serves
6
prep
1 hour
cook
2:40 hours
difficulty
Ace
serves
6
people
preparation
1
hour
cooking
2:40
hours
difficulty
Ace
level
Ingredients
- 6 x 180 g duck breast fillets
Blackcurrant sauce
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 kg chicken wings
- 1 large carrot
- 1 large brown onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 500 ml (2 cups) veal stock
- 1 bouquet garni (2 garlic cloves, 1-2 sprigs thyme and 1 bay leaf)
- 80 g caster sugar
- 100 ml raspberry vinegar
- 100 ml crème de cassis
- 1 tbsp arrowroot
- 200 g frozen blackcurrants
- salt and pepper
Celeriac purée
- 1 brown onion
- 50 g butter
- 1 celeriac
- salt and pepper
- 200 ml water
- 100 ml pouring cream
Pommes dauphine (see Note)
- 600 g desiree potatoes
- 125 ml (½ cup) water
- 125 ml (½ cup) milk
- 60 g butter
- salt
- 125 g plain flour
- 4 eggs
- pepper
- pinch of cayenne pepper
- pinch of grated nutmeg
- 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp chopped chives
- 1 litre (4 cups) vegetable oil, for deep-frying
Resting time 15 minutes
Chilling time 30 minutes
Instructions
To make the blackcurrant sauce, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add chicken wings and cooking, turning, for 10 minutes or until browned on all sides.
To make the mirepoix, chop carrot, onion and celery into large cubes. Add to pan and cook for 5 minutes. Add the veal stock and bouquet garni. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.
Pass liquid though a fine sieve into a clean saucepan. Return stock to low heat and simmer until reduced to approximately 200 ml.
Place caster sugar and raspberry vinegar in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook for 6 minutes or until a blond-caramel colour. Add stock to sugar mixture and cook for 30 minutes or until reduced by half.
Combine crème de cassis and arrowroot in a small bowl, then add to the stock mixture. Add the blackcurrants and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
To make the celeriac purée, chop onion and place in a large saucepan over medium–low heat. Add 20 g of butter and cook for 12–15 minutes or until softened.
Peel and chop celeriac into medium-size cubes. Add to onion, and season with salt and pepper.
Add the water and cook, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until water is almost evaporated. Add the cream and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Transfer celeriac mixture to a food processor. Process until smooth. Add remaining butter and season with more salt and pepper.
To make pommes dauphine, wash, peel and chop potatoes into large cubes. Place in a saucepan of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 20 minutes or until soft. Drain, then mash. Cover and set aside to cool, then transfer to the refrigerator.
Combine the water, milk, butter and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Add sifted flour and stir rapidly, until dough pulls away from the base of the pan. Transfer the dough to a bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until combined. Season with salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and nutmeg.
Combine dough and an equal weight of mashed potato, then add the chopped parsley, chives and more salt and pepper. Cover and rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan until 175°C. Carefully cook spoonfuls of potato mixture, in batches, for 5 minutes or until puffed and golden. Transfer to paper towel and dust lightly with salt.
Score the fat on each duck breast fillet, and trim fat off sides. Heat a frying pan on medium heat. Cook duck, fat side first, for 12 minutes or until browned. Turn and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from pan and rest for 15 minutes. Serve duck with blackcurrant sauce, celeriac puree and pommes dauphine.
Note
• Pommes dauphine are a mix of half choux pastry and half potato pulp. They are deep-fried in a small ball shape to make them look like a potato dumpling.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.