Duck Salad With Cheese Toasts And Port Currant Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, apple and garlic; sauté until onion is tender and golden, about 12 minutes. Add Port; reduce heat to medium. Simmer until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Strain mixture; return liquid to saucepan. Discard solids in strainer. Add stock to saucepan; simmer until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 15 minutes. Stir in currants. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat.)

Steps:

• Gently fry the onion, apple, garlic, ginger and chilli, if using, in a pan with the oil for about 10 mins until softened. Pour in the vinegar and bubble down until reduced by half. Add 100ml water and sugar to taste. Cook until reduced by two thirds and thickened. Stir in the redcurrants and balsamic vinegar, and cook for another 5 mins. The relish can be made up to a week ahead and stored in the fridge.
• Using a sharp knife, slash the fat of the duck breasts in a criss-cross, cutting almost through to the flesh. Rub the skin with salt and five-spice powder.
• Heat a heavy-based frying pan, until you can feel a gentle heat, then place the duck, skin-side down. Cook for 5 mins on a low to medium heat until the fat begin to melt. Spoon over the duck and season.
• When the skin begins to brown and crisp, after about another 2 mins, tip out the excess fat. Flip over the breasts and cook for another 5 mins on the flesh side. This will give you medium-rare duck. If you prefer well done, cook for a further 3 mins or so. Remove from the heat, allow to stand for 5 mins then slice diagonally. Serve with watercress salad and the relish.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Remove giblets and necks from the ducklings. Rinse everything with running cold water and drain. Pat ducklings dry and cut each into quarteers; trimming excess skin and fat.
• Place a rack in roasting pan. Place duckling quarters, skin side up on rack and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for about 2 hours or until ducklings are golden and tender.
• While bird is roasting, place giblets and neck into a pot with enough water to cover. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt, bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour. Drain, reserving 1 cup of broth.
• In saucepan, combine the port-wine, orange juice, lemon juice, mustard, ginger, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup currant jelly and the reserved broth. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. In a small bowl or cup mix 2 tablespoons flour and 1/4 cup water. Gradually stir into simmering liquid in saucepan. Cook until sauce thickens slightly and is smooth.
• In a cup, stir 1/4 cup red-currant jelly and 1 teaspoon of water until smooth. About 10 minutes before duckling is done, brush duckling quarters with jelly mixture.
• To serve, arrange the duckling on a warm platter with oranges and olives as garnish. Serve the sauce in a gravy train or small bowl.

Steps:

• Sauce.
• Combine wine, broths, thyme sprigs and bay leaves in a saucepan, bring to boil and leave on the stove until reduced to about 11/2 cups (approx 35 minutes).
• Reduce heat, add port and red currant jam, stir to combine, remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs.
• Add butter and stir until it melts, mix a little water with the cornflour, add to sauce and stir until sauce thickens.
• Note: Sauce can be made a day ahead of time and just reheated to save time on the day.
• Parsnip Mash.
• Place chopped parsnips in a saucepan along with just enough milk to cover, bring to boil and boil until tender, drain reserving a little milk to blend.
• Add cream, stock, reserved milk and butter to parsnips and blend or process until smooth.
• In a small fry pan, heat olive oil, add mushrooms and garlic, cook until mushrooms soften, stir in thyme leaves.
• Add to mash and stir to combine, add truffle oil and mix well.
• Duck Breasts.
• Add duck breasts to hot pan, not quite smoking, skin side down, cook until nicely browned and most of the duck fat has been rendered. (about 8-10 minutes).
• Place duck breasts skin side up in an oven proof dish and place in preheated oven 180°C, cook for 20 minutes, gives a nice pink centre, or cook to desired doneness.
• To Serve: Place mash on plates top with sliced duck breast and drizzle sauce around plate, serve extra sauce on the side.
• Sauce.