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Crispy skin duck breast with Puy lentils and glazed peaches

DUCK BREAST WITH PUY LENTILS AND CARAMELIZED PEACHED
Serves 4

4 duck breasts
2 teaspoons/10 ml five spice powder
salt

For the Puy lentils:
1½ cup/375 ml chicken stock
1 cup/250 ml Puy lentils
2 tablespoons/30 ml carrots, finely diced
1 tablespoons/15 ml celery, finely diced
1 tablespoon/15 ml shallot, finely diced
4 thyme sprigs

These choice lentils were originally from Puy in France, but are also grown in North America and Italy. They are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber but are a special benefit in managing blood sugar levels. They are especially good in salads since they remain firm after cooking and have a rich flavor. See the recipe for Puy lentil, celeriac and hazelnut salad.

2 teaspoons/10 ml Sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon/5 ml coarse sea salt
1 medium red onion, finely diced
1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil

For the peaches:
juice of two oranges
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter
2 tablespoons/30 ml sugar (depending on the sweetness of the peaches)
4 firm ripe peaches, peeled and quartered
2 tablespoons/30 ml Peach Schnapps (optional)

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon/15 ml butter
trimmings from the duck breasts
1 small onion, finely diced
½ cup/125 ml red wine
2 cups/500 ml duck stock (or chicken stock)
2 teaspoons/10 ml tomato paste
1 tablespoon/30 ml soy sauce

Start with the Puy lentils:  

  • In a saucepan bring the chicken stock to a boil, add the lentils, vegetables and the thyme and cook for about 20 minutes.
    Do not add salt at this time as it will prevent the lentils from becoming tender.
  • Test by squashing a lentil between two fingers. If it is soft and gives way then the lentils are cooked.
  • If not all the liquid has evaporated, drain the excess off, stir in the vinegar, salt, onion and olive oil and keep in a warm place.

For the duck breasts:

  • Trim the duck breasts and reserve the trimmings.
  • Lightly score the skins of the duck breasts and rub the five spice on the meat side.
  • Leave to stand for about 10 minutes.
  • Heat a dry heavy-based large frying pan to medium and lay the duck breasts, skin side down.
  • Fry for about 8 minutes, until most of the fat has rendered and the skin is golden brown.
  • Turn the duck breasts over and lightly brown the other side for about 3 minutes.
  • They should feel slightly springy when pressed.
  • Remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place while you make the sauce.

For the sauce:

  • In a wide pan, melt the butter, then fry the duck trimmings and onion until the onion is transluscent.
  • Deglaze with the red wine and boil until all the wine has evaporated.
  • Add the duck stock (or chicken stock), mix in the tomato paste and add the soy sauce.
  • Bring to a boil, skimming off the fat constantly, and reduce to half.
  • Season to taste.

For the peaches:

  • In a frying pan, bring the orange juice to a boil with the sugar and butter, then add the peaches.
  • Cook until the peaches are tender and the sauce starts to caramelize.
  • Add the Schnapps (if using), swirl around the pan to glaze all the peaches thorougly.
  • Set aside in a warm place until ready to serve.

 

By STELLA

I have had no formal chef’s training. Classical piano was my parents’ choice, and that took care of the first 20 years of my life. Journalism and radio followed (my own choices, this time), and these opened many doors for me into different countries, people, cultures — and, of course, foods. In a six week series on radio I used it as a platform for my love of food and shared lots of interesting recipes and food news with listeners.
My earliest memories of food come from the family kitchen at home; I can still remember the wonderful smells of the dishes my mother prepared. I became aware of the flavors of her creations at an early age. Some I enjoyed and preferred, while others depressed me with their lack of interesting flavors. My mother was a good cook, but not a gourmet, and sadly this often showed. What I did appreciate was that she always involved me in the preparation, sharing her knowledge of nutrition, flavor, color, and the harmonies of each plate she dished up. She was also a genius with leftovers and quick meals when unexpected guests arrived. This is one of the things that stands out in my mind, and it inspired me to create wonderful dishes from leftover foods myself.

I carried on with the tradition of carefully planning meals to combine nutrition, color and flavor, while at the same time offering variety and elegant presentation. In the process, I developed a passion for seeking out the best available products, adhering to each season’s offerings, and treating it with the respect it deserves, which eventually became part of my daily culinary life and travels. I did these things not because I wanted to become a chef, but to satisfy myself, family and friends with creations of gorgeous food and exciting flavors. All of which, I hope, is reflected in this blog.

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