Duck with Fresh Plums, Sweet Potato Dauphinoise & Charred Spring Onions

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.

First make the dauphinoise. Gently simmer the cream, milk, garlic, thyme and a grating of nutmeg in a saucepan over a low-medium heat for 4-6 minutes. Layer the sweet potatoes in a buttered baking dish, seasoning as you go with salt and pepper. Pour the infused cream over the potatoes. Dot with butter, cover with foil and cook for 30-40 minutes. Remove the foil and cook another 15-20 minutes until golden.

Meanwhile, using a sharp knife, score the skin of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern, taking care not to cut through to the flesh. Season with salt and pepper.

Put the duck skin-side down into a cold oven-proof frying pan, place over a medium heat and cook for 7–10 minutes without moving until the fat layer has rendered and the skin has turned golden and crispy. Carefully drain any excess fat from the pan and turn the breasts over. Add the butter, garlic, thyme, star anise and allspice berries and cook, basting with the butter, for 1-2 minutes to seal the meat. Place in the oven and cook for 5–7 minutes for medium, or longer according to your preference.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan over a medium-high heat. Brush the onions with olive oil and place on the grill. Cook, turning once, until grill marks appear, and the onions are tender – approx. 8-10 minutes.

Remove the duck from the pan, cover loosely with foil and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes while you finish the sauce.

Remove the thyme from the pan and leave behind a little fat, the star anise and allspice berries. Add the plums over a medium-high heat and cook for 1 minute on each of the cut sides until they start to soften. Add the red wine and balsamic vinegar to deglaze. Add the orange juice, zest and honey and season with salt. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 4 minutes to reduce the sauce by half. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter.

Carve the duck into slices across the grain. Add a neat slice of dauphinoise and the spring onions onto a serving plate. Spoon some plums next to it and top with the sliced duck breast. Drizzle over a little sauce.