Duck breast with radicchio, orange and radishes

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The combination of duck and orange is an irrefutable classic. Lorenzo Cogo gives the dish his own twist using a purée of radicchio – the famed Italian leafy vegetable. The bitter notes of the radicchio are further enhanced with a generous scattering of mustard, nasturtium and sorrel leaves, perfectly balancing the zesty sweetness of orange and the rich duck.

First published in 2016

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Duck

  • 2 duck breasts
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 dash of olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper

Radicchio purée

  • 2 radicchio, broken into leaves
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 oranges, juiced
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • salt
  • black pepper

Garnish

  • 8 baby radishes, finely sliced
  • 1 orange, peeled and sliced into segments
  • 20 nasturtium leaves
  • 20 black mustard leaves
  • 20 sorrel leaves
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • salt flakes
  • black pepper

Equipment

  • Water bath
  • Vacuum bags
  • Bar sealer
  • Blender

Method

1
Preheat a water bath to 65°C
2
Place the duck breasts in a vacuum bag with the herbs, oil, salt and pepper. Seal and cook for 17 minutes in the water bath
  • 2 duck breasts
  • 1 sprig of thyme
  • 1 sprig of rosemary
  • 1 dash of olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
3
Meanwhile, to make the radicchio purée, add the onion and butter to a pan and sweat down over a medium heat. When golden brown add the radicchio and continue to cook down until softened and reduced
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • 2 radicchio, broken into leaves
4
When most of the moisture has reduced and the pan is fairly dry, add the orange juice, bring to the boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and transfer the contents of the pan to a blender. Blitz to a smooth purée, adjusting the seasoning if needed. Set aside until ready to serve
5
Once cooked, remove the duck breasts from the vacuum bag and discard the herbs. Heat a large frying pan over a medium-high heat and place the duck skin-side down in the pan
6
Pan-fry for a few minutes until the skin is golden and caramelised, then turn over for 30 seconds to finish cooking. Remove from the pan and leave to rest for 5 minutes.
7
To serve, cut the duck breasts into thin slices. Spoon a layer of the radicchio purée on to each dish, then top with the sliced radishes and orange segments
  • 8 baby radishes, finely sliced
  • 1 orange, peeled and sliced into segments
8
Divide the duck slices between the dishes, followed by the mustard, sorrel and nasturtium leaves. Finish with a little seasoning and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
  • 20 nasturtium leaves
  • 20 sorrel leaves
  • 20 black mustard leaves
  • salt flakes
  • black pepper
  • extra virgin olive oil
First published in 2016

At just thirty-one years old, Lorenzo Cogo is the youngest Michelin-starred chef-owner in Italy. His creative, instinctive way of cooking has made him one of the most exciting figures in modern Italian cuisine.

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