These recipes are from the 11th annual Skills for Chefs conference which took place on 23-24 June at The Octagon Centre, The University of Sheffield. ·1 kg Rouennaise or English duck ·80ml Duck stock ·80ml Thickened veal stock ·8ml Port ·60ml Armagnac ·30gr Foie gras ·40gr Shallots ·20gr Crushed black peppercorns ·400ml Good Bordeaux red wine ·40gr Unsalted butter ·5gr Green peppercorns ·1 Bay leaf ·2 Spring of thyme ·10gr Dijon Mustard ·15gr Soft breadcrumbs ·2gr Flat parsley ·Oil butter for cooking ·Seasoning
Method for sauce 1) Peel and finely chop the shallot and sweat in a hot pan with a little butter, add the red wine, bay leaf, half the thyme, and black peppercorn and reduce until all the wine has evaporated 2) Add the duck stock and thickened veal stock. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes to correct consistency and taste 3) Pass through a fine chinois and reserve. Method for cooking the duck 1) Truss the duck for roasting, season with salt and seal in a very hot roasting tray, then place the duck on its leg in a hot oven 270oC, give it 6 minutes per leg then 8 minutes on its back, then remove and rest it of for a few minutes Finishing Remove the legs from the bird, which will be quite raw, and brush them with some Dijon mustard then sprinkle with chopped breadcrumbs, chopped thyme and parsley and continue to cook the under a gentle salamander or oven until totally cooked through. Carve the breast into aiguillette. Once the legs are totally cooked through and have crispy bread crumbs coating, place onto a plate with some fresh crisp salad leaves made with some of the jus mixed with a little vinaigrette to be served as a second serving of duck. Remove the breasts from the duck and carve very thinly, place on the presentation plate and keep warm. Chop up the carcass of the duck and place in a duck press with some of the Armagnac and close the press down, this will extract the blood and juices from the duck, pass and reserve. Pour the red wine sauce in a saucepan and bring to a gently simmer, mix the foie gras and butter together, and whisk in the foie gras butter and remove from the heat and stir in the blood and juices. (do not reboil the sauce or it will split). Serve straight away with the duck, add the green peppers.