Black pepper and coriander seared duck breast with sweet corn risotto and pickled corn relish.
When you hear duck and risotto, you don’t necessarily think light and fresh. You probably think rich and heavy. But, this recipe adds bright, fresh flavors to balance the richness, making it a light summery dish.
Before cooking the duck breast, they should be trimmed of excess fat and scored. Remove any fat hanging over the side or not connected to the breast. Any trimmings can be rendered down and the fat stored for future use. Check out this post for detailed instructions. Once trimmed, score the breasts by making cuts through the fat, not into the meat, in a crisscross pattern. The scoring allows the fat to render evenly, resulting in crispier skin. Then, season the duck, and it is ready to cook.
I prefer to cook duck breast from medium-rare to medium, 130-140 degrees. If you prefer well done, add 5-10 minutes to cooking or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
The relish for this dish is quick-pickled to maintain the freshness of the ingredients. The corn is perfectly cooked by adding it to the hot liquid and allowing it to cool. Once cooled, the tomatoes are added so they can absorb the liquid without being cooked. Then, a few minutes before serving, the green onions are added to keep them from wilting and turning mushy. The corn and tomato can be pickled up to a day in advance.
Duck Breast with Corn Risotto
Ingredients
Corn Stock
- 2 ears corn
- 1/8 tsp peppercorns
- 1/8 tsp coriander seed
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups water
Corn Relish
- 1/2 cup corn kernels
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/8 tsp pepper
- 1/2 cup tomato diced
- 1 green onion chopped
Risotto
- 1 cup corn kernels
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter divided
- 3 cups corn stock
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
Duck
- 3 duck breast trimmed and scored
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp oil
Instructions
Corn Stock
- Cut the kernels from the ears of corn and set aside for relish and risotto. Put the ears and all other ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and keep warm until ready to use.
Corn Relish
- In a small pot mix the vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar. Bring to a boil to dissolve the salt and sugar. Add 1/2 cup of corn to the hot vinegar. Allow to cool to room temperature, then add the tomato. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. Before adding the relish to the dish mix in the green onions.
Risotto
- Heat a pot with oil and 1 tbsp butter over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft. Add the corn and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice to the pan and toast for 2 minutes stirring constantly. Add 1/2 cup of corn stock and reduce the heat to medium-low. Stir the risotto frequently adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, allowing the liquid to be absorbed before adding more. When the risotto has been cooked remove from the heat and stir in the butter, salt, and pepper. Divide the risotto between 3 plates.
Duck
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients and rub both sides of the breasts with the mixture. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with oil. When the oil shimmers add the duck breasts skin side down. When the skin has browned place the pan in the oven. Cook for 5 minutes. Flip the breasts over and cook for 5-10 minutes. 135-140 degrees for medium. Remove from the pan and rest for 5 minutes. Slice the duck and place a breast on top of each plate of risotto. Garnish the top with the relish and serve immediately.
