Smoked duck breast with celeriac puree
“The Smoked Duck and it’s components make an outstanding starter”
The ingredients:
(serves 10)
Celeriac Puree
- 1 large celeriac or 2 smaller ones
- 3 tbsp butter
- salt and white pepper
Green herb pesto
- 2 tbsp finely chopped sage
- 2 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 2 tbsp finely chopped chives
- 10 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp roasted pine nutes
Duck
- 5 duck breasts
- 10 tbsp Smokey’s Beef Rub (see recipe)
- 1 lbs Shimeji mushrooms
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Gear:
- BBQ with cover
- Food processor
- Hand blender
- 2 oak or beech wood chunks (2 x 2 inch pieces)
- Core thermometer
How to make:
Duration: prep 4 hour
Cooking: about ½ hour
Heat a BBQ with cover, grill, or large campfire and place your celeriac in the hot goals to roast for 4 hours, until soft to the core. Spoon out the flesh and combine with the butter in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and white pepper, and place in the fridge to cool.
Using a hand blender or food processor, blend together all ingredients for the green herb pesto and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Refrigerate.
Optionally, trim the fat off your duck breasts. To do this place the breasts on a cutting board fat side down, pull the breast back slightly using your fingers, and trimming the fat along the fillet. Score the fat crosswise with a sharp knife and rub with the BBQ rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Prepare a BBQ with cover for indirect grilling and heat to 160 °C (320 °F)
Take your pesto out of the fridge in time to let it reach room temperature.
Add your wood chunks to the hot coals and place your duck breasts in the BBQ fat side up. Smoke for about 25 minutes, until the core temperature reads 55°C (131 °F)
Meanwhile, sprinkle your Shimeji mushrooms with olive oil, salt, and freshly ground black pepper and grill briefly.
Heat your celeriac puree in the oven (yes, you read that right. The BBQ flavor is already in there, and your BBQ is getting pretty full regardless.)
Grab a large serving dish. Place your celeriac puree in the center, cut your duck breast into slices and place around the puree. To finish, evenly divide your mushrooms and green herb pesto over the dish.
