Duck Breast, sweet potato fondant

Duck Breast, sweet potato fondant, squash textures, spinach

Date and coffee sauce

10 PAX

Ingredients-

· 6 good size duck breast (approx. 180g each)

· 6 medium sweet potatoes

· 500g (½ kg) fresh spinach

· 1 cup Nestle all-purpose cream

· 500g squash

· 200g dried stoned dates

· 50g ground Arabica Davao coffee

· 500ml beef Stock (see recipe)

· 250 ml cider

· 2 large cauliflowers

· 250 ml fresh milk

· 50g French grain mustard

· 20g ground nutmeg

· 10g ground star anise

· 10g Chinese five spice

· 200g (1 bar) salted butter

· 100ml extra virgin olive oil

Beef stock

· 500g ½ kg Beef neck bones

· 25g tomato puree

· 3 sticks of celery

· 2 large carrots

· 2 large white onions

· 500ml red wine

· 3 bay leaves

· Stick of fresh rosemary

· Stick of fresh thyme

· 15 peppercorns

· 1 bulb of garlic

Procedure-

Beef Stock-

Firstly prepare the beef stock, wash the bones quickly in cold water to remove excess bone trim.

Place in a roasting tray with a little oil, and cook for 45 minutes or until a dark brown colour.

In a separate pan with a heavy bottom, heat a little oil, roughly chop the carrot celery and onion into what we call a mirepoix of vegetables. Add vegetable’s to the oil and cook until they just start to colour a little, add the herbs garlic bay leaves and peppercorn, make sure to cut the garlic bulb in half to release the flavour. Now add the tomato paste and a small spoon of flour to the vegetables, this will help keep the vegetable together and act as a thickening agent for the stock when reduced later.

When the bones are brown, add them to the stock pot and cover in water, add plenty of water to cover the bones and a little extra.

Bring the stock to the boil and then simmer for 6 hours, making sure to skim the stock of any fat.

Finally strain the stock and add to a separate pan for finishing later.

Procedure- Duck Breast

Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C or 400F

Prepare the duck breast by trimming the fat from the edge and score the fat on the top.

Squash Puree

Make a puree out of the squash by boiling 1/3 in a water with a little salt, when soft add a knob of butter and blend to a puree until smooth, then pass through a strainer. Season with salt and pepper and a little Chinese five spice to taste. Place in plastic bottle until needed.

Fondant Potato

Peel the potatoes, and cut into small circular shapes using a cookie cutter, trim them on the edge to get a nice shape. Cook slowly in the cider, some beef stock and a little butter in a suitable pan so you can cover the potato fondant in liquid, cover with baking parchment and cook until they just start to soften.

Squash crisps

Using a potato peeler, shave some of the squash , dust in a little flour salt and nutmeg, deep fry in hot oil, when browned, drain on kitchen towel and set aside.

Cauliflower Puree

Cut the cauliflower into small florets, heat the milk and add the cauliflower, cook until tender.

Strain off the milk and blend the cauliflower until smooth, if it is too thick add a little of the milk.

Strain the mixture then season with nutmeg and star anise powder.

Date Sauce

To prepare the sauce, add 200ml of the beef stock to a medium pan, add the dates and bring to the boil, then add some ground coffee until dissolved blend this mixture with a hand blender until smooth.

In a separate pan add another 200ml of stock reduce by half, then de-glaze with the redwine, whisk in the date puree, bring back to the boil and to finish whisk in some butter to slightly thicken the sauce, do not reduce the sauce too far as it will taste bitter because of the red wine.

To serve.

Heat a pan on a low heat, brush duck breast with a mixture of mustard, five spice, anise and the ground coffee, then place in the pan skin side down and hold in the pan for 2 minutes. Turn the breast and cook for 2 more minutes then wrap in a butter paper and place in the oven at 180 for 6 to 7 minutes, still needs to be pink in the middle.

When the duck is cooked dress the plate with the Potato fondant, purees , crisps, a little spinach cooked in cream and nutmeg, cut the duck in half and serve the a little sauce on the plate and some separate so the customer can add extra if required.

Happy Cooking!

Recipe copyright of Chef Steve Pollard