Breast of Duck (Margret de Canard) is often paired with sweet ingredients, such as figs and oranges. We love the combination of duck with a green pepper sauce, because the sharpness emphasises the natural sweetness of the duck meat. In this recipe we do something similar. The sauce with thyme and mustard is aromatic and a touch sharp, which is very nice with the duck. The grated garlic adds spiciness to the sauce, making the dish more complex and bold. Delicious when combined with the sweet and sour caponata and crunchy fried polenta.
Wine Pairing
To balance the flavours of the dish, we suggest a fruity, dry red wine, one with subtle tannins and lots of freshness. We enjoyed a glass of Nero d’Avola, made in Sicily. The unoaked wine had a ruby red colour and aromas of cherries and plum. Serving the wine slightly chilled (meaning 15°C or 16°C (59°F or 61°F)) enhanced the freshness, acidity and fruitiness of the wine.
What You Need
- 1 Breast of Duck
- Thyme
- Chicken Stock
- Garlic
- Mustard
- Crème Fraîche
- ½ grated clove Garlic
- Black Pepper
- To serve with the Duck
- Polenta (fried)
What You Do
- Check the breast for remainders of feathers
- Remove the vein on the meat side of the breast (and other bits you don’t like)
- Place on a dish, cover with foil and transfer to the refrigerator
- Leave in the refrigerator for one hour, making sure it’s nice, firm and cold
- Fry the duck in a hot, non-sticky skillet for 10-12 minutes on the skin side. Reduce the heat after a few minutes. You don’t need oil or butter, the ducks fat will do the trick
- Now fry for 2-3 minutes on the meat side and remove
- Cover with aluminum foil in such a way that the crispy skin is not covered. The foil should only cover the meat
- Remove most of the fat from the pan, but not all
- Add chicken stock and thyme
- Deglaze the pan
- Start building the sauce by adding juices from the duck
- Add mustard. This will not only add complexity and sharpness to the sauce, it will also make it thicker
- Add crème fraîche
- Add stock, mustard and crème fraîche to taste
- After 10 – 15 minutes add grated garlic, this will give a boost to the sauce
- Slice the duck (we like fairly big slices; you may prefer thinner ones)
- Add the last juices to the sauce and serve the duck with the sauce, caponata and fried polenta
Cook and Drink 