Duck breast and mixed baby leaf salad with potato stack
Both parent grapes of Pinotage (Pinot Noir and Cinsault) make lighter red wines which are a perfect foil for Duck Breast. The spices in the rub used here for the duck breast add the necessary depth of flavour when pairing with a more fuller-bodied wine like the Barista Pinotage.
INGREDIENTS
Potato stack
3 to 4 large potatoes
3 to 4 sweet potatoes
200ml double thick cream
2 Tbs butter
salt to taste
2 pinch nutmeg
rendered duck fat
Mixed baby leaves salad & vinaigrette
1 Tbs minced shallot
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs whole-grain mustard
1 Tbs cider vinegar
1 tsp honey
1 pinch Maldon salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs rendered duck fat (from cooking the potatoes)
2 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
freshly ground black pepper
a range of mixed baby leaves
Duck breast
4 free-range duck breasts, skin scored
1 Tbs Maldon salt
1 tsp black peppercorns
4 star anise pods
4 allspice berries
METHOD
Potato stack
1. Place sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan; add enough water to pan to cover potatoes. Cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer covered until sweet potatoes are very tender, about 12 minutes.
2. Drain sweet potatoes in a colander. Add cream and butter to same saucepan; place over low heat and stir mixture until butter is melted. Transfer sweet potatoes to blender; add salt and nutmeg. Add melted butter and cream.
3. Slice potatoes 2-3 mm thick.
4. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan; add enough water to pan to cover potatoes. Cover; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer covered until potatoes are soft, but not overly soft.
5. Heat fat in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat until melted. Cook potatoes with a pinch of salt, turning gently, until coated with fat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, turning occasionally, until potatoes are tender and golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Assemble: 1 layer potato, 1 layer whipped sweet potato, alternate layers until the stack is finished.
Mixed baby leaves salad & vinaigrette
1. To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk together the shallots, garlic, mustard, vinegar, honey, salt, and cayenne pepper.
2. Gradually drizzle in the oil a few drops at a time while whisking constantly, followed by the duck fat. Whisk in the tarragon and black pepper to taste.
3. To serve, toss the salad leaves with 1 tablespoon of the mustard vinaigrette and then arrange the salad on four individual plates. Top each salad with sliced duck breast, then drizzle a dash of vinaigrette over.
Duck breast
1. Heat peppercorns, star anise, allspice & juniper in a small pan to release their oils.
2. Transfer once cooled to pestle and mortar, add salt and grind mixture.
3. Rub (“massage”) into the duck breast and let it “marry” for 4 hours.
4. Transfer breasts to vacuum-sealed bag and cook in slow cooker on low setting for 2 hours.
5. Fry in rendered duck fat until skin is dark brown.
