“The Taste” recipe: Duck with plum sauce
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Carefully remove the skin from the duck breasts and trim the meat of any fat and tendons. Set the trimmings aside. Mix the five-spice powder and grapeseed oil.
- 4 female duck breasts (approx. 180 g each)
- 1 tsp five-spice powder
- 2 tbsp grapeseed oil
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 12 mint leaves
- 100 g sugar
- 1 slice of ginger (1 cm)
- 1 kaffir lime leaf
- 1 stalk of lemongrass
- 300 ml Rieslingessig
- 1 Salad cucumber
- 3 plums
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1. Butter
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp black rice vinegar Chinkiang (alternatively dark balsamic vinegar)
- 1 splash of lime juice
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 slice of ginger (1 cm)
- 50 ml red port wine
- 50 ml Wood
- 200 ml poultry stock
- 400 g Jerusalem artichoke
- 2 shallots
- 4 white mushrooms
- 1. Butter
- 150 ml dry white wine
- 100 g Stage
- 100 ml vegetable stock
- 1/2 EL Fresh cream
- freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt
- 2 fixed pears
- 100 g nut butter
- Zest and juice of 1/2 an organic lime
- 50 g Peanut kernels
- 2 shallots
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Carefully remove the skin from the duck breasts and trim the meat of any fat and tendons. Set the trimmings aside. Mix the five-spice powder and grapeseed oil. Massage the mixture thoroughly into the meat, seal tightly in a vacuum bag with the seasoned oil, and cook in a water bath at 56°C (133°F) for 30 minutes. Spread the duck skin on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake in the hot oven for about 30 minutes until crispy, turning halfway through. For added crunch, add the peanuts to the hot oven and cook for another 10 minutes.
- For the cucumber, bring the sugar to a boil with 100 ml water, peeled ginger, kaffir lime leaf, and washed lemongrass. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Wash and peel the cucumber, then cut the flesh lengthwise around the seeds into 3 mm thick strips. Marinate the strips in the vinegar brine until ready to serve. Meanwhile, for the sauce, wash the plums, halve them, remove the pits, and cut them into pieces. In a saucepan, lightly caramelize the sugar and butter. Add the plums and both vinegars and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes. Add a little water if needed. Remove the peanut kernels and crispy duck skin from the oven.
- For the jus, peel and finely dice the onion. Heat the sunflower oil and sauté the diced onion with the meat trimmings and peeled ginger over medium heat until translucent. Deglaze with port and Madeira, reducing the liquid almost completely. Add the stock and reduce by half. Meanwhile, for the purée, carefully wash, dry, and peel the Jerusalem artichokes, then cut them into pieces – reserving the peelings. Peel and finely dice the shallots. Clean the mushrooms, wiping them dry if necessary, and chop them. Heat the butter in a saucepan. Sauté the Jerusalem artichokes, shallots, and mushrooms over medium heat until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce the liquid almost completely. Add the cream and stock, and cook the Jerusalem artichokes for 15–20 minutes until tender.
- Peel the pears and scoop out small pearls. Heat the brown butter in a small saucepan, remove the pan from the heat, and let the pearls steep in the warm butter. Drain the softened Jerusalem artichokes, reserving the liquid. Blend the pieces with the crème fraîche until creamy. Season with nutmeg and salt. Keep warm. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and season with lime juice, ginger, and soy sauce. Drain the softened pear pearls and marinate them with lime zest and juice.
- For the crunch, peel the shallots and slice them into thin rings. Heat the sunflower oil in a small saucepan to 160°C and fry the rings until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and lightly salt. Fry a handful of Jerusalem artichoke peels until golden brown as well, drain, and salt. Finely chop the duck skin, shallots, Jerusalem artichoke peels, and peanuts and mix them together. Remove the cucumber strips from the liquid, pat them dry with paper towels, and cut out small circles.
- Remove the duck breasts from the vacuum bag and pat them dry with paper towels. Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and sear the meat briefly on both sides over high heat. Slice the breasts into thin strips. Wash the mint, shake dry, and finely chop. Purée the plum sauce and pass it through a fine sieve. Strain the jus through a fine sieve and stir in 2 tablespoons of the plum sauce.
- Spread a dollop of Jerusalem artichoke purée on each plate. Arrange the duck breast slices on top and drizzle with the plum sauce. Pour the jus around the edges. Distribute the cucumber and pear pearls over the top, garnish with mint, and sprinkle with the crunchy topping before serving.
2. For the cucumber, bring the sugar to a boil with 100 ml water, peeled ginger, kaffir lime leaf, and washed lemongrass. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the vinegar. Wash and peel the cucumber, then cut the flesh lengthwise around the seeds into 3 mm thick strips. Marinate the strips in the vinegar brine until ready to serve. Meanwhile, for the sauce, wash the plums, halve them, remove the pits, and cut them into pieces. In a saucepan, lightly caramelize the sugar and butter. Add the plums and both vinegars and simmer over low heat for 25–30 minutes. Add a little water if necessary. Remove the peanut kernels and crispy duck skin from the oven.
3. For the jus, peel and finely dice the onion. Heat the sunflower oil and sauté the diced onion with the meat trimmings and peeled ginger over medium heat until translucent. Deglaze with port and Madeira, and reduce the liquid almost completely. Add the stock and reduce by half. Meanwhile, for the purée, carefully wash, dry, and peel the Jerusalem artichokes, then cut them into pieces – reserving the peelings. Peel and finely dice the shallots. Clean the mushrooms, wiping them dry if necessary, and chop them. Heat the butter in a saucepan. Sauté the Jerusalem artichokes, shallots, and mushrooms in the butter over medium heat until translucent. Deglaze with the white wine and reduce the liquid almost completely. Add the cream and stock, and cook the Jerusalem artichokes for 15–20 minutes until tender.
4. Peel the pears and scoop out small pearls. Heat the brown butter in a small saucepan, remove the pan from the heat, and let the pearls steep in the warm butter. Drain the softened Jerusalem artichokes, reserving the liquid. Blend the pieces with the crème fraîche until creamy. Season with nutmeg and salt. Keep warm. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and season with lime juice, ginger, and soy sauce. Drain the softened pear pearls and marinate them with lime zest and juice.
5. For the crunch, peel the shallots and cut them into thin rings. Heat the sunflower oil in a small saucepan to 160°C and fry the rings until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and lightly salt. Fry a handful of Jerusalem artichoke peels until golden brown as well, drain, and salt. Finely chop the duck skin, shallots, Jerusalem artichoke peels, and peanuts and mix them together. Remove the cucumber strips from the liquid, pat them dry with paper towels, and cut out small circles.
6. Remove the duck breasts from the vacuum bag and pat dry with paper towels. Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and sear the meat briefly on both sides over high heat. Slice the breasts into thin strips. Wash the mint, shake dry, and finely chop. Purée the plum sauce and pass it through a fine sieve. Strain the jus through a fine sieve and stir in 2 tablespoons of the plum sauce.
7. Spread a dollop of Jerusalem artichoke purée on each plate. Arrange the duck breast slices on top and drizzle with the plum sauce. Pour the jus around the edges. Distribute the cucumber and pear pearls over the top, garnish with mint, and sprinkle with the crunchy topping before serving.
