Chefs' Recipes

Ben Russell's roasted mustard-glazed duck with peach, fennel and almond salad

Try a classic mustard glaze on roast duck and unlock whole new levels of flavour. Aria Brisbane's Ben Russell leads the way.

By Ben Russell
  • 25 mins preparation
  • 1 hr 30 mins cooking plus brining, drying, resting
  • Serves 4
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"Brining and glazing meat is almost always a good idea," says Aria Brisbane's head chef Ben Russell. "This recipe uses a ham-style glaze and can mostly be prepared the day before. It works well after cold seafood to start."
Begin this recipe a day ahead to dry the duck skin after brining.

Ingredients

  • 1 duck (1.8kg-2kg)
  • 100 gm cold salted butter, chopped
  • 80 gm slivered almonds
  • 3 peaches, halved, stones removed, cut into wedges
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • 2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced on a mandoline
  • 6 cups (loosely packed) watercress
Brine
  • 100 gm fine salt
  • 50 gm caster sugar
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
Mustard glaze
  • 125 gm brown sugar
  • 1½ tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1½ tbsp maple syrup
  • 1½ tbsp mustard powder
  • 1¼ tsp ground cloves
Mustard dressing
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1½ tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 100 ml olive oil

Method

  • 1
    For brine, place ingredients and 2.5 litres water in a large saucepan over high heat and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved (15-17 minutes). Cool, then transfer to a large non-reactive container, submerge duck, cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Drain duck discard brine), pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate uncovered overnight to dry skin.
  • 2
    For mustard glaze, combine ingredients in a saucepan with 100ml water and bring to the boil, stirring often, until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to thicken (6-7 minutes). Cool.
  • 3
    Cook butter in a saucepan over medium heat until foaming and nut brown (3-4 minutes), add almonds, season to taste and stir until golden brown (1-2 minutes). Strain, discarding butter, and drain on paper towels.
  • 4
    For mustard dressing, whisk mustard and vinegar in a bowl, then, whisking continuously, drizzle in oil and whisk until thick. Season to taste.
  • 5
    Preheat oven to 220°C. Place duck on a wire rack in a roasting pan and brush all over with glaze. Roast for 30 minutes, turning pan and basting every 10 minutes, then reduce oven to 180°C and roast until juices run clear when a thigh is pierced with a skewer (30-40 minutes). Rest for 10 minutes.
  • 6
    Heat a barbecue or char-grill pan to high. Drizzle peaches with olive oil, season and grill until charred (1-2 minutes each side). Transfer to a bowl and add fennel, watercress and fried almonds.
  • 7
    Cut legs and breasts off duck, separate thighs and drumsticks, halve breasts and serve with salad and mustard dressing.

Notes

Drink suggestion: Rich white McLaren Vale roussanne. Drink suggestion by Max Allen.

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