This duck dish is a supremely comforting recipe, complete with chicory and a creamy potato dauphinoise.

Prep Time

    •    Prep time: 10 minutes
    •    Cook time: 90 minutes
    •    Yield: Serves 2

Ingredients

For Pan-Roasted Duck Breast:

    •    salt
    •    pepper
    •    2 x duck breasts

For Potato Dauphinoise:

    •    salt
    •    pepper
    •    300ml of whole milk
    •    1 garlic clove, minced
    •    200ml of double cream
    •    2 pinches of grated nutmeg
    •    400g of Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

For Caramelised Chicory:

    •    caster sugar
    •    50g of butter
    •    25ml of soy sauce
    •    100ml of orange juice
    •    2 heads of white chicory

For Red Wine Sauce:

    •    1 bay leaf
    •    vegetable oil
    •    100ml of port
    •    20ml of red wine
    •    1 carrot, thinly sliced
    •    1 shallot, thinly sliced
    •    1 sprig of fresh thyme
    •    1 sprig fresh rosemary
    •    1 garlic clove, crushed
    •    50ml of red wine vinegar
    •    1 celery stick, thinly sliced
    •    1 leek, white only, thinly slice
    •    500ml of brown chicken stock

Method

1. To prepare the potato dauphinoise, finely slice the potatoes using a mandolin and set aside in water until required.
2. Combine the cream, milk, nutmeg, garlic and a pinch of salt and pepper in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Once boiling, remove from the heat and set aside.
3. Strain the water off the potatoes and layer inside a small oven dish lined with baking paper, being sure to overlap each layer as you go.
4. Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas mark 3. Pour enough of the cream mixture over the potatoes to cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes or until slightly golden on top and tender through the middle.
5. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Weigh down with butter, cheese or any other heavy square object and set aside in the fridge to press for up to 12 hours.
6. For the red wine sauce, place a medium sized pot onto a high heat and add enough vegetable oil to coat the base of the pan. As soon as the pan begins to smoke, add the shallots, carrots, leek, garlic and celery.
7. Cook until the vegetables reach a dark golden brown colour. Add the thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, port, wine and vinegar, turn down to a simmer and reduce until almost dry.
8. Add the brown chicken stock and reduce again by half. Remove from the heat, strain through a fine sieve into another pan and set aside until required.
9. For the chicory, remove any damaged outer leaves and cut in half lengthways. Sprinkle with a little caster sugar and caramelise in a hot frying pan, cut side down, until golden brown.
10. Add the soy sauce, orange juice and butter. Cover the pan with a lid or circle of greaseproof paper and cook for 5-6 minutes until tender. Be sure to baste the chicory with the cooking liquid regularly.
11. Meanwhile, season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, in a cold frying pan. Place on the heat and slowly bring the temperature up from cold, which will help the fat to render and mean the breasts cook more evenly.
12. Continue to cook until golden brown, then turn the breast over and leave on the heat for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and let the duck rest in the pan for 15 minutes - this will slowly finish off cooking the breast and allow it to rest at the same time.
13. Reheat the red wine sauce on the hob and place the dauphinoise and chicory in the oven to heat through. Slice the duck breast to your liking and arrange onto plates with a slice of the dauphinoise and 1 half of the chicory. Drizzle the plate with the sauce and serve immediately.

This great family recipe is thanks to Gressingham Duck at https://www.gressinghamduck.co.uk/recipes/duck-breast-potato-dauphinoise-caramelised-chicory/