The recipe library
Find something new for your dinner here!
I want to share with you as many ways of using my produce as I can think of to encourage you to expand your cooking horizons. This is something I do as often as I can.
Good food can be as simple as good bread - good ripe tomatoes and great extra virgin olive oil, or a packet of quality pasta . Cooked in 11 minutes and tossed through with my mushroom paté if you haven’t time for anything else; add lots of fresh parsley; parmigiano and that great olive oil again and you’ve a meal you’ll be proud of.
You’ll see from the recipes that I can’t help myself when it comes to Verjuice; a great friend Damien Pignolet says ‘when in doubt – add Verjuice’ and I have to admit that’s exactly how I cook!
Plum Glazed Duck Breast
Ingredients:
80g Plum Paste
1/2 cup Verjuice
1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp Crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp Freshly chopped ginger
4 Duck breasts
4 White witlof, halved
Method:
Score the fat of the duck breast without cutting into meat and bring to room temperature.
Combine the Plum Paste and 1/4 cup of Verjuice into a saucepan over medium heat to melt down. Remove the plum paste and verjuice mixture from the heat and whisk in 1/4 cup of olive oil, then add coriander seeds and chopped ginger.
Rub the glaze into the skin and flesh of the duck and let stand for 20 minutes.
While the duck is marinating, preheat the oven to 160°C for the witlof.
Place the halved witlof, cut side down, in a baking dish with remaining Verjuice and extra virgin olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place in the oven to braise, this will take about 15 - 20 minutes.
Heat a grill plate or barbecue and place the duck skin side down onto the grill plate.
Cook the duck for a 10-12 minutes depending on the size of the breast, continually turning and basting. Occasionally tip the fat from the pan as the duck is cooking. The duck will colour quickly so keep the heat at a medium temperature to prevent the marinade from burning too much. Cook until medium rare, remove from heat and allow to rest in a warm area for 10-15 minutes.
To serve, place the braised witlof onto a plate and top with thin slices of duck breast.
