Braised Cinnamon Duck with Caramelized Pears
- Yield: 4 servings
- Prep: 15 minutes
- Cook: 2 1/2 hours
Ingredients
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 1large oven-ready duck (about 4 lb), jointed
- 2tablespoons pear liqueur (Poire William)
- 1 1/2cups firm pears (such as Rocha or Bosc), peeled, cored and chopped
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1cup white wine
- freshly ground black pepper
- braised peas, roast potatoes, buttered carrots and a little finely grated orange zest, to serve
- Caramelized Pears
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2small sweet, juicy pears, such as Rocha or Bosc, skin left on, cored and cut lengthways into wedges
- 1teaspoon raw brown sugar
- 2tablespoons pear liqueur (Poire William)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 F. Rub the sea salt over the skin of the duck. Heat a large casserole over a high heat until very hot. Add the duck, skin side down, and fry for 5 minutes, or until sealed and browned. Pour off the excess fat, then turn the duck over and brown the other side. Add the liqueur and bubble for a few minutes until evaporated. Remove the duck from the pan and leave to one side.
- Add the chopped pears to the remaining duck fat in the pan, sprinkle with the cinnamon and cook over a medium heat for 5 minutes until just golden. Add the onion and fry for a further 5 minutes. Return the duck to the pan, season with salt and pepper and add the wine. Cover and bake for 2 hours, or until the duck is cooked through.
- Just before the duck is ready, make the caramelized pears. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the pear wedges and cook for 5 minutes, turning frequently until softened. Sprinkle with the sugar, and, once it has dissolved, pour the liqueur over and allow to bubble for a few minutes until the pears have caramelized. Serve the duck with the pan juices, caramelized pears, braised peas, roast potatoes and buttered carrots, sprinkled with a little orange zest.
Reprinted with permission from Fiori Di Zucca © Valentina Harris, Watkins Publishing 2013. Photography by William Lingwood.