Instead of rescuing lost dogs or cats, my father would often return home with stray produce, such as sugar cane and pomegrantes, gathered up from the wilderness formerly known as the 1970’s supermarket. It was a way of encouraging us to be curious about trying new things.
Similarly, my husband orders random kitchen gadgets online that show up at our door and he also brings home various stray cuts of meat when Whole Foods has 50% discounts (which is usually the last day of sale). Duck went on offer not too long ago and we made duck confit from the legs and froze the breasts.
I was eager to get going when I found this super recipe for pan-fried duck breast from British celebrity chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver. After scouring the cupboards for the few other ingredients, I set to work. We certainly already had the duck!
The dish features Oliver’s singular, simple style, which has alway found lots of flavor from a wild assortment of fresh herbs. Here, you’ll just need rosemary—and as I discovered, a tablespoon or so of fine herbes works just fine in a pinch.
Pan-Fried Duck Breast
Ingredients
1 free-range duck breast (250g)
2 rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon (I used some leftover Polish bacon but any hearty strips will do)
2 cloves of garlic
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary (or a tablespoon or so of fine herbes)
Red wine vinegar
1 x 560g jar of white beans (a 15 oz can of butter beans worked out quite nicely)
100g spinach (I only had a bag of frozen green beans in the house, great substitute!)
Method
Score the skin of the duck breast at roughly one inch (2 cm) intervals, then season with sea salt and black pepper.
Place the duck skin-side down in a cold non-stick frying pan, then turn the heat on to medium-high. Cook for 8 minutes without moving it, or until the fat is well rendered and the skin is golden and crispy.
Meanwhile, finely chop the bacon. Peel and finely slice the garlic.
Turn the duck over and cook for 4 minutes on the other side, then remove to a plate to rest, leaving the pan of duck fat on the heat.
Sprinkle the bacon and garlic into the hot pan, strip in the rosemary leaves and cook for 2 minutes, or until golden, stirring regularly.
Add a splash of red wine vinegar and stir to pick up any sticky bits, then pour in the beans, juice and all. Simmer for a couple of minutes, then stir through the spinach until wilted (I added in the frozen green beans, simmering until warmed through).
Slice the duck breast at an angle. Divide the bean mixture between your plates and arrange the duck on top, spooning over any resting juices, to finish.