Roast duck with orange, brandy and plum sauce

Roast duck with orange, brandy and plum sauce

Up your braai day game with this incredible Roast duck with orange, brandy and plum sauce recipe. It is a must try this upcoming heritage day! 

Recipe by Beate Joubert 

Images and publishing by Penguin Random House

SERVES 6 

INGREDIENTS

• 1⁄4 cup orange liqueur 
• 1⁄4 cup brandy 
• 6 duck breasts (± 1 kg) with skin
• Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp butter
• A few sage leaves to taste
• 2 tbsp pine nuts
• 6 rashers bacon, chopped
• A pinch of ground nutmeg
• A handful of fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• A handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
• Juice and zest of 3 oranges
• Juice and zest of 2 lemons
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
• Plum sauce
• 1 cup prunes or fresh plums, quartered
• 1⁄2 cup dried figs, halved
• 3 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 1 piece stick cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp brandy
• 1⁄2 cup chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp seedless raisins, soaked in white wine and well drained
• 1⁄2 cup of the duck’s cooking liquid

 

METHOD

POUR half the liqueur and brandy over the duck breasts, then leave to marinate overnight in the fridge.

SEASON the duck breasts with salt and pepper, and prick the skin with a toothpick. 

HEAT the butter in a pan and fry the sage leaves, pine nuts and bacon together. Mix well with the nutmeg, fresh and dried thyme and parsley. Stuff this mixture under the skin of the duck breasts. Secure the skin with a toothpick if necessary.

CUT the orange and lemon zest into thin strips, then blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, plunge into cold water, drain again and set aside.

PREHEAT the oven to 200 °C. 

IN frying pan, melt the brown sugar until caramelised. Add the vinegar and boil for 3 minutes. Pour in the remaining liqueur and brandy and set alight. Add the juice and prepared zest of the oranges and lemons and boil for another 3 minutes to make a glaze. Brush the glaze over the duck breasts and roast in the oven for about 15 minutes on each side. Baste the breasts often while roasting so that the skin is brown and crisp when done. 

In a small pot, bring all the plum sauce ingredients to a boil. Continue boiling for about 30 minutes or until reduced by half. Stir well. Remove from the heat and decant into a gravy boat.

ARRANGE the duck breasts on a platter, thinly sliced if you prefer. Serve with the plum sauce and vegetables such as steamed broccoli and butternut, sprinkled with plenty of freshly squeezed lemon juice and ground black pepper.

This recipe pairs beautifully with Joubert- Tradauw Syrah 2016

 

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