Roasted breast of mallard with crispy leg, pumpkin soup and roasted chestnuts
- Main
- Challenging
- 4
- 5 hours 30 minutes
PT5H30M
This roasted mallard recipe from Robert Thompson comprises deep, rootsy flavours of the chestnut and pumpkin with rich duck and crunchy Panko breadcrumbs.
Ingredients
Mallard
- 1 mallard
- 10g of rock salt
- 500g of goose fat
- 1 egg , beaten
- 100g of plain flour
- 100ml of olive oil
- 1 handful of Panko breadcrumbs (1)
- salt
- black pepper
Soup
- 500g of organic pumpkin , cut into large chunks
- 1 bunch of thyme
- 500ml of chicken stock
- 75g of unsalted butter , diced
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 1 large onion , finely chopped
Chestnut purée
- 200g of chestnuts , peeled
- 100ml of chicken stock
- 50ml of double cream
- 1 orange , segmented and juice reserved
- 10g of unsalted butter
- 5g of brown sugar
To plate
- 10g of baking powder
- 150g of plain flour
- 2 tbsp of sage leaves
- 2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds , toasted
- ice cold water
- 100g of cornflour
- vegetable oil
Equipment
- Fine sieve
- Deep fat fryer
- Blender
Method
1
Remove the legs from the mallard by cutting through the joint. Put in a dish, sprinkle with salt, cover and chill for 12 hours. Clean the rest of the bird and carefully remove the wishbone
- 1 mallard
- 10g of rock salt
2
Rinse and dry the legs and put in an oven dish into which they fit snugly
3
Heat the oven to 140°C/Gas mark 1. Melt the goose fat in a pan and then pour it over the legs
- 500g of goose fat
4
Cook in a covered pan for 2 ½ hours or until the meat is falling off the bone. Discard the skin and remove all the meat from the confit legs
5
Shred the meat and season lightly. Layer the meat into a small tray to about 1cm thick, then chill until firm
6
For the soup, heat the oven to 190°C/Gas mark 5
7
Put the chopped pumpkin, thyme and butter in a foil parcel. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the pumpkin is soft
- 500g of organic pumpkin , cut into large chunks
- 1 bunch of thyme
- 75g of unsalted butter , diced
8
Sweat the onion in a little oil until soft, then add the roasted pumpkin flesh and stock. Bring to the boil then blend until completely smooth. Pass through a fine sieve and adjust the seasoning
- 1 large onion , finely chopped
- 1 tbsp of olive oil
- 500ml of chicken stock
- salt
- black pepper
9
For the chestnut purée, caramelise the orange segments with the butter and sugar in a pan, being careful not to burn the sugar, then add the orange juice, peeled chestnuts and stock
- 1 orange , segmented and juice reserved
- 10g of unsalted butter
- 5g of brown sugar
- 100ml of chicken stock
- 200g of chestnuts
10
Bring to the boil and then blend until smooth. Slowly add the cream. Pass through a fine sieve and adjust the seasoning
- 50ml of double cream
- salt
- black pepper
11
For the mallard, heat the oven to 200°C/Gas mark 6
12
Season the mallard crown and then seal in a hot pan in 1 tablespoon of oil. Roast for 10-15 minutes depending on the size of the bird and how well you like it cooked. Allow to rest
- 20ml of olive oil
13
Cut the confit meat into 1cm cubes and then dust with the flour, dip in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs
- 100g of plain flour
- 1 egg , beaten
- 1 handful of Panko breadcrumbs (1)
14
Carve off the mallard breasts once roasted, slicing each breast evenly. Shallow-fry the leg meat cubes until golden all over
- 80ml of olive oil
15
Mix the corn flour, plain flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Gently add the ice cold water, stirring gently until it forms a tempura batter
- 100g of cornflour
- 150g of plain flour
- 10g of baking powder
- ice cold water
16
Heat the oil in a deep fat fryer. Dip the sage leaves in the tempura batter and fry until the batter sets on the leaves. Drain on kitchen paper
- 2 tbsp of sage leaves
- vegetable oil
17
Spoon a little chestnut purée onto each plate, add some mallard cubes and the mallard breast, top with some pumpkin seeds and deep-fried sage leaves
- 2 tbsp of pumpkin seeds , toasted
18
Pour the pumpkin soup around the meat to serve
Discover more:
Go to Comments
Roasted breast of mallard with crispy leg, pumpkin soup and roasted chestnuts
