Roast duck breast with mini roast potatoes, turnips, beetroot and carrot purée
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 duck breasts
Sea salt
3 tablespoons duck or goose fat
2 small garlic cloves, peeled and finely crushed
4 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12–16 mini potatoes, rinsed
4 small golden beetroot
4 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
8 baby turnips
200ml duck jus
2 tablespoons olive oil
Method
For the roast potatoes and beetroot:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
2. Melt the duck fat in a saucepan, then add the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
3. Take the pan off the heat. Place the potatoes in a roasting tray, pour over the duck fat mixture and toss to coat.
4. Roast the potatoes in the hot oven for about 45–60 minutes, until they are golden brown and cooked through.
5. Roast the golden beetroot on a baking tray in the same oven, for around 25 minutes or until soft.
6. Remove the beetroot and allow to cool before removing the skin. Cut each beetroot into 4 or 5 pieces and set aside.
For the carrot puree and turnips:
1. Put the carrots into a pan and pour in enough cold water to cover. Add a generous pinch of salt to the pan then bring the water to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the carrots for about 15–20 minutes until soft.
2. Drain the carrots, reserving a little of the cooking water, and tip them into a food processor. Blend to a smooth purée, adding a tiny splash of cooking water if necessary.
3. Pass the puree through a fine sieve into a bowl. Cover with cling film and refrigerate if making in advance.
4. Wash the turnips well and place in boiling salted water for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain and set aside until needed.
For the duck:
1. Lower the oven temperature to 190°C.
2. Score the skin of the duck breasts then season well with salt and pepper. Put the breasts, skin side down, in a cold ovenproof pan then place the pan over a very low heat.
3. Gently cook the breasts for about 8 minutes until the fat beneath the skins has been rendered and the skins are golden brown and crisp. Flip the duck breasts over to cook the flesh side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.
4. Place the pan into the hot oven to finish off cooking. Roast for about 3–4 minutes or until the breasts are cooked to medium-rare. They should feel slightly springy when pressed. Remove the pan from the oven and rest the breasts for 4–5 minutes.
To bring it all together:
1. Heat the duck jus in a small pan. Reheat both the turnips and the beetroot in separate pans with a little olive oil. Gently reheat the carrot puree in a small pan.
2. Slice the duck breasts. Place spoonfuls of carrot purée on plates and top with duck slices.
3. Arrange the roast potatoes, beetroot and turnips around them and spoon over the duck jus.
