Barbary Duck With Glazed Peaches

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 2
• 1 3/4 cups veal stock or 1 3/4 cups chicken stock or 1 3/4 cups vegetable stock
• 3 ounces butter (3/4 stick)
• 6 shallots, sliced
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon five-spice powder
• 1 teaspoon sherry wine vinegar
• 7/8 cup ruby port
• 1/2 cup madeira wine
• 2 large yellow peaches, unskinned and halved with the stones removed
• 1 teaspoon icing sugar
• 5 ounces barbary duck breasts
• 5 ounces baby spinach leaves
• sea salt
• fresh ground black pepper
• candied orange peel, if desired (to garnish)

Recipe

• 1 heat one third of the butter in a saucepan and saute the shallots with the honey and about half the five spice powder until softened and caramelized, about 7 minutes.
• 2 add the vinegar and cook until evaporated.
• 3 pour in the port and madeira and boil until the liquid is syrupy and has reduced by 2/3.
• 4 add the stock and boil for about 15 minutes or until reduced by half, then strain through a fine sieve, rubbing gently with the back of a ladle.
• 5 season this sauce and set aside.
• 6 to glaze the peaches, sprinkle with the remainder of the five spice powder and the icing sugar.
• 7 heat another third of the butter in a non stick frying pan and gently saute the peaches, colouring them all over.
• 8 take care not to overcook them.
• 9 set aside and reserve the pan juices in a warm place.
• 10 preheat oven to 425*f.
• 11 score the fatty skin of the duck breasts; this ensures that the skin will become crispy when cooked.
• 12 without using any oil, heat a non stick frying pan until quite hot.
• 13 add the duck breasts, skin side down and cook for about 3 minutes, colouring all over.
• 14 cover the breasts with butter paper or buttered greaseproof paper and cook in the oven for about 7 to 8 minutes, turning once or twice.
• 15 remove and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing each breast into 8 slices.
• 16 while the duck is resting, cook the spinach in a little water and the remaining butter for about 1 minute, or until wilted.
• 17 drain well and swquuese outlightly in a clean tea towel or kitchen paper towels.
• 18 place spinache mound in the centre of each warmed plate and arrange the sliced duck over and around each to make a pyramid shape.
• 19 cut eat peach half in four and arrange on and around the duck.
• 20 trickle over the reserved pan juices.
• 21 return the sauce to the boil, check the seasoning and spoon it over and around the meat.
• 22 garnish with candied orange peel slivers if desired.