Duck Breast With Lentils Peach Chutney And Pickled Mustard Seeds Recipes

DUCK BREAST WITH PEACH CHUTNEY AND RAINBOW CHARD WITH BACON

Steps:

• For the duck breast: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Score the skin of the duck breast and sprinkle generously with salt on both sides. Place the duck breast, skin-side down, in a cool medium saute pan and turn the heat to medium (to allow the fat to render slowly). Cook until crispy and golden brown, 10 minutes. Flip over and cook for another 2 minutes on the reverse side. With tongs, remove the breast to a baking sheet with a rack and transfer to the oven for about 5 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the breast reads about 135 degrees F. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing on the bias. Pour the rendered duck fat into a bowl for later use.
• For the peach chutney: To pan the duck was cooked in, add a tablespoon of the reserved duck fat and the shallots and sweat over medium heat, 3 minutes. Then add the peaches and rosemary and cook down for 2 minutes. Add the bourbon, and flambe. Then add the balsamic, brown sugar and pine nuts; stir to combine. Simmer the chutney to the desired consistency, adding chicken stock as needed, 7 minutes.
• For the rainbow chard: Place the bacon lardons in a cool pan. Set the pan over medium-high heat and render the bacon, 5 minutes. Add the chard stems and leaves, the chicken stock and some salt. Saute until the chard is wilted, 7 minutes.
• Serve the sliced duck with the chutney on top and the rainbow chard on the side. Garnish with chives.

DUCK BREASTS WITH HONEY AND MUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Season duck generously with salt and pepper. Heat two ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat and add the breasts, skin-side down. Sear until the skin is golden and begins to render its fat, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour off excess fat and transfer the skillets to the oven. Roast until desired doneness, about 16 minutes for medium.
• Remove duck from the pans and set aside. Pour off excess fat and add the mustard and honey to one pan. Stir over low heat for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add the breasts and any juices. Turn to coat with sauce. Let sit for 2 more minutes, slice, drizzle with remaining sauce and serve.

WINE-BRAISED DUCK WITH LENTILS AND WINTER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Trim the duck legs, keeping the skin intact but removing any extraneous fat. Lay them in one layer on a baking sheet and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add duck legs, skin-side down, and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. (The legs will render a fair amount of fat as they cook.) Flip and cook for about 5 minutes more, until lightly browned. Remove legs from pan and set aside.
• Pour off all but 3 tablespoons fat from the pan (reserve it for another use). Place pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery, salt lightly, and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in bay leaf, thyme sprig, fennel seed and allspice. Continue to cook, stirring, until vegetable mixture is lightly browned, about 5 minutes more.
• Add tomato paste and flour to vegetable mixture and stir well to coat. Cook for a minute or so, then add chicken broth and wine and bring to a simmer. Return duck legs to pan in one layer, skin-side up. (The liquid will not completely cover the legs.)
• Cover pan and bake for about 45 minutes, until legs are tender when probed with the tip of a paring knife.
• Cook the lentils: Pick over lentils for rocks and debris, then rinse well. Place in a saucepan with a good pinch of salt. Using the cloves, pin the bay leaf to the onion. Add to the pot along with thyme sprig. Cover lentils with water by about 2 inches and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered with lid ajar, until tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Taste often so that lentils are neither under nor over-cooked. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
• When duck legs are cooked, remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 225 degrees. Transfer duck legs to an ovenproof serving dish, cover, and keep warm in the oven. Pour braising liquid into a saucepan. Spoon off any fat that rises to the surface and discard. Simmer braising liquid over medium heat until slightly thickened. Pour liquid over duck legs in the serving dish.
• Meanwhile, cook the vegetables: Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add carrots, celery root and parsnips. Simmer until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes, then drain and toss gently with butter. Sprinkle with half the parsley and chives.
• To serve, place a duck leg, some lentils and a spoonful of vegetables on each plate. Spoon sauce over duck leg and finish with more parsley and chives. Alternatively, pass everything on platters, family-style.