James Martin Duck Recipes

ROASTED DUCK BREAST WITH PLUM SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce, fry the shallot in the oil for 5 mins or until softened but not coloured. Add the plums and sugar, stirring for a few mins until the sugar has dissolved. Add the red wine and stock, then simmer for about 15 mins, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly thickened. Keep warm or leave at room temperature for up to a day before reheating to serve.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180C/ 160C fan/gas 4. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a non-stick frying pan and place the duck breasts in, skin-side down. Fry for 6-7 mins, then turn and add the thyme, star anise and butter. Allow this to melt, basting the duck with the juices, then transfer everything to a small roasting tin and finish in the oven for 5-6 mins for pink or 10-12 mins for well done.
• When the duck is ready, baste again with the juices, then rest for 5 mins while you finish everything else.
• To serve, thinly slice each duck breast on a chopping board. Arrange on each plate along with a spoon of the Creamed potatoes, some of the plum sauce and the Buttered spinach.

CHRISTMAS ROAST DUCK

Steps:

• Arrange the shelves of your oven so that there is space for the duck at the top and the potatoes on the shelf immediately underneath. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
• Layer the potatoes and onions in an large roasting dish, seasoning each layer with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour over the stock, flattening the top layer down.
• Place the potatoes onto the lower shelf in the oven.
• Pierce the duck skin all over with a fork and stuff the neck end of the cavity with the satsuma halves and cinnamon stick. Rub the five-spice powder all over the skin and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Place the duck directly onto the oven rack above the potatoes, so that the juices from the duck will drip onto the potatoes as they cook. If your dish with the potatoes is on the small side, it may be useful to put a very large empty tray on the bottom of the oven to catch any drips of fat.
• Roast for 1½-2 hours, or until the duck is cooked through and the potatoes are tender and golden-brown.
• Meanwhile, for the spiced cranberry apple sauce, bring the apples, cranberries and cider to the boil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat until simmering and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries have burst and the mixture has thickened. Season, to taste, with sugar, if too tart, then pour the sauce into a serving bowl and set aside.
• When the duck is cooked, remove it from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes on a serving platter while you cook the cabbage.
• Pour enough water into the bottom of a large frying pan to reach 1cm/½in up the sides of the pan. Add half of the butter and bring to the boil. When the butter has melted, add the cabbage and boil until it has just wilted, stirring occasionally. Add the dried cranberries and cook for another 1-2 minutes, or until most of the water has evaporated, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve, spoon the wilted cabbage (drained, if necessary) onto a serving platter and lay the roast duck on top. Serve the potatoes and sauce alongside.

PAN ROASTED DUCK BREAST WITH ORANGE SAUCE, CARROTS AND COURGETTES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Heat an ovenproof frying pan until very hot, add the duck breasts, fat-side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until golden-brown. Turn over and cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Place into the oven for 8-10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and set the duck aside to rest for five minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a frying pan until hot, add the caster sugar and cook to a caramel.
• Remove from the heat then add the orange juice and vinegar, return to the heat and cook for a couple of minutes.
• Add the chicken stock, return to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until just thickened.
• Add the orange zest then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, cover with a steamer insert then add the carrots, cover and steam for two minutes.
• Add the courgettes and steam for another three minutes until just tender.
• To serve, carve the duck into thick slices.Place the carrots and courgettes onto the plate the lay the sliced duck over the top. Finish with a spoonful of orange sauce.

WHOLE ROASTED DUCK WITH PURPLE SPROUTING BROCCOLI, DUCK-FAT POTATOES AND BORDELAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• For the whole roasted duck, use a small sharp knife to pierce the skin of the duck all over, but be careful not to tear holes in the skin. Season the duck with salt and black pepper and place on a wire rack sat in a roasting tin. Roast for 25 minutes.
• Remove the duck from the oven and pour any excess fat from the roasting tin into a jug. Reduce the oven temperature to 120C/250F/Gas ½.
• When the oven reaches 120C/250F/Gas ½, return the duck to the oven and cook for a further 1¼ hours - basting with the reserved fat every 20 minutes. Once cooked allow the duck to rest for 30 minutes.
• For the duck fat potatoes, heat a large frying pan and add the duck fat. Once hot and melted, add the diced potatoes and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until golden-brown and tender.
• For the bordelaise sauce, heat a medium saucepan and add the butter. Once hot, add the shallot and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns and cook for a few minutes.
• Add the red wine and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by half. Pour in the warm veal jus and reduce by half again. Season with a little sugar, to taste. Pass through a fine sieve and set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.
• For the purple sprouting broccoli, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the water and refresh in ice-cold water.
• Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the broccoli and gently fry for 1-2 minutes.
• To serve, remove the duck breasts from the roasted duck and cut into pieces. Divide the meat between serving plates. Serve the potatoes and broccoli next to the duck with a spoonful of the sauce.

EASY ROAST DUCK RECIPE

Steps:

• Pierce the skin of the duck all over with a skewer. Place on a rack in the kitchen sink, and pour over 2 full kettles of boiling water. Pat it dry with kitchen towel and leave it to dry on a plate in the fridge for an hour. You do this to release the subcutaneous fat layer under the skin to give crispy, not fatty, duck.
• Preheat the oven to 200 C, 180 C fan, 400 F, gas 6. Place the duck on a rack or trivet over a deep roasting tin, as it will release around 300g (10oz) fat into the tin.
• Add plenty of sea salt and roast for 90 minutes. Strain off the fat and keep it for the best roast potatoes ever.
• Don't try to carve a roast duck; joint it. Remove the legs just as you would a chicken. Now take the whole breasts off the bone, which will make the duck go much further. Ease your knife along the breast bone then slice the breast. This will give four good servings of tender meat without any fattiness.