Whilst out shopping at the weekend, my dad was inspired by ingredients at the M&S food hall to cook a lovely meal; Pan fried duck breast with white bean and garlic purée, baby carrots with thyme, asparagus wrapped in cerrano ham, fondant potatoes, blackberry jus and parsnip crisps.
How to make:
For the sauce
- 400ml Beef stock
- 200ml Red wine
- 1 Shallot (very finely chopped)
- 100g Blackberries
- 2tsp Bramble jam
Boil and then simmer the ingredients until reduced by two thirds. Pass mixture through sieve, simmer for a couple more minutes to reduce to a lovely glossy sauce.
White bean and garlic purée
- 1 Bulb of garlic (Roasted for 20 minutes in foil)
- 400g Can cannellini beans, drained.
-300ml Chicken stock
Simmer the chicken stock and beans for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Remove roasted garlic from the foil and squeeze garlic into the beans. Blitz with a hand blender, adding some of the reserved liquid to make a thick but spoonable consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Asparagus
- 12 Asparagus spears
- Few sprigs of mint
-12 Slices of serrano ham
Sprinkle each piece of ham with chopped mint and wrap the ham around each spear of asparagus. Fry the asparagus until the ham is crisp.
Baby carrots
- 12 baby carrots
-15g butter
-Thyme
-Salt & pepper
Blanch the carrots with the asparagus for 2-3 minutes then refresh in iced water. Toss the baby carrots in 15g hot butter with thyme and salt & pepper.
Fondant Potatoes
- 600ml Chicken stock
- 2 Sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & pepper
- 12 small maris piper potatoes trimmed to an even shape. Heat stock in a saucepan with herbs, place in the potatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes, basting occasionally until soft. Fry in butter to colour and add salt & pepper.
Parsnip crisp
- 1 Litre sunflower oil for deep frying
- 1 parsnip
- Salt
Peel parsnip and use the peeler to cut into ribbons. Deep fry in batches until crips. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
Duck breasts
- 4 Duck breast (skin on)
- Salt & pepper
Score the skin and season liberally with salt & pepper. Cook in a dry frying pan skin side down on a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Drain off the fat and turn over and fry for another 10 - 15 minutes, set aside and cover with foil to rest for 15 minutes.
How to make:
For the sauce
- 400ml Beef stock
- 200ml Red wine
- 1 Shallot (very finely chopped)
- 100g Blackberries
- 2tsp Bramble jam
Boil and then simmer the ingredients until reduced by two thirds. Pass mixture through sieve, simmer for a couple more minutes to reduce to a lovely glossy sauce.
White bean and garlic purée
- 1 Bulb of garlic (Roasted for 20 minutes in foil)
- 400g Can cannellini beans, drained.
-300ml Chicken stock
Simmer the chicken stock and beans for 5 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid. Remove roasted garlic from the foil and squeeze garlic into the beans. Blitz with a hand blender, adding some of the reserved liquid to make a thick but spoonable consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Asparagus
- 12 Asparagus spears
- Few sprigs of mint
-12 Slices of serrano ham
Sprinkle each piece of ham with chopped mint and wrap the ham around each spear of asparagus. Fry the asparagus until the ham is crisp.
Baby carrots
- 12 baby carrots
-15g butter
-Thyme
-Salt & pepper
Blanch the carrots with the asparagus for 2-3 minutes then refresh in iced water. Toss the baby carrots in 15g hot butter with thyme and salt & pepper.
Fondant Potatoes
- 600ml Chicken stock
- 2 Sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & pepper
- 12 small maris piper potatoes trimmed to an even shape. Heat stock in a saucepan with herbs, place in the potatoes and simmer for 15-20 minutes, basting occasionally until soft. Fry in butter to colour and add salt & pepper.
Parsnip crisp
- 1 Litre sunflower oil for deep frying
- 1 parsnip
- Salt
Peel parsnip and use the peeler to cut into ribbons. Deep fry in batches until crips. Drain on kitchen paper and season with salt.
Duck breasts
- 4 Duck breast (skin on)
- Salt & pepper
Score the skin and season liberally with salt & pepper. Cook in a dry frying pan skin side down on a medium heat for about 15 minutes. Drain off the fat and turn over and fry for another 10 - 15 minutes, set aside and cover with foil to rest for 15 minutes.