By Beleaev Family | International Caviar & Gourmet, Head Office London | beleaev.com
Duck breast with foie gras is the French main course that pairs the two halves of duck cuisine in one plate. Crispy-skinned duck breast cooked pink in the middle, topped with seared foie gras, drizzled with port reduction. The combination of duck flesh, duck fat, and duck liver is unbeatable.
Key Takeaways
- Use Gressingham or Barbary duck breast
- Score the skin, start in cold pan
- Render fat for 8 minutes before flipping
- Foie gras seared separately
- 60g of foie per portion
The Ingredients
Serves 2
For the duck:
- 2 duck breasts (around 200g each), skin on
- Sea salt and black pepper
For the foie gras:
- 2 slices grade A foie gras, 60g each (sliced foie gras)
- Sea salt
For the port reduction:
- 100ml ruby port
- 50ml chicken stock
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp cold butter
The Method
Step 1: Prepare the Duck
Score the skin in a cross-hatch pattern, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Salt the skin generously.
Step 2: Cold Pan Start
Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold heavy pan. Place over medium-low heat. The fat will render slowly.
Cook 8 minutes skin-side down without moving. The skin should turn deep golden and crisp.
Step 3: Flip and Finish
Pour off most of the rendered fat (save it for roast potatoes). Flip the duck. Cook 3-4 minutes on the flesh side for medium-rare (internal 55C).
Step 4: Rest
Lift duck onto a warm plate. Rest 5 minutes loosely covered with foil.
Step 5: Make Port Reduction
In the same pan, add port, stock, balsamic, and thyme. Reduce by two-thirds. Discard thyme. Whisk in cold butter off the heat.
Step 6: Sear Foie Gras
Wipe the pan. Heat dry over medium-high. Score and salt foie gras. Sear 60-90 seconds per side.
Step 7: Plate
Slice the rested duck breast on the diagonal. Fan onto warm plates. Top each portion with a slice of seared foie gras. Drizzle port reduction around the plate. Serve immediately.
Tips
Cold pan start. Starting in a cold pan and gradually heating renders the fat properly. Hot pan start sears the skin before fat renders, leaving rubbery skin.
Score the skin properly. Cross-hatch pattern, 2mm deep, just into the fat layer not the flesh.
Save the rendered fat. The duck fat is the best fat in existence for roast potatoes. Strain and refrigerate.
Don't skip the rest. The juices need 5 minutes to redistribute.
Variations and Pairings
With caviar: Add a small spoon (5g) of Royal Oscietra on top of the foie alongside.
With cherries: Replace port reduction with cherry-port sauce (add 100g pitted cherries to the reduction).
With orange: Make duck à l'orange-style sauce with orange juice and zest replacing balsamic.
Wine pairing: A Burgundy from the Côte de Beaune or aged Bordeaux.
For more foie gras dishes, see our tournedos rossini and pan-seared foie gras recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gressingham vs Barbary?
Gressingham is more delicate, leaner, more readily available in UK. Barbary is richer, fattier, more traditional French. Both work.
How do I get crispy skin?
Cold pan start, score the skin, cook skin-side down for 8 minutes without moving. The fat renders gradually and the skin crisps.
Why does my duck taste tough?
Probably overcooked. Duck breast at medium-rare (55C internal) is the sweet spot. Beyond that, it goes tough.
How much foie per portion?
60g per portion is the right portion alongside duck breast. Less feels stingy, more overwhelms the duck.
Further Reading
Duck breast with foie gras is one of those mains that defines what French luxury cooking is about. Discover Beleaev's caviar collection at beleaev.com.
Beleaev is an international caviar and gourmet house headquartered in London, with fulfilment hubs across the UK, Europe, the UAE, and the United States. We deliver responsibly farmed Beluga, Oscietra, Sevruga, and Kaluga caviar to customers in each region within 24 to 48 hours.
447706084493
