Duck with roasted plum glaze and crushed swede
- Easy
- November 2023
- Serves 2
- Hands-on time 30 min
Duck and plums are a classic combination most often found in the famous Chinese dish, but here we’ve served them with wintry seasonal vegetables. The sharp and fruity plums contrast perfectly against rich, gamey duck, and a sprinkle of nutmeg in the swede gives the dish a slightly festive twist.
Next time: try roast duck breasts with honey, sesame, orange and celeriac.
- Calories
- 565kcals
- Fat
- 25g (11g saturated)
- Protein
- 53g
- Carbohydrates
- 26g (24g sugars)
- Fibre
- 9.1g
- Salt
- 1.3g
Ingredients
- 300g swede
- 130g sprouts
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 duck breasts
- 1 large plum, destoned and sliced into wedges
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 100ml chicken stock
- 25g butter
- ¼ tsp fresh nutmeg, finely grated
Method
- Heat the oven to 170ºC fan/gas 5. Peel and roughly dice the swede into about 2cm pieces. Cook in a pan of salted boiling water for 20 minutes or until soft. Halve the sprouts lengthways and discard any undesirable leaves. Toss with a little oil, salt and pepper in an oven tray, then roast in the oven for 15 minutes.
- Score the duck skin in 1cm lines, then put a frying pan over a medium heat and add the breasts skin-side down. Season the flesh with salt and pepper, then slowly cook until the fat has rendered out and the skin is even, crisp and golden. Once it is, flip the duck over and add the plum wedges, red wine vinegar, honey and 30ml of the chicken stock to the pan. Let the liquid bubble up to create a glaze and baste the duck with it for a minute. Transfer the duck (don’t wash the glaze pan) to the sprout tray and cook in the oven for 3-4 minutes for medium rare to medium, then leave to rest for 5 minutes before carving.
- Add the rest of the chicken stock to the glaze pan, stir, then leave to bubble and thicken into a gravy. Taste and season with plenty of salt and pepper, then turn the heat right down to keep warm. Drain the swede, then mash with the butter, nutmeg and some salt and pepper. Divide between two plates and top with the duck, sprouts, plums and gravy.
delicious. tips
Be a better cook: To test the doneness of the duck breast, gently squeeze the sides in between your fingers – it should be firm but still springy to the touch. If it’s still quite soft and squishy it’s not ready yet.
Easy swaps: If you’re not a fan of swede, celeriac makes an excellent switch.
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