Serves 4 entrees
2 x Poacherโs Pantry Smoked Duck Breast
290gm jar Rothwood Mudgee Pickled Cherries
40ml rosemary infused extra virgin olive oil
Micro herbs – Red vein sorrel, watercress, chervil and red elk
Pickled Cherry Gel
100ml Pickled Cherry Juice
0.6gm Agar Agar
0.2gm Xanthan Gum
Pickled pencil fennel
1 bunch pencil fennel or 1 baby fennel, shaved
70ml rice vinegar
30gm sugar
70ml water
Pinch sea salt
Fennel and black pepper brick pastry
1 Brick pastry sheet
20gm melted butter
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, roasted and crushed
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, roasted and crushed
1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Murray River pink salt
Drain the cherries and set aside. Place 100mls of the pickled cherry juice in a pot and bring to the boil. Whisk the agar agar until well combined and starts to thicken. Then cool in the fridge to 4 degrees in a bowl and let it set like a jelly. Once set, place in a small blender (I use a spice grinder) until smooth. While motor is running add xanthan gum. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the dish.
Pickled pencil fennel
Wash and trim the end of the pencil fennel, Put fennel in a zip lock bag, keep the fennel tips for garnish. Bring rice vinegar, sugar, water and salt to the boil. Cool the pickling liquid then pour over the pencil fennel. Remove air from the bag and seal. Refrigerate for 24 hours. If using baby fennel finely shave and put in pickling liquid for 1 to 2 hours.
Fennel and black pepper brick pastry
Brush the brick pastry with melted butter and sprinkle with fennel seeds, salt, pepper and rosemary, Bake in a pre-heated oven at 150 degrees for 5-8 minutes until golden brown.
Assemble the dish
Slice the duck length ways and arrange half a breast per person on a plate, Pit the cherries and cut in half. Cut the brick pastry into 1cm strips. Put a couple of spoons of the cherry gel, pickled pencil fennel, cherries, brick pastry and herbs on the plate and finish with a splash of the rosemary infused oil.
Chefโs tips: If you donโt have time to make the cherry gel, just whisk 40ml of pickled cherry juice and rosemary infused oil and drizzle of dish to finish.
Enjoy!
Tim Browne
Executive Chef, Royal Agricultural Society of NSW
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