Crispy Duck with Sweet Potato Mash
Crispy Duck breast with roasted sweet potatoes and pan fried zucchini – what’s not to love!? Not only was this delicious, but the vibrancy on the dish made it that much more enjoyable to eat. The savory flavors of the duck paired beautifully with the sweetness of the potato. I honestly loved making this dish, even tho I feel conflicted about eating red meats. I decided eating something that I love, once a year, is a gentle approach to saving the planet and eating more plant based. I haven’t had duck in about 3 years so it was delicious to say the least!
Notes
Duck Breast – I’m no chef, but from watching countless cooking shows and reading lots of recipe books, I’ve figured out how to make a delicious duck breast. It’s not difficult to get right, but tha main thing is to cook it in a cold frying pan and slowly heat the pan. This will melt the fat and help the skin to crisp up without burning. The reason for doing this is when a duck breast is seared at a higher temperature, the flesh quickly cooks before enough fat has rendered out, leaving you with a thick, flabby layer of fat over tough meat – and nobody wants that! I have linked Gordon Ramsays Youtube video as an easy visual reference below!
Sweet Potato and Zucchini- I love sweet potato, but if you’re not a fan, feel free to substitute with butternut, pumpkin, or even normal potatoes if thats what you feel like. I find the Zucchini works best here for the veg option as it’s quite a subtle flavor and lets the duck do the talking, but feel free to sub with broccoli, asparagus, or even wilted spinach.
What You’ll Need
- 2 medium sweet potatoes – washed
- 2 duck breasts. skin on
- 2 small / or one large zucchini, washed and cut into half inch cubes (skin on)
- 1 tsp butter
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
- chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Crispy Duck with Sweet Potato Mash
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 2 1x
Description
Delicious duck breast with crispy skin, paired with roasted sweet potato mash and pan fried zucchini.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes – washed
- 2 duck breasts. skin on
- 2 small / or one large zucchini, washed and cut into half inch cubes (skin on)
- 1 tsp butter
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 deg F, and take your duck out the fridge to thaw. Season the duck with plenty of salt and pepper on both sides, set aside.
- Wash your sweet potatoes and prick with a fork all over. Place them straight onto the rack and bake for 45 mins (or longer, depending on your oven).
- Wash and chop the zucchini, and set aside.
- When you have about 25 mins left on the sweet potato timer, place a large ovenproof skillet on the stovetop. Place your duck skin side down and turn on the heat to medium/high. You don’t want to add the duck to a hot pan, as by slowly heating it you render the fat.
- Fry for 8-9 minutes until golden brown, then flip and fry for a further 3-4 minutes sealing in the flavor. Finish off in the oven for 7-8 minutes, then remove from the oven and the pan and let it rest for 8-10 minutes. The duck should be bouncy to the touch and pink inside.
- While the duck is resting, cook the zucchini. Pour the duck fat from the pan into a jar (great for roasting potatoes) and place the pan back on a high heat. Add your zucchini to the pan with plenty of salt and pepper, and fry on a high heat for a couple of minutes, tossing regularly. You don’t want to over cook and have stodgy veg. Once cooked set aside.
- By this stage your sweet potato should be very soft. Remove from the oven with tongs (it’s very hot so be careful), and place in a mixing bowl. Very carefully remove the skin (I use a tea town to hold the potato). Discard the skin and add your butter, salt and pepper to the bowl with the potato and mix well.
- In two shallow bowls, add the sweet potato, friend zucchini and top with your sliced duck. Season with salt and serve!
- Cook Time: 55
- Category: Lunch/Dinner
- Method: Stovetop / Oven
Anonymous
Lanna
Mmmmmmm, yum!