Poacher’s Pantry Smoked Duck Breast, Rothwood Mudgee Pickled Cherries, Fennel & Rosemary

Serves 4 entrees

Ingredients

2 x Poacher’s 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

Method

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.

Chef’s tips: If you don’t 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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