Paul O' Donnell Catering

IINGREDIENTS

• 4 female Barbary duck breasts
• 1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
• Salt
• 50ml Cognac
• 200ml duck stock (you can use chicken stock if you like) reduce to 100ml
• 100ml double cream
• 1.5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 100g Shitake mushrooms
• 100g oyster mushrooms
• 100g fresh spinach (washed thoroughly)

Method

Trim the duck breasts and lightly score the skin with a sharp knife.

Spread the cracked peppercorns over the duck breasts, pressing them into the skin. Season well with salt.

Heat a large pan over a moderate heat, and add the duck breasts, skin side down. Cook for 5 mins, or until the skin is nicely golden and crisp. Turn the breasts over and cook for about 4 minutes.

Remove the duck breasts from the pan and keep them warm while you make the sauce. Pour off the fat, and deglaze the pan with the cognac, stirring well to scape up the caramelized juices.

Add the reduced stock and stirr, then add the cream and simmer until reduced to a sauce consistency. Heat the oil and half the butter in a pan and fry the mushrooms. Cook the spinach in the remaining butter. Mix the mushrooms and spinach together.

To serve slice each duck breast diagonally and spoon the spinach and mushroom mixture over and around the duck. Then spoon around the cognac sauce.