlic bulb (for the mashed potatoes) with olive oil and season with sea salt, place on a tray lined with baking paper, add some of the thyme sprigs and cover with foil, roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from oven allow to cool slightly and then gently slip the skins off, keep warm.
To prepare the potatoes, peel and cut the potatoes into pieces, cover with cold water and season with sea salt. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are very tender, drain well, add the roasted garlic. Mash the potatoes with a masher, add the butter and cream and combine well, taste and season with sea salt.
To cook the duck breasts, heat a frypan over a medium heat. Once the pan is hot place the duck breasts skin side down in the pan, reduce the heat slightly and allow to cook until the fat has rendered and the skin is crispy and golden, approximately 10 minutes. Turn the duck breasts and cook for a further 3-4 minutes on the breast side. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
To make the sauce, wipe the oil from the pan with paper towel, add half of the butter to the pan with the onions, garlic and a few thyme sprigs allow to cook until soft and fragrant, stir in the flour.
Add the red wine to the pan & flame off the alcohol. Add the beef stock and simmer the sauce until reduced by half, stir in the remaining butter. Taste, season with sea salt & black pepper, strain.
To serve, place some of the mash on each plate, slice the duck breasts in halves and arrange on the plates, add the beetroot, garnish with extra thyme sprigs and serve with the red wine glaze.