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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.