Crisp Skin King Cole Duck a l'Orange Citrus Salad and Caramelised Fennel

King Cole is a breed of duck introduced to New Zealand from Canada. The method of cooking the duck perhaps goes against convention as in starting with a hot pan. Don’t be alarmed - it will yield the most wonderful crisp skin.

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

• 6 x 200gm breasts of duck
• 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
• 150 ml mirin
• 100 ml sake
• 2 cloves
• 1 small piece cinnamon
• juice of 1 pink grapefruit
• 200 ml brown chicken stock
• 2 oranges
• 2 pink grapefruit
• 3 bulbs fennel
• 75 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 50 g unsalted butter

Method

Sprinkle salt into the base of a fry pan, rest duck skin side down on the salt and place the fry pan on a low to medium heat.

Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until all the fat is rendered from the duck and the skin is crisp.

Turn the duck over and cook for a further 2 minutes, remove from the pan and rest for 10 minutes in a warm place in the kitchen.

For the sauce, place the mirin in a sauce pan and reduce to a light caramel, add the grape fruit juice and reduce by half.

Add the sake and reduce by half, add the brown chicken stock, clove and cinnamon and reduce over a medium to high heat by half.

Pass the sauce through a fine sieve and discard any debris.

For the fennel trim the tops and remove the outside stringy layer, cut each bulb into 8 wedges.

Heat olive oil in a fry pan over a medium to high heat, add fennel and colour to light golden on each side 5 to 7 minutes.  Add butter and baste with a spoon over the fennel until caramelised, season with freshly milled white pepper and flaky sea salt.

To Serve

Cut each duck into 4 nuggets and arrange in the middle of a plate, tuck the fennel amongst the duck nuggets and scatter around the citrus segments.  Spoon the sauce around the duck.

John Hawkesby’s wine suggestion

Pinot Noir

• Trinity Hill Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir 2006
• Trinity Hill High Country Pinot Noir 2006
• Nautilus Estate 2006