This delicious recipe placed third in a cooking competition organised by Eat Wild and Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust.
SERVES- 2
PREP TIME- 25 mins
COOK TIME- 30 mins
Steps-
1. Season the mallard
Season the mallard breasts and place them skin side down in a cold pan.
2. Pan fry the mallard
Turn the hob to a medium heat and warm up the mallard breasts in the pan. This helps to draw out the fat.
Keep cooking in the pan until the skin begins to crisp, discarding the fat as you go, then transfer the mallard to a hot oven and roast for 8 minutes at 180 degrees. Once ready, leave to rest.
3. Prepare the carrot puree
While the mallard is cooking, peel and slice the carrots and heat with 50g of butter. Add 100ml of the orange juice and the double cream then simmer until the carrots are soft.
Puree the carrot mixture in a food blender and season with a touch of salt.
4. Make the orange sauce
Reduce the remaining orange juice and chicken stock over a low heat until there’s about 200ml left.
Add the sugar, marmite and sherry vinegar. This makes the sauce slightly sweet and acidic, which goes perfectly with the flavour of the Mallard.
5. Serve
Cut each mallard into 5 slices. Place a spoonful of carrot puree in the centre of each plate, rest the meat on top and arrange the orange segments around the edge.
Spoon over a generous helping of sauce and finish with slices of fennel.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
For the game
2x Mallard breasts
For the carrot puree
4x Large carrots
50g butter
100ml orange juice
20ml double cream
For the sauce
100g granulated sugar
100ml sherry vinegar
200ml orange juice
300ml reduced chicken stock
1x orange (split into segments)
1tsp marmite
1x fennel bulb (sliced)