Chestnuts And Spinach With Smoked Duck Breast Recipes

SEARED PEKIN DUCK WITH CHESTNUTS AND WINE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine the wine and vinegar and reduce by half over medium heat. Add the chestnuts and cook until they are cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes. Set aside.
• Heat a heavy bottom saute pan over medium heat and season the duck on both sides with salt and pepper. Saute the duck breasts slowly skin-side down, draining the fat that accumulates in the pan into a bowl. Reserve the fat.
• When the fat has rendered off the duck breasts and the skin is golden brown and crispy, ladle the fat over the tops of the breasts to cook the other side for 2 or 3 minutes, for medium-rare meat. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan and increase the heat to high. Add the Brussels sprouts and vinegar and cook until they are golden brown and tender. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• To serve, pile some Brussels sprouts in the center of a plate. Slice the duck breasts into 5 pieces and lay on top of the greens. Scatter some of the chestnuts about and drizzle the dish with the wine reduction.
• Note: To peel the chestnuts, score with an X on the flat side and cook in a pot of boiling water until the outer shell peels back. Drain and remove the peel with a paring knife.

CHESTNUTS AND SPINACH WITH SMOKED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Boil the shelled chestnuts until tender. This should take around 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the skins. If they haven't already fallen apart break the chestnuts into chunky bits.
• While the chestnuts are boiling, heat a pan to med to high heat. Add some olive oil and fry the green onions.
• Add the spinach and cook down.
• Meanwhile in a separate pan crispy fry the slices of duck breast (or bacon).
• Add the vache qui rit and the chestnuts to the spinach and stir to combine.
• Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Arrange the crispy duck on top and serve.

PAN-FRIED DUCK BREAST WITH CREAMED CABBAGE, CHESTNUTS & CARAMELISED PEAR

Steps:

• Lightly score the skin of the duck breasts, then season well. Place a non-stick pan over a medium heat, then lay the duck in the pan, skin-side down. Cook until the fat starts to come from the duck, then add the garlic and thyme. Turn down the heat, then continue to cook for 15-20 mins, depending on the size of the duck breast, until the skin is really crisp and brown. As it cooks, pour the fat into a large pan for the cabbage.
• Flip the duck over, cook on the flesh side for 3 mins until browned, then turn off the heat (this will result in meat that is pink in the middle - cook for a few minutes longer if you like it well done). Leave the duck in the pan to rest.
• While the duck cooks, heat 1 tbsp of its fat in the other pan. Add the celeriac and bacon, then gently fry for 5 mins until the celeriac has browned and the bacon starts to crisp. Add the thyme, then the cabbage. Fry the cabbage for 5 mins until it starts to wilt. Add 100ml water and simmer for 5 mins until the water has evaporated and the celeriac is soft. Pour in the cream, stir to coat, then add the chestnuts and heat through. This can be done up to a day ahead - cook the celeriac in 1 tbsp vegetable oil instead of the duck fat and reheat with an extra splash of cream before serving.
• Cut the pear in half and use a melon baller or teaspoon to scoop out the core. Place a star anise in the cavity of each half.
• Place 3 tbsp of the icing sugar in a non-stick pan and heat to make a light amber caramel. Pour in the vinegar and bubble to make a sticky syrup. Dust the pear halves heavily with the rest of the icing sugar, then place the pan back on the heat. Cook the pear for 10 mins until brown and caramelised all over. This can be done up to a day ahead and reheated, adding a splash of water.
• To serve, slice each duck breast lengthways and dress the watercress in the olive oil and vinegar. Spoon a neat mound of cabbage on one side of each plate. Place a pear half, cut-side up, on the opposite side of the plate and drizzle the sticky sauce around it. Place the outside slices of duck breast on the cabbage and fan the rest of the duck over. Scatter the dressed watercress sprigs around the sides of the plates and serve.