The best three ways to cook duck breast

Duck breast with lavender, beetroot and sweet potato by James Sommerin

James Sommerin's duck breast recipe combines the diverse flavours of sweet potato, beetroot and lavender to create a spectacular duck dish which is both surprising and masterful.

Spiced duck breast

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4 duck breasts
10g of Szechuan pepper
10g of coriander seeds
5g of cumin seeds
5g of fennel seeds
10g of lavender, dry
​100ml of maple syrup

​Beetroot and sweet potato

6 small beetroot
2 sweet potatoes
olive oil
butter
salt

Combine the Szechuan pepper, coriander, cumin and fennel in a dry pan on a medium heat and toast for 5 minutes. Place the spices into a mortar and pestle and roughly crush. Combine with the lavender and mix well. Set aside until required.

Preheat the oven to 190˚C/gas mark 5. Cover the beetroot with foil and place in the oven until tender, approximately 30-45min. Allow to cool, the peel with a small knife while still slightly warm. Cut into large cubes. Dice the sweet potato and lightly season with salt and coat with olive oil. Place on a baking tray and into the oven, cook until tender, approximately 40 minutes. This should be done while the beetroot are roasting.

For the duck, place a large pan on a medium to high heat and season the breasts evenly with salt. Place each breast skin side down into the dry pan and slowly render down the fat. As the fat is released from the breast be sure to remove any excess from the pan by tilting it towards you and taking out with a spoon. Cook for 6 minutes and then turn and continue to cook for a further 4 minutes. Finish in the oven for 2 minutes at 220˚C/gas mark 6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5-7 minutes.

When the duck has finished resting, place the breasts flesh side down into the spice mix. Heat a second pan over a medium to high heat. Add the butter and once it begins to foam add the roast beetroot and sweet potato. As soon as the vegetables are heated through, season with salt and remove the pan from the heat. Once the duck has finished resting, return to the pan, flesh side down to sear the spices. After 1 minute, add the maple syrup and coat the duck until it reduces down to a sticky glaze. Remove from the pan, slice and serve on a bed of the roast root vegetables.

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Roast duck breast with asparagus, caramelised shallot and hispi cabbage by Adam Gray

This roast duck breast recipe is given a touch of spring by the inclusion of asparagus and hispi cabbage. You can serve the duck with or without the mashed potato in the image, depending on how hungry you are.

4 duck breasts
salt
pepper

Duck sauce

1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
​300ml of bitter
50g of butter
​500ml of chicken stock
​rapeseed oil

1 Hispi cabbage, finely shredded
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
2 knobs of butter
salt
pepper

12 asparagus spears
1 knob of butte

Heat a small amount of rapeseed oil in a thick bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the sliced onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf until golden brown​. Continue to fry for 2-3 minutes. Then, add the bitter and bring to the boil, cook until reduced by ¾​. Add the brown chicken stock, bring to a simmer and reduce again by half. Strain through a fine chinoise. Whisk in the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside until required​. Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Lower in the shredded cabbage and cook until tender - about 3 minutes, strain and set aside.

Place a thick bottomed saucepan over a medium heat and add the butter. As soon as it begins to foam, add the sliced shallots and sweat in the butter before adding the hot blanched cabbage. Cook for a further 5 minutes and season to taste with salt and pepper. Blanch the asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes until tender, strain and plunge into ice water to refresh. Cut each spear in half lengthways and pan-fry in a little butter until a light golden brown colour. Season with salt and keep in a warm place.

To cook the duck, preheat the oven to 220˚C/gas mark 7. Gently score the skin with a sharp knife. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and heat 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil in a roasting tray or ovenproof pan on top of the stove. Place the breasts, skin-side down, in the tray and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the skin to release fat while turning golden brown. Turn and finish cooking in the oven for 7-8 minutes. Remove from the tray and leave to rest in a warm place for 4 minutes.

Slice the duck breast and serve with the warm asparagus, hot cabbage and hot duck sauce.

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Duck breast salad by Tom Aikens

This elegant duck salad recipe is perfect for any season. Pairing the duck with mushrooms gives the salad a double hit of umami. You can also use smoked duck for this dish if you prefer.

Duck breast

1 smoked duck breast, thinly sliced

Dressing

1 banana shallot, brunoised
1 pinch of fresh thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bay leaf
​100ml of dry Madeira
​100ml of balsamic vinegar
1 pinch of sea salt
1 pinch of black pepper, ground
​25ml of olive oil

Pickled mushrooms

125g of portobello mushroom, sliced
​85ml of water
​35ml of sweet wine
​35ml of olive oil
​35ml of white wine vinegar
4g of salt
12g of caster sugar
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
3 black peppercorns

Baked mushrooms

2 portobello mushrooms
​35ml of olive oil
​12ml of balsamic vinegar
1 pinch of black pepper
1 pinch of fresh thyme, picked
1 pinch of rosemary, picked

To serve

¼ tsp sea salt
​100g of baby spinach leaves
4 croutons

For the mushroom dressing, a dash of olive oil into a small pan and place on a medium heat. Add the shallots with the salt, pepper garlic, thyme and bay and cook until the shallots are translucent. Add the Madeira and balsamic vinegar and reduce to 100ml. Add the remaining olive oil then leave to cool and place in the fridge - the longer you leave it the richer the flavour will be.

To pickle the mushrooms, combine all the ingredients, except the mushrooms, into a pan and bring to a simmer for 10 minutes. Add the prepared mushrooms and cook for 90 seconds, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent towel. For the baked mushrooms, mix the portobello mushrooms with the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Place onto a tray and roast in the oven set to 180°C/gas mark 4 for 12-14 minutes. Set aside to cool to room temperature and cut in half.

Divide the mushroom across plates and add the spinach and duck. Drizzle with more of the dressing and serve with some croutons.

Visit Great British Chefs for more delicious duck recipes