The base of this unique dish is a swirl of glossy roast pumpkin purée, enriched with sumac and butter. Sprawled across it is a spinach and barley salad, covered by tender slices of duck breast – with that fantastically crispy skin! Finished with the delectable snap of homemade pecan brittle.
Duck Breast By Coobs
Duck Breast By Coobs
with pumpkin purée, barley salad & a honey and pecan nut brittle
Hands on Time: 35 - 45 minutes
Overall Time: 40 - 50 minutes
Ingredients:
- Duck Breast
- Fresh Parsley
- Honey
- Pearled Barley
- Pecan Nuts
- Pumpkin Chunks
- Spinach
- Sumac
- Vegetable Stock
From your kitchen:
- Oil (cooking, olive or coconut)
- Salt & Pepper
- Water
- Paper Towel
- Butter
PUMPKIN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked and crisp. At the halfway mark, shift it and sprinkle over half of the sumac. Return to the oven for the remaining cooking time.
DUCK PREP & BARLEY
Place the duck skin-side down on paper towel and set aside. Dilute the stock with 400ml of boiling water. Set aside 25ml for step 5 and pour the remainder into a pot. Add the rinsed barley to the pot and place over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if it starts to dry out. Remove from the heat on completion and drain if necessary.
PECAN BRITTLE
Thoroughly grease a flat tray or dish. Place the chopped pecans in a pan over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove on completion and return the pan to the heat. Add in the honey and combine with 1 tsp of water. Bubble for 2 minutes until foamy and darker in colour, swirling the pan occasionally. Don’t let it over-boil, or it’ll burn! Stir in 1 tsp of butter and allow to bubble for 1 minute. Add in the pecans and mix until coated. Evenly pour onto the greased tray, sprinkle with salt, and set aside to cool.
GET FRYING
Place a nonstick pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the shredded spinach for 3-4 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut broad, cross-hatch slits into the duck skin, without piercing the flesh. Wipe down the pan and return to a low heat without oil. Fry the duck skin-side down for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Increase the heat, flip, and fry for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
WRAP IT UP
Add the cooked barley and three-quarters of the chopped parsley to the spinach. Toss through the remaining sumac to taste and season. When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a blender. Add 1 tsp of butter and the reserved stock. Blend until smooth and season. Roughly chop the hard brittle.
DINNER AT COOBS
Dollop the purée into a bowl. Cover in barley salad and top with the duck slices. Garnish with the pecan brittle and the remaining chopped parsley. Wow!
Pumpkin Chunks - 250g
Sumac - 10ml
Vegetable Stock - 5ml
Pearled Barley - 100ml
Pecan Nuts - 20g
Honey - 30ml
Spinach - 75g
Duck Breast - 1
Fresh Parsley - 3g
PUMPKIN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked and crisp. At the halfway mark, shift it and sprinkle over half of the sumac. Return to the oven for the remaining cooking time.
DUCK PREP & BARLEY
Place the duck skin-side down on paper towel and set aside. Dilute the stock with 750ml of boiling water. Set aside 50ml for step 5 and pour the remainder into a pot. Add the rinsed barley to the pot and place over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if it starts to dry out. Remove from the heat on completion and drain if necessary.
PECAN BRITTLE
Thoroughly grease a flat tray or dish. Place the chopped pecans in a pan over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove on completion and return the pan to the heat. Add the honey and combine with 1 tbsp of water. Bubble for 3-4 minutes until foamy and darker in colour, swirling the pan occasionally. Don’t let it over-boil, or it’ll burn! Stir in 1 tsp of butter and bubble for 1 minute. Add in the pecans and mix until coated. Evenly pour onto the greased tray, sprinkle with salt, and set aside to cool.
GET FRYING
Place a nonstick pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the shredded spinach for 4-5 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut broad, cross-hatch slits into the duck skin, without piercing the flesh. Wipe down the pan and return to a low heat without oil. Fry the duck skin-side down for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Increase the heat, flip, and fry for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
WRAP IT UP
Add the cooked barley and three-quarters of the chopped parsley to the spinach. Toss through the remaining sumac to taste and season. When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a blender. Add 2 tsp of butter and the reserved stock. Blend until smooth and season. Roughly chop the hard brittle.
DINNER AT COOBS
Dollop the purée into some bowls. Cover in barley salad and top with the duck slices. Garnish with the pecan brittle and the remaining chopped parsley. Wow!
Pumpkin Chunks - 500g
Sumac - 20ml
Vegetable Stock - 10ml
Pearled Barley - 200ml
Pecan Nuts - 40g
Honey - 60ml
Spinach - 150g
Duck Breast - 2
Fresh Parsley - 5g
PUMPKIN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 30-35 minutes until cooked and crisp. At the halfway mark, shift it and sprinkle over half of the sumac. Return to the oven for the remaining cooking time.
DUCK PREP & BARLEY
Place the duck skin-side down on paper towel and set aside. Dilute the stock with 750ml of boiling water. Set aside 50ml for step 5 and pour the remainder into a pot. Add the rinsed barley to the pot and place over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if it starts to dry out. Remove from the heat on completion and drain if necessary.
PECAN BRITTLE
Thoroughly grease a flat tray or dish. Place the chopped pecans in a pan over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove on completion and return the pan to the heat. Add the honey and combine with 1 tbsp of water. Bubble for 3-4 minutes until foamy and darker in colour, swirling the pan occasionally. Don’t let it over-boil, or it’ll burn! Stir in 1 tsp of butter and bubble for 1 minute. Add in the pecans and mix until coated. Evenly pour onto the greased tray, sprinkle with salt, and set aside to cool.
GET FRYING
Place a nonstick pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the shredded spinach for 4-5 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut broad, cross-hatch slits into the duck skin, without piercing the flesh. Wipe down the pan and return to a low heat without oil. Fry the duck skin-side down for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Increase the heat, flip, and fry for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
WRAP IT UP
Add the cooked barley and three-quarters of the chopped parsley to the spinach. Toss through the remaining sumac to taste and season. When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a blender. Add 2 tsp of butter and the reserved stock. Blend until smooth and season. Roughly chop the hard brittle.
DINNER AT COOBS
Dollop the purée into some bowls. Cover in barley salad and top with the duck slices. Garnish with the pecan brittle and the remaining chopped parsley. Wow!
Pumpkin Chunks - 500g
Sumac - 20ml
Vegetable Stock - 10ml
Pearled Barley - 200ml
Pecan Nuts - 40g
Honey - 60ml
Spinach - 150g
Duck Breast - 2
Fresh Parsley - 5g
PUMPKIN
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Boil the kettle. Place the pumpkin pieces on a roasting tray, coat in oil, and season. Roast in the hot oven for 35-40 minutes until cooked and crisp. At the halfway mark, shift it and sprinkle over half of the sumac. Return to the oven for the remaining cooking time.
DUCK PREP & BARLEY
Place the duck skin-side down on paper towel and set aside. Dilute the stock with 1,5L of boiling water. Set aside 100ml for step 5 and pour the remainder into a pot. Add the rinsed barley to the pot and place over a high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally and adding water if it starts to dry out. Remove from the heat on completion and drain if necessary.
PECAN BRITTLE
Thoroughly grease a flat tray or dish. Place the chopped pecans in a pan over a medium heat. Toast for 3-5 minutes until golden, shifting occasionally. Remove on completion and return the pan to the heat. Add the honey and combine with 2 tbsp of water. Bubble for 5-6 minutes until foamy and darker in colour, swirling the pan occasionally. Don’t let it over-boil, or it’ll burn! Stir in 1 tbsp of butter and bubble for 1 minute. Add in the pecans and mix until coated. Evenly pour onto the greased tray, sprinkle with salt, and set aside to cool.
GET FRYING
Place a large, nonstick pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, sauté the shredded spinach for 5-6 minutes until wilted. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Using a sharp knife, cut broad, cross-hatch slits into the duck skin, without piercing the flesh. Wipe down the pan and return to a low heat without oil. Fry the duck skin-side down for 5-7 minutes until crispy. Increase the heat, flip, and fry for 4-5 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
WRAP IT UP
Add the cooked barley and three-quarters of the chopped parsley to the spinach. Toss through the remaining sumac to taste and season. When the pumpkin is cooked, place in a blender. Add 2 tbsp of butter and the reserved stock. Blend until smooth and season. Roughly chop the hard brittle.
DINNER AT COOBS
Dollop the purée into some bowls. Cover in barley salad and top with the duck slices. Garnish with the pecan brittle and the remaining chopped parsley. Wow!
Pumpkin Chunks - 1kg
Sumac - 40ml
Vegetable Stock - 20ml
Pearled Barley - 400ml
Pecan Nuts - 80g
Honey - 120ml
Spinach - 300g
Duck Breast - 4
Fresh Parsley - 10g