Duck Breast Gnocchi

Ingredients

4 duck breasts

Sweet potato gnocchi

250g baked golden kumara – passed through a sieve

250g baked Agria Potatoes– passed through a sieve

100g strong flour (approx.)

1 egg yolk

20g Westgold butter

Salt and pinch of nutmeg

Mushroom, porcini sauce

75g dried porcini – soaked in boiled water until soft, drained, reserving juices to use a flavouring stock

75g field mushrooms – sliced

1 shallot – finely chopped

25g dry white wine

150g cream

30g Westgold butter

Salt and pepper

8 sage leaves – torn

75g Westgold Unsalted butter

Brine

450g water

35g sea salt

10g honey

2 oranges – zest and juice

6 Juniper berries, a sprig of thyme, 2 bay leaves,

Method

Brine

Whisk all together to dissolve salt and honey.

Allow to infuse for 3 hours before passing and pouring over duck for overnight brine.

Duck breast

Trimmed of fillet and fat, skin scored, brined overnight, drained and dried.

Sweet potato gnocchi

Add the butter, egg yolk, flour, nutmeg and salt to potato/kumara and knead gently to a ball. Do not over work.

Roll out to 1.3cm logs and cut into 2.5cm pieces.

Poach in simmering salted water removing when they float to the surface with a slotted spoon, drain on an oiled tray. Allow to cool.

When ready to serve fry in small batches in butter to reheat and colour.

Mushroom, porcini sauce

Sweat the shallots in half the butter until soft, add field mushrooms and lightly sauté.

Add porcini (roughly chopped if very large) and white wine, reduce the wine.

Add the decanted porcini juice, clean juice only, discarding the grainy dregs.

Add the cream and seasoning and reduce to a sauce.

Finish by adding the butter.

Sage Beurre Noisette

To the hot pan add the 75g of Westgold butter and cook until it starts to foam and turn brown.

Remove from heat, add torn sage leaves.

Wait still butter stops bubbling, before spooning over or around the duck.

Spoon over fish and serve with grilled lemon.

Assembly

Fry duck breast skin side down to render fat until medium rare, flip to seal the top, remove allow to rest before slicing.

Pour a little porcini sauce onto desired plate, add the sliced duck breast.

Serve with gnocchi, sage beurre noisette and vegetables of your choice.