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Roast duck breast, parsnips, spiced poached pear, asparagus and broad beans

A delectable spring variation to elevate your traditional Sunday roast: roasted duck breast accompanied by delicately spiced poached pears and vibrant spring asparagus.

Matt Tebbutt recipe

Preparation time
less than 30 mins

Cooking time
30 mins to 1 hour

Serves
Serves 2

By Matt Tebbutt
From Saturday Kitchen

Ingredients

For the roast duck breast

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 duck breast
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the parsnips

  • 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into batons
  • 2 sprigs thyme
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter

For the spiced poached pear

  • 1 pear, peeled, cored and cut in half
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • 4 whole black peppercorns
  • 100g/3½oz caster sugar
  • 1 litre of water

For the asparagus and broad beans

  • 4 asparagus sticks, trimmed and cut into 3 pieces, blanched
  • 100g/3½oz fresh broad beans, podded, blanched
  • 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • handful of watercress, picked

Method

  1. To make the roast duck, pre-heat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a medium oven-proof frying pan over high heat and fry the duck skin side down until the fat has rendered. Turnover and place the pan in the oven for 6–8 minutes, depending on the size of the breasts. Retain any of the resting juices.

  2. Meanwhile for the parsnips, put the parsnips in a roasting tray and add the thyme, oil and butter. Put in the oven for 15–20 minutes. Turning half wat through cooking.

  3. To make the poached pear, place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to the boil, cook for 20–30 minutes or until the pears has softened and cooked though but still hold their shape.

  4. For the asparagus and broad beans, put the asparagus and broad beans into a bowl and add the vinegar, olive oil and the cooking juices from duck.

  5. To serve, pick the watercress and place all over the serving plate, scatter the asparagus and broad beans on top. Cut the duck into pieces and dot over the plate, along with the roasted parsnips. Cut the pear into slices and place on top.

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