Roasted breast of Duck with a rosemary butter, stuffed fondant potatoes

[Nick]

Roasted breast of Duck with a rosemary butter, stuffed fondant potatoes, honeyed parsnips and a thyme gravy

Serves 4
Prep Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 45 mins

Ingredients

4 Gressingham duck breasts, trimmed and scored
4 large baking potatoes
120 gram wild mushrooms, picked and washed
100 gram shallots, peeled and diced
75 ml white wine
2 tbs. parsley, washed and chopped
2 tsp. cornflour
4 medium parsnips, peeled and battened
300 ml chicken stock
100 ml red wine
2 tbs. honey
1 bunch thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 juniper berries, crushed
25 gram cornflour
1 bunch rosemary, washed and picked
75 gram butter

Method
Allow the butter to soften, then finely chop the rosemary and mix it thoroughly with the butter. Roll the butter up in a cling film 'sausage' and chill for later.

Cut the potatoes into large, deep rounds and scoop out the inside to form a hollow. Place in a deep baking tray with 200 ml of the stock and bake for 45 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

In a small pan, fry the garlic until cooked, add the mushrooms and wine and season well, then allow all the liquid to evaporate, finish with the chopped parsley. Blanch the parsnips in boiling water for one minute, drain and return to a dry pan with the honey and allow them to brown.

Season the duck then lay them skin side down into a hot non stick pan, reduce the heat and allow the skin to crisp. Turn the duck over and carry on cooking on the other side, then remove and keep warm.

Over a high heat stir the wine into the duck pan, scraping up any juices on the pan, add the thyme, stock and juniper berries then allow to reduce by half. Thicken with the cornflour, then simmer for two minutes.

To serve, place a potato on each plate and fill with the mushroom mix, then scatter parsnips around the edge. Carve the duck into three or four pieces, lay over the potato and pour the sauce over.