Main course Contemporary European
Duck breast with roasted plums, orange, chilli, garlic and baguette toasts
Editorially prepared
Crisp-skinned duck breast with roasted prune plums and an orange, chilli and garlic sauce. Served with baguette toasts for soaking up the fruity juices.
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Ingredients
2 servings · metric units
For more servings, cook the breasts in several frying pans or in batches without crowding. Spread the plums in a single layer in a suitably larger dish. Cooking time depends on breast thickness rather than the number of servings; check each breast with a thermometer.
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You’ll need
oven · small ovenproof dish · heavy-based frying pan · probe thermometer · small saucepan · baking tray · sharp knife and chopping boards · fine grater and citrus juicer · tongs · heatproof container for rendered fat
Method
0/8 stepsPrepare the plums and flavourings
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional. Wash, halve and stone the plums. Wash and dry the orange, finely grate only the coloured zest, then squeeze the juice. Peel and thinly slice the garlic, and cut the chilli into rings. Arrange the plums cut-side up in a single layer in an ovenproof dish. Add the garlic, chilli, zest and all the orange juice. Leave some slices visible between the fruit, but moisten them with juice. Drizzle generously with olive oil and add the salt and thyme. If the plums lack sweetness, add 1 tsp of sugar.
Prepare the plums and flavourings Roast the plums
Place the dish in the preheated oven and roast for about 20 minutes from this point. Meanwhile, begin preparing and frying the duck as described below. After 20 minutes, check the plums: a knife tip should slide in easily, but the halves should retain their shape; the juice should be bubbling and the garlic softened. If the fruit is still firm, continue roasting and check every 3–5 minutes. Remove the cooked plums and cover loosely; they will be reheated before serving. Leave the oven on for the toasts.
20:00Roast the plums Render the fat and crisp the skin
While the plums roast, pat the duck thoroughly dry. If the skin is not already scored, score it shallowly in a diamond pattern, cutting through the skin and fat but not into the flesh. Place the breast skin-side down in a cold, dry frying pan and turn on a low heat. Cook for about 12–18 minutes from switching on the heat, until the skin is golden brown and the fat layer beneath it is noticeably thinner. Carefully pour off the rendered fat into a heatproof container from time to time and reserve it. If the skin remains pale once the fat has rendered, increase the heat slightly; reduce it if the skin darkens too quickly. Move on to turning the breast only once the skin is browned and crisp. Remember to check the plums at their scheduled time.
Render the fat and crisp the skin Finish cooking the breast
Turn the breast flesh-side down and cook over a medium-low heat for about 5–10 minutes from turning. Check the temperature by inserting the probe from the side into the centre of the thickest part. Continue cooking until it reaches 75°C and maintain at least that temperature for 0.5 minutes. If more time is needed, lower the heat and turn the breast every few minutes to prevent scorching. Do not judge doneness by colour or time alone.
Finish cooking the breast Rest the duck
Transfer the cooked duck to a clean board with a juice groove, skin-side up. Rest for about 8 minutes from removing it from the pan, without covering tightly. Save any juices that collect. While the meat rests, prepare the toasts and sauce in the following steps; slice the duck only after its resting time is complete.
08:00Rest the duck Toast the baguette
While the duck rests, cut the baguette diagonally into slices about 1 cm thick and spread them on a baking tray. Place in the oven at 180°C once the plums have been removed. Bake for 6–8 minutes from putting the tray in, turning the slices roughly halfway through. Remove when the edges are golden and the surface is dry and crisp; if needed, continue baking a minute at a time. You can start reheating the sauce while the toasts bake.
06:00Toast the baguette Finish the sauce with the duck juices
Check that the plums are tender and the garlic is cooked. Transfer the fruit and all its sauce to a small saucepan. Add a little of the reserved duck fat, just enough to give the sauce a sheen without leaving a thick layer of fat on top. Do not add the rest to the dish. Once the duck has finished resting, pour in the collected meat juices. Heat gently until simmering, then cook for about a minute from that point, until hot throughout. Continue heating if needed. Stir carefully to retain the plum halves and visible garlic and chilli slices. Check the toasts during this stage and remove them when ready.
01:00Finish the sauce with the duck juices Slice and serve
Once rested, cut the duck across the grain into fairly thin slices. Divide between plates and arrange skin-side up. Place the hot plums around the meat and spoon over the sauce, keeping it off the duck skin. Leave the garlic and chilli slices visible. Arrange the finished toasts alongside and serve immediately.
Slice and serve
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Tips
- For a milder sauce, remove the chilli seeds and pale membranes before slicing.
- Keep the garlic moistened with orange juice rather than sitting dry on top of the fruit.
- Spoon the sauce around the meat rather than over the crisp skin.
Storage
Store only fully cooked duck. Transfer leftover meat and plums with their sauce to shallow containers, cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours. Keep at 5°C or below and eat within 2 days. Reheat only once, until hot throughout. Store the toasts separately so they do not absorb the sauce.
Timing
Hands-on: 25 min · Cooking: 35 min · Resting: 8 min
