Chargrilled Duck Breast with Pickled Shiitake Mushrooms

There are a few elements to this chargrilled duck breast recipe but actually the process is pretty straightforward and the dish takes just an hour to conjure up. It's a wonderful, carb-free dinner - give it a go on a midweek evening. Recipe courtesy of www.greatbritishchefs.com.

Servings
Serves: 4
Prep
40 mins
Cook
20 mins

Ingredients

  • 4 duck breasts

Pickled shiitake mushrooms

  • 100g shiitake mushrooms
  • 100ml sherry vinegar
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 50ml white wine

Soy spring onions

  • 2 bunches spring onions
  • 200ml soy sauce

Garden Herbs

  • 20g dill
  • 20g chives
  • 20g sweet cicely
  • 20g fennel fronds
  • olive oil
  • salt

Method

  1. Start the dish by preparing the mushrooms. Remove most of the mushroom stalks then clean them with a pastry brush to remove any dirt. Cut into quarters and set aside in a heatproof bowl.
  2. Combine the sherry vinegar, caster sugar and white wine in a pan and bring to the boil. Then take off the heat and pour over the mushrooms. Leave to pickle for 15 minutes, strain and refrigerate.
  3. Clean the spring onions, removing the first layer of skin, then at an angle, thinly slice.
  4. Put the soy sauce in a pan over a medium heat and reduce by half. Let cool slightly before adding the spring onions. Mix then set aside.
  5. Lightly score the duck breast skin. Next, place onto a warm char-grill, skin side down, and render as much fat from the skin as possible. Turn up the heat and cook until the skin is crispy. Turn and cook the other side for another 4-5 minutes.
  6. To present, on a rectangle plate, make a line of soy spring onions and put the pickled mushrooms either side of the spring onions.
  7. Slice the duck breast lengthways into 3 pieces, removing a small slice from each end. Place the slices at an angle over the spring onions.
  8. Combine all the picked herbs and dress with olive oil and a little salt. Put the garden herbs over the top and finish with the reduced soy. Serve immediately.

Our Story

The Gressingham duck is a unique breed that first came about when the small but flavourful wild Mallard was crossed with the larger Pekin duck giving a meaty, succulent duck with more breast meat, less fat and a rich gamey flavour.