Whole Roasted Duck, Duck Porcini Jus and Truffled Creamed Sweetcorn Puree

Feeling a bit fancy and creative? Try out this vibrant and delicious dish showcased in executive Chef Kate Fay's cooking class: Whole roasted duck with duck porcini jus and truffled creamed sweetcorn puree. Packed with flavour and colour, this dish is sure to leave a lasting impression.

Serves 4

Whole roasted duck:
1 whole duck, size 17
1 carrot, scrubbed
1 large white onion
1 large leek
1 Tbsp The Spice Trader juniper berries
10 garlic cloves
1 sprig fresh thyme
8 fresh bay leaves

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Roughly chop the carrot, leek and peeled onion and place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Add the garlic, thyme, juniper berries and fresh bay leaves.

Remove the wing tip, neck, head and feet from the duck and place them in the bottom of the same roasting pan. Place the duck breast side down on top of the vegetables and off cuts of duck. Add enough water to reach halfway up the sides of the duck. Place the roasting pan in the oven and cook for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the duck breast side up and return to the oven and cook a further 45 minutes.

Remove the duck from the pan and set aside. Strain the stock and discard the vegetables. Skim off all the fat before using the stock. The fat can be used for frying potato or kumara.

Duck porcini jus:
50ml extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 sprig of fresh thyme
2 – 3 fresh bay leaves
20g Naturbosco porcini mushroom (soaked in 300ml of hot water), retain the water
1 tsp Sabato porcini powder
150ml red wine
600ml Sabato duck master stock

Soak the porcini mushroom in hot water for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the hot water, keep the soaking water to one side.

Sautee the shallots, garlic, thyme and bay leaves in the olive oil. Cook for a few minutes until the shallots are soft and not colouring. Add the porcini stock, porcini powder, red wine and duck master stock, reducing the liquid by approximately half.

Slice up the softened porcini mushrooms and reduce a little further. Season to taste, remove the thyme and bay leaves before serving.

Note: If you do not want to reduce the sauce it can be thickened with a cornflour slurry.

Truffled creamed sweetcorn puree:
50g Lewis Road creamery unsalted butter
300g corn kernels (fresh frozen or canned)
150ml milk
100ml Foundation chicken stock or Sabato duck master stock
Sal de Añana spring salt
150ml cream
50ml Pons white truffle oil

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the corn and cook gently for about 5 minutes until it is slightly softened. Add the milk and stock, cook for a further 2 – 3 minutes. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and continue to simmer until the milk and stock has reduced by half.

Add the cream and continue to cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the mixture to an upright blender and blend until it forms a smooth puree. Gradually add the truffle oil and season the mixture according to your taste.

Set aside to keep warm.

Match with: Tezza Valpolicella Ripasso 2018

Recipe by Kate Fay