It is hard to find anyone who doesn’t like roast duck. An easy to make accompaniment of carrot & orange puree and black lentils give a delicious new flavour to this roast duck recipe, not to mention the true discovery of a Lithuanian winter – parsnips.
Ingredients
FOR THE ROASTED DUCK BREAST
- 2 duck breasts
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Crushed garlic
- Crushed ginger root
- Salt, pepper
- Olive oil
FOR THE SIDE DISH
- 2 small parsnips
- 4 small carrots
- 40g snap beans
FOR THE CARROT & ORANGE PUREE
- 200g carrots
- 1-2 oranges
- 50g cream
- 200g milk
- 100g water
- 20g butter
- Salt, pepper
FOR THE BLACK LENTILS
- 100g black lentils “Beluga”
- ½ shallot
- 30 ml alyvuogių aliejaus
- Oregano
- Salt
FOR THE CRANBERRY & RED WINE SAUCE
- ½ shallot
- 1 clove of garlic
- 75ml Port wine
- 75ml red wine
- 100g frozen cranberries
- 50g brown sugar
- 20ml olive oil
- Sprig of fresh thyme
- 1 star anise
- A few juniper berries
1. Rub all of the spices, except for the salt, into the duck breast and then leave it to marinade. It is advisable to do it one night in advance and let it rest for 12 hours, or at the very least a for few hours. Fry the duck breast in the pan for 3 minutes on each side and then season it with salt. Finish off cooking it in the oven at 175º C for about 8 minutes.
2. Make the side dish: peel the parsnips and put them into a pot of boiling salted water, then boil them for about 5 minutes. Strain after they are cooked and set aside to cool down. Parboil the carrots and snap beans then pan-fry the parboiled vegetables in butter. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.
3. Make the carrot and orange puree. Cut the carrots into small pieces and put them into a pot. Pour on the milk and water then boil until the carrots are tender. Strain the vegetables but keep the liquid to one side. Season them with salt and pepper. Add the orange slices into the pot along with the cooked carrots. Pour the cream over them and bring to the boil, then puree the carrots and oranges. If the puree is too thick add some of the liquid that you saved from the cooked carrots. Add some butter and mix well.
4. Make the black lentils. Boil the lentils in salted water until they have a tender but firm texture, then strain them. Cut the shallot into small cubes and fry in the pan with olive oil until they are light brown. Put the lentils into the same pan along with the shallots and season with the salt and oregano. You can flavour it with a teaspoon of butter.
5. Prepare the sauce. In the pan brown the shallot and garlic. Add all of the sauce ingredients together and boil until thick. Blend the mixture well and strain it through a sieve. Bring to the boil again.
6. Serve the duck. Place the carrot & orange puree on the plate. Place the black lentils on top then arrange the sliced duck pieces and fried vegetables alongside. Pour the sauce over the duck.
