Sometimes one wants to eat something nice and different, without having too much trouble or spending too much money. Or we want to impress guests. This one such recipe. The Duck screams Vive la France and the pumpkin mash is seasonal, tasty and colorful.
For the Pumpkin mash I took some inspiration from this BBC Good Food recipe, but replaced the Butternut Squash with Red Curi squash, also know as Hokkaido amongst other names. I did this because:
- that was the pumpkin available in the market, and
- this variety does not to be peeled saving a lot of time and effort.
Other pumpkins could also be used, so check what your supermarket has on offer. Also, if Dolcelate is not available use Gorgonzola or other Blue Cheese. Try and choose a mild one unless you like pungent cheese flavors.
Variations
For the gravy you can use pretty much any fruit compote, or even a splash of orange juice. I did it before and it works. Almost anything fruity will go nicely with duck, so just experiment with whatever you have lying around in the kitchen.
- Servings: 4
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 70 mins
Ingredients
Red Curi Squash mash
- Dolcelatte cheese: 100 g
- Red Curi squash: One medium/Large
- Olive oil, 1 tablespoon
- Black pepper: to taste, if available use pepper with citrus flavor
- Sea salt: to taste
- Fresh chives, 1 tablespoon, to garnish optional
Pan-fried duck
- Duck breasts: 2, about 225g each
- Black pepper: to taste, if available use pepper with citrus flavor
- Sea salt: to taste
- Port wine: 10 mL
- Cornflour: 1 teaspoon of
- Cranberry jam: 2 tablespoons, optional
Directions
Red Curi Squash mash
- Wash the squash, remove the seeds, and cut in large chunks.
- Boil the pieces of squash in water with a little salt until tender - 15 to 20 minutes should do it.
- Place the cheese, oil and cooked butternut into a bowl. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then mash together.
- To serve spoon the mash onto the middle of a serving plate and sprinkle over the chopped chives.
Pan-fried duck
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While the pumpkin is cooking, lightly score the skins of the duck breasts with a sharp knife. Rub the the duck breasts with salt and pepper and leave to stand for about 10 minutes.
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Lay the duck breasts, skin side down, in a dry heavy-based large frying pan and gradually turn up the heat. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until most of the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown.
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Turn the duck breasts over and lightly brown the other side for a couple of minutes, or until they feel slightly springy when pressed. Remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place while you make the sauce. Note: if the duck breasts are thick and you prefer to have it well done, start the over at 180ºC, transfer the meat to a baking tray and roast for 5-10 minutes.
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For the sauce, pour off excess fat from the frying pan and place over a high heat. Pour in the port, stirring to deglaze, and let bubble for a minute. Add the cranberry jam and reduce the heat. Mix the cornflour with a splash of cold water to dissolve, and add it to the pan mixing well. Let it bubble until the liquid has the desired consistency. If it gets too thick, add a splash of water and mix.
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Add any juices from the resting duck. Taste and adjust the seasoning and add some jam or orange juice if desired.
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Slice the duck breasts on the diagonal and fan them out on warmed serving plates. Spoon the sauce around the duck and serve with the mashed celery root.