In the Autumn, the flavour of roasted duck is hard to beat. The richness of the bird blends magnificently with other seasonal stars like sweet pears, and earthy swede.
Simple yet impressive, this recipe is certainly one to add to your repertoire this Autumn.
To roast the duck
Preheat the oven at 180C.
Prick the skin of the bird all over, concentrating on the fattiest parts, but be careful not to pierce into the flesh. Season the bird well with sea salt and pepper, including the internal cavity.
Place the bird into a good sized roasting dish and pop into the oven. Cook for 30 minutes per kg. You can check to see if your bird is cooked by inserting a metal skewer into the join between the leg and the breast, if the juices run light pink-clear this is a good indication your duck is done.
Rest your bird uncovered for at least 20 minutes before carving.
To cook the veg
To make the swede and star anise mash, dice up the swede into a pan with star anise and enough milk to cover. Gently simmer for around 25 mins until the swede is soft. Remove from the heat and be sure to remove the star anise blend into a smooth puree. Season well with salt and pepper.
To a hot pan, add in the hispi cabbage, pears, butter, chilli flakes, umami paste and garlic. Cook for around 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, making sure that the hispi and pears and generously coated in the savoury juices.
Once the veg is wonderfully caramelised, pop into the oven set at 180C for and roast for 10 minutes.
Carve the duck and serve with heaped spoonfuls of the mash and the wonderfully savoury cabbage and sweet pears.
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