DUCK SOURS

Tart, fruity flavours work

beautifully alongside duck. Cooking the bird rare but resting it a while

in the fruity, gingery juices makes this dish an

especially succulent and worthwhile one to master. You’ll need a bit of time to

sort the pommes Anna (sliced potatoes cooked in butter), but really, while

this recipe sounds flash

and restaurant-y, it’s a pushover to make. The

method given for the pommes Anna is slightly cheaty – assembling them, then cooking them in the oven rather than all the

way on the stovetop is easier, trust me. Be sure to

get a good, even scoring on the duck fat. This way, the duck breast will cook evenly, and also look

attractive.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 55 minutes,

plus 5 minutes resting time

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

For the pommes Anna 600g small, waxy new potatoes (such as Charlotte), cut into 2mm slices and put

into cold water 50g melted unsalted butter or

duck fat

½ tbsp thyme leaves

For the duck 2 duck breasts 2 tbsp finely chopped stem

ginger

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 tbsp runny honey 80g blackcurrant jam 1 tbsp red wine vinegar, plus

more for the watercress

To serve

A few handfuls of watercress Walnut or hazelnut oil

Flaky salt

METHOD

h Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°C fan/

gas mark 5. h Line a baking tray with some baking paper. Start

with the pommes Anna. Drain the potatoes from the water and pat very dry,

then coat in the butter or duck fat, sprinkle with the thyme leaves and season

with salt and pepper. h Using the potato slices, make a circle of potatoes on the tray, add another, slightly smaller circular

layer on a different rotation. Build up a further four layers, each slightly smaller and each

on a slightly different rotation, so that the slices roughly look like the

petals of a flower. Bake for 30-35 minutes,

until the potatoes are golden brown at the edges

and tender.

h Using a sharp knife, score the fat side of the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern all over. Season well with salt

and pepper. Place the breasts, skin-sides

downward, in a cold, oven-safe or cast-iron

frying pan.

h Place the pan over a moderate heat and cook

for about 8 minutes, or until much of the fat has

rendered and the skin is crisp and brown all over. Turn over the duck breasts and transfer the pan to the

oven. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until rare in

the middle (a meat thermometer should read

about 55–60C). Transfer the duck breasts, keeping

the fat in the pan for the time being, to a plate and

rub all over with the chopped stem ginger. Rest somewhere warm, while you prepare

the sauce.

h From the pan, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the

duck fat. Place the pan over a moderate heat and

add the shallot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring

briskly, then add the honey, blackcurrant jam

and, finally, the vinegar. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally,

until the mixture has reduced to a bubbling,

syrupy consistency. Season well with salt

and pepper.

h Return the duck breasts

to the pan, skin-sides downward, reducing the

heat to medium-low. Spoon or brush the sauce over the breasts to coat

evenly. Turn the duck breasts skin-sides upward, spooning the sauce over the top of the breasts for

about 30 seconds, then remove from the heat. Let the duck breasts rest for a final 5 minutes in the pan

before slicing.

h While the duck is resting, dress the watercress leaves with walnut oil and some red wine

vinegar, to taste.

h Sprinkle with flaky salt. Serve the duck with the sauce from the pan, the pommes Anna and the

dressed watercress.

h

Recipe from Home Cookery Year by Claire Thomson (Quadrille, £30)