Tea Smoked Duck with Baked Pear, Thyme and Pomegranate Seeds
Duck breasts cold-smoked with an Earl Grey, cinnamon and chamomile spice mix, then seared crisp and plated with baked maple pears, thyme and jewelled pomegranate seeds.
Ingredients
| 4 x 200 g | duck breasts | |
| ½ | orange zest | |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | Earl Grey tea |
| 2 tbsp | 30 ml | broken cinnamon stick |
| 1 tsp | 5 ml | chamomile |
| — | maple wood smoking chips | |
| 3 tbsp | 45 ml | maple syrup |
| 2 | small pears | |
| 1 | pomegranate | |
| 1 small bunch | fresh garden thyme | |
| 8 tbsp | 120 ml | olive oil |
| 4 stems | cooked tenderstem broccoli | |
| ¼ tsp | 1.3 ml | cinnamon powder |
| to taste | sea salt |
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- Trim any excess fat or sinew from the duck breasts and cross-score the fat. On the flesh side, lightly brush the duck with maple syrup and dust with the orange zest.
- Place the duck in an airtight container with a tightly fitting lid.
- Load the smoking gun chamber with the wood chip spice mix (orange zest, Earl Grey tea, cinnamon and chamomile).
- Using the hose attachment, aggressively fill the container with smoke and replace the lid.
- Refrigerate 20–30 minutes, then repeat the smoking process 5–6 times depending on the depth of smoke required, after which the duck is ready to cook.
- Peel the pears, cut in half and scoop out the core with a small spoon.
- Brush the pear halves with a little maple syrup, a few thyme leaves and a pinch of salt and cinnamon powder.
- In a hot sauté pan, heat a little olive oil and gently fry the pear halves until lightly golden brown, being careful as the maple syrup will burn.
- After turning the pears, place them in the oven for 4–6 minutes.
- Cut the pomegranate in half and knock out the seeds. In a small bowl, dress the seeds with a little olive oil.
- In a hot pan, sear the duck breasts skin-side down until the skin is crispy and golden brown.
- Place the duck in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes, adding the thyme sprigs and the pears halfway through. Set aside to rest.
- Serving suggestion: the duck needs little more than some simply steamed tenderstem broccoli to make a delicious main course.