Dry-Aged Duck Breast with Roast Beetroot, Blackcurrant Glaze and Charred Endive

⏱ 75 min · Serves 2

A restaurant-plate dinner you can absolutely nail at home: duck breasts air-dried in the fridge for crackling-crisp skin, sweet-earthy beetroot, a glossy blackcurrant and red wine glaze, and bitter endive caramelised in duck fat to cut the richness. Deep, jewel-bright and properly special.

Per serving: 710 kcal · 42.0g protein · 38.0g carbs · 42.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts (about 180g each), skin on
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt, plus more to season
• Black pepper
• 300g raw beetroot (about 3 small), peeled and cut into wedges
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp thyme leaves
• 2 heads Belgian endive (chicory), halved lengthways
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 120g blackcurrants (fresh or frozen)
• 100ml red wine
• 150ml chicken or duck stock
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 15g cold unsalted butter, diced
• 2 tbsp crème fraîche (optional, to serve)

Method

1. Ideally the night before: pat the duck breasts dry, score the skin in a fine diamond pattern (cutting into fat only), rub with 1 tsp flaky salt and sit uncovered on a rack in the fridge. This dry-ages the skin for maximum crispness. If short on time, 1 hour uncovered is still worth doing.
2. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan. Toss the beetroot wedges with olive oil, thyme, salt and pepper, spread on a tray and roast 35-40 minutes until tender and slightly caramelised at the edges.
3. Meanwhile make the glaze: put the shallot, red wine, vinegar and honey in a small pan and simmer until reduced by two thirds. Add the stock and blackcurrants and simmer 8-10 minutes until the currants collapse and the sauce coats a spoon. Strain through a sieve, pressing the fruit, then return to the pan and set aside.
4. Wipe the salt from the duck skin. Lay the breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry heavy frying pan and set over medium-low heat. Render slowly for 10-12 minutes, pouring off the fat into a bowl as it collects, until the skin is deep amber and crisp.
5. Flip, season the flesh, and cook 3-4 minutes for blushing pink (an internal 54-56C). Transfer to a warm plate and rest 8 minutes, skin-side up.
6. Pour off all but 1 tbsp duck fat. Sprinkle the endive cut sides with the sugar and a pinch of salt and lay them cut-side down in the pan over medium-high heat. Char 3-4 minutes, add a splash of water, cover and cook 3 minutes more until just tender.
7. Add any duck resting juices to the glaze, warm through, then whisk in the cold butter off the heat until glossy. Taste and adjust with a drop more vinegar if needed.
8. Carve the duck into thick slices. Plate the beetroot and endive, add the duck, spoon the blackcurrant glaze over and around, and finish with a small spoon of crème fraîche. Save the strained duck fat for future roast potatoes.