Braised Duck with Blood Plums, Orange & Barley
Serves 6
10 blood plums split & pitted
1 tbsp raw sugar
200ml verjuice
400g peeled and cooked chesnuts
3 star anise
2 oranges, zested and juiced
sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
130g fine pearl barley
50ml extra virgin olive oil
6 duck marylands
2 brown onions finely diced
1 celery heart, finely sliced
5 cloves garlic finely sliced
5 sprigs thyme
1 tsp ground allspice
2 bay leaves
200ml white wine
1.5lt chicken stock

Preheat oven to 165c fan forced (185c conventional). Toss plums in raw sugar and place in baking tray with verjuice, chesnuts, star anise and orange zest. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.
Boil pearl barley in lots of water for 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
Heat oil in a large pan over a high heat. Brown duck for 4-5 minutes, season well, then remove from pan. Add onion, celery, garlic, thyme, allspice and bay leaves to pan and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Return duck to pan, and add wine, stock and orange juice. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Add barley and simmer for 20 minutes or until barley is tender.
Spoon plums and chesnuts over duck and simmer for another 5 minutes. Serve on a platter

Warm duck salad with fresh pistachios and watermelon

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Ingredients:

1 duck breast
mint
coriander
parsley
chives
100g fresh watermelon diced
75g fresh pistachios shelled and roasted
2 tbsp chermoula (a Middle Eastern pesto)
3 tbsp lemon juice
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

Over a low flame, cook seasoned duck breast, skin side down until crisp and rendered, turning once to seal flesh, and allow to rest for ten minutes.

Pick herbs into mixing bowl, add watermelon and sliced duck breast, and all remaining ingredients.

Mix lightly and serve.