Crispy Duck Breast with Redcurrants and Roast Pumpkin METHOD
SERVES 2 INGREDIENTS
1 small pumpkin, peeled and deseeded
1 tsp paprika, preferably smoked
4 tbsp rapeseed oil
4 tbsp birch syrup or maple syrup
2 duck breasts
Salt and black pepper
Handful of pumpkin seeds
Handful of redcurrants
METHOD
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Thinly slice the pumpkin and place on a baking tray, spreading out the slices so they will crisp up a little in the oven. Sprinkle over the paprika and season with salt and pepper, then drizzle with the rapeseed oil and birch or maple 2 syrup. Put into the oven to roast. When the pumpkin has been in the oven for 30 minutes, make a start on the duck. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck breast, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Season the duck with salt and pepper, 3 rubbing it in well.
Place a heavy-based frying pan over a medium-high heat and, when it’s hot, lay in the duck breasts, skin-side down – you won’t need any oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the skin is crisp and the fat has rendered into the pan, then turn and fry for
4 just 20 seconds on the other side. Remove the pumpkin from the oven and sit the duck breasts on top, then scatter over the pumpkin seeds and redcurrants. Roast for 10-15 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender and well-browned and the 5 duck is cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven, cover with foil and let it rest for 5 minutes. To serve, transfer the duck breasts to a clean chopping board and slice. Spoon the pumpkin, redcurrants and pumpkin seeds onto individual plates, then top with the sliced duck breasts.
1
Preheat the oven to 180°C and lightly
2 grease a 20cm springform cake pan. Blend the butter and sugar in a food processor until pale and fluffy then, with the machine running, start alternately adding the eggs and cheese, bit by bit. When all the eggs and cheese are incorporated, add the pumpkin puree, cornflour, vanilla and spices and pulse to combine. Scrape the cheesecake 3 mixture into the pan.
Half-fill a heatproof bowl with water and place in the bottom of the oven. Slide the cheesecake onto the middle shelf and cook for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 160°C and cook for 1¼ hours or until barely set. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool. 4
Meanwhile, to make the pumpkin topping, melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat and fry the slivers of pumpkin with the salt, sugar and spices until caramelised 5
– 15 minutes should do it. Set aside to cool. For the chocolate sauce, melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Stir in the butter to make a smooth, glossy sauce. Allow mixture to cool 6 slightly before using.
When the cheesecake and topping are both completely cool, carefully unmould the cheesecake and transfer to a serving plate, then top with the caramelised pumpkin and drizzle over the chocolate sauce. If you’re lucky enough to have any leftover cheesecake, it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
1
In a bowl, cover the buckwheat with water and leave 2 to soak for at least a couple of hours, or overnight. For the stock, place the whole carrots, parsnips, leek, celeriac, allspice berries and about a teaspoon of salt in a large saucepan. Add the water and bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 40 minutes. Remove the vegetables with a slotted spoon. 3
Slice the carrot and discard (or compost) the rest. Now add the crushed garlic to the pan, together with the potatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes before adding the fermented wild garlic and cooking for another 5 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft but
4 not falling apart.
Squeeze in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Finally, add the drained buckwheat, turn off the heat and let the soup stand for 5 minutes – the buckwheat in the soup is supposed to still be a bit crunchy. Scatter the spring onions and serve.