Hunting season is upon us and I’m really excited about the game that will be arriving in the restaurant over the next few weeks and months. From duck to partridge, venison, rabbit and grouse, game season is one of my favourite times of year.
Everything seems to combine wonderfully with each other in autumn. Wild mushrooms, squash, nuts, and berries all seem to simply fall together. I love pan-frying game and I think no modern method can match the age-old techniques of searing something over high heat.
There is something beautifully tactile about cooking game over an open fire. Though I cannot say I get out often enough to cook outdoors. Over the next few weeks, I’ll write about cooking different types of game, but for now I’d like to focus on duck. If you can’t find some wild duck, you can source the farmed varieties.
Remember the farmed variety will be bigger so you need to take that into account when cooking. To prepare the duck breast trim off any excess fat from the sides and score the flesh in a criss-cross manner. This will help render the fat. Place a pan on a medium heat and add a little oil. You’ll need less oil because as the duck renders, it will produce its own fat. Place the duck skin side down into the pan.
This is where you need patience. You want to make sure to get the fat nice and brown and crispy and also render it down so you can actually eat the skin. To achieve this, you may have to lower the heat. But be patient. Don’t turn the duck over until the skin is exactly the way you want it: beautifully brown.
When you’re happy with the colour turn the duck over briefly (just to colour) and then place into an 180 degree oven for four minutes. This should give you medium rare. Rest the duck breast for five minutes, then carve. Serve with some boiled Jerusalem artichokes (no need to peel) and the elderberry sauce from last week. JP McMahon
