Roast Duck Breast with Pumpkin and Spiced Pecans Recipe

Spiced pecans

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Melt the butter in a small pan.
3. Add the brown sugar and water and mix in with the melted butter.
4. Add in the spices and mix through as the butter and sugar bubble.
5. Thoroughly coat the pecans in the sweet, spicy, sticky, gooey and hot buttery goodness.
6. Make sure each piece is covered.
7. Spread the coated pecan pieces onto a lined baking tray.
8. Toast for five minutes.
9. Allow the spiced pecans to cool.

Roast pumpkin and caramelised onion

1. Heat the oven to 200 °C.
2. Dice the pumpkin and slice the onion.
3. Put the pumpkin and onion in a mixing bowl and rub with the brown sugar and olive oil.
4. Layout the pumpkin and onion onto a lined baking tray and sprinkle over some five-spice powder.
5. Cook the pumpkin and onion for at least 35 minutes or until the onion and pumpkin have taken on good caramelisation. Some people may suggest the black bits represent burnt food. I beg to differ unless it tastes acrid, it’s all good.
6. Remove the cooked pumpkin and onion from the oven and place the baking tray on a bench so the pumpkin and onion can cool.
7. When the pumpkin and onion are tepid, put them into a mixing bowl and toss in some rocket leaves and toss the salad.
8. Just before serving the meal, add in the spiced pecans and toss the salad.

Duck breast

1. Season the duck breast with iodised salt and black pepper.
2. Seal the breast in a vacuum bag.
3. Cook for 1 hour at 55 °C in a water bath.
4. After the hour, remove the bag and place it on a plate and refrigerate for about 15 minutes. This step ensures the temperature of the breast meat dips below 55 °C so you can sear the skin in a hot skillet until it is golden brown.
5. Remove the duck breast from the refrigerator and open the bag.
6. Pat the breast dry with kitchen paper and with a sharp knife, score the skin.
7. Heat a cast-iron skillet until it is smoking hot.
8. Rub some Queensland nut oil on the surface of the duck breast and sear the skin hard like there’s no tomorrow!
9. Allow the breast to relax and rest for a few minutes before slicing.

Recipe by Yummy Lummy