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Duck with Kumara, Bok Choy and Plum Jus

Duck is such a treat. This is a nice, easy meal to impress – perfect for a special occasion.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Course Main
Servings 2
Calories 998 kcal
Gluten Free

Ingredients
  

Kumara mash

  • 400 g orange kumara peeled and chopped
  • 1 small butter knob
  • 2-3 tablespoons milk

Duck and plum jus

  • 2 duck breasts at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice
  • ¼ cup red wine
  • 2 canned plums stone removed
  • 1/3 cup plum juice from the can
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce GF if required
  • 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
  • 1 ½ teaspoons brown sugar

Bok choy

  • 3 baby bok choy quartered lengthways
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon soy sauce GF if required

Instructions
 

  • Bring a medium-size pot of salted water to the boil. Bring a full kettle to the boil.
  • Cook kumara in pot of boiling water until soft, 10-12 minutes. Drain and mash with butter and milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
  • While kumara is cooking, trim duck breasts of excess overhanging fat. Rub in Chinese five-spice and season both sides with salt. Heat a dry fry-pan (no oil) on medium heat. Cook duck breasts, skin-side-down, for 4-5 minutes until most of the fat has rendered out and the skin is golden brown. Turn breasts over and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until duck is cooked through medium (the flesh inside should be a pale rosy pink). Set aside and cover with foil to rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Drain liquid fat from pan, wipe it out with paper towels and reheat to medium heat. Pour in red wine and allow it to bubble away for 30 seconds. Add plums, plum juice, soy sauce, vinegar and sugar. Mash plums in the sauce with a fork and simmer for 2-3 minutes until sauce is slightly reduced.
  • Place bok choy in a dish and cover with boiling water. Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes until bright green and just tender. Drain and toss with sesame oil and soy sauce. Slice duck breasts on an angle.
  • To serve, spoon some kumara mash and bok choy onto each plate. Top with slices of duck breast and spoon over some plum jus.

Notes

The sweetness of the kumara tastes amazing with the rich duck with it’s flavour from the five-spice, but what will really impress is the incredibly flavourful plum jus. The duck skin may look a bit blackened after cooking, but don’t worry – this is just the five-spice. Duck breast is best cooked medium; the flesh should be a pale rosy pink colour, like medium-cooked lamb.