Lacquered duck with grilled figs

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Tom Kime

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Recipe by Tom Kime

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1. Put all the syrup ingredients in a small, heavy-based saucepan. Add 6 tbsp water, season lightly with salt and pepper and simmer over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes until the syrup has reduced by just over half and is very sticky. Remove from the heat.
2. Put the duck breasts skin side down in a cold frying pan (it's unusual to start frying in a cold pan, but with duck this is often a good idea - it makes the fat render slowly from under the skin, keeping the flesh really moist). Fry slowly for about 15 minutes until the skin is golden. At least 100ml/31⁄2fl oz fat will be rendered from the skin. (Once cool, keep the fat in the fridge - it's great for roasting potatoes.)
3. Preheat the oven to fan 180C/ conventional 200C/gas 6. Sit the duck breasts skin side up on a rack in a roasting tin. Spoon a little of the syrup on top and leave for 2-3 minutes until sticky. Tip any syrup that drips into the bottom of the roasting tin back into the syrup in the saucepan, and reheat to liquefy if necessary. Repeat this technique - spooning the syrup over the duck and leaving it to stand - until there are three or four layers and you have used up most of the syrup. If it gets too thick, just add 1-2 tbsp water. Conversely, if it's too thin, add another 1 tbsp sugar. Arrange the orange slices round the duck and spoon the last splash of syrup over the top.
4. Roast the duck for 8-12 minutes until done to your liking. Meanwhile, cut the figs in half lengthways, tip into a bowl and toss with the olive oil and plenty of seasoning. Heat a ridged cast-iron griddle pan (or a heavy frying pan) on the hob until very hot, then chargrill the figs for 2 minutes on each side.
5. Once the duck is cooked, take it out of the oven and let it rest for 3 minutes, then cut each breast at an angle into two or three slices. Transfer to four serving plates with the orange slices and figs, and garnish with extra bay leaves and the star anise from the syrup.

564 kcalories, protein 29g, carbohydrate 36g, fat 35 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 3g, salt 0.34 g

'I'd never cooked duck before, but this is an impressive dish. We all loved the tangy stickiness. It would be good served with creamy mash too.'

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• sweet pea

  26 March 2008

  sweet pea rated and commented on this recipe

  

  This was lovely, very nice, however I didnt completely follow the recipe to the T I cooked it in the pan after draining all the fat off. I dont like anise so skipped that and didnt want it hot so I skipped the chilli as well. but tasted great.

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• Jace Allen

  15 September 2009

  Jace Allen commented on this recipe

  Am staying in Provence with my wife and our 3-month old baby, so decided to stay in and cook each evening. Last night we did this dish - firstly the duck breasts here are about twice the size back home in Surrey - followed the recipe as is and it was very good. Served it with a small avocado and green leaf salad and a local vinaigrette dressing. (Am saving the fat for roasties later this week!) Trying the Gordon Ramsay Coq au Vin tonight so will update on that tomorrow.

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Ingredients

• 4 duck breasts , each weighing about 200g/8oz
• 3 oranges , peeled and sliced across into rounds
• 6 ripe figs , stalks trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE SYRUP

• 2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 fresh red chilli , seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds , crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 star anise
• 4 bay leaves , plus extra for garnish

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Serves 4

Preparation and cooking times

Ingredients

• 4 duck breasts , each weighing about 200g/8oz
• 3 oranges , peeled and sliced across into rounds
• 6 ripe figs , stalks trimmed
• 1 tbsp olive oil

FOR THE SYRUP

• 2 tbsp dark muscovado sugar
• 3 tbsp clear honey
• finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 fresh red chilli , seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds , crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 star anise
• 4 bay leaves , plus extra for garnish

564 kcalories, protein 29g, carbohydrate 36g, fat 35 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 3g, salt 0.34 g

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