Braised Duck Breast, Apple Purée, Broccolini, Port Reduction

Introduction

I was young when I first tasted a version of this dish. My mother made it and, for some reason I’ve forgotten, brought it to my bedroom. There I was, in pyjamas and slippers, with an old tray on the desk, not knowing I had fine dining in front of me. Yet as soon as I ate it, I felt its elegance at once—and never forgot it. Truth is, I still eat it in pyjamas and slippers while watching my trash TV at the desk.

Instructions

For the braised duck:

1. Score the fatty skin of the duck on the diagonal, careful not to cut through to the meat. Then score the other way to form a cross-hatch.

2. Spread a mound of salt on a plate and lay the breast on it, skin side down. Chill for 1 hour with a weight on top.

3. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Remove the duck from the fridge and brush off excess salt.

4. Place the duck skin side down in a cold ovenproof frying pan. Season the flesh with pepper.

5. Heat the pan on the hob over medium-low so the fat renders. Press the duck with a spatula to help it release. Spoon off the fat as it collects and reserve it.

6. After 15–20 minutes, turn the duck skin side up and roast in the oven for 10 minutes.

7. Rest the duck 10 minutes while you finish the other components.

For the apple purée:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Peel and core the apples with a corer and arrange in an oven dish.

2. Sprinkle with fleur de sel, sugar, pepper and milk. Roast for 25 minutes or until tender.

3. Blitz the peeled apples with knobs of butter until smooth.

4. Pass through a sieve for a lump-free purée.

For the sautéed broccolini:

1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the broccolini (without the thickest part of the stalk) and blanch 1 minute. Transfer immediately to iced water. Reserve the blanching water.

2. Heat a pan with the reserved duck fat. Slice the shallot and garlic. Add the shallot and sweat with a little fleur de sel, then add the garlic.

3. Add the broccolini and sauté. Add a drizzle of olive oil if needed.

4. Add generous splashes of vinegar and reduce for a couple of minutes. Adjust salt and pepper.

For the vegetable stock:

1. Add the vegetable trimmings to the broccolini blanching water and simmer 20 minutes.

For the Port reduction:

1. In a frying pan, combine the Port, ½ cup vegetable stock and thyme. Reduce by three quarters over gentle heat. Whisk in the butter until emulsified.

To serve:

1. Spoon a generous dollop of purée onto the plate and swipe with the back of a spoon.

2. Slice the duck thinly on the diagonal and arrange along the purée.

3. A little farther from the duck, mound the broccolini.

4. Pour the Port reduction into the space between duck and greens.