A truly elegant main course pairing crisp-skinned duck breast with creamy, nutmeg-scented dauphinoise potatoes and caramelised chicory. Developed by Bristol-based chef Josh Eggleton—Gordon Ramsay Scholar, Michelin-starred for the Pony & Trap (2011-2) and founder of the Pony Restaurant group—this dish is perfect for a special dinner or relaxed weekend supper.

Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes (plus overnight chilling)
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 portions

Ingredients 

For the Dauphinoise:

• 1 kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 350 ml milk
• 350 ml double cream
• 3 g freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 g salt and 5 g freshly ground black pepper
• 5 sprigs of thyme

For the Chicory:

• 2 heads of chicory, halved lengthways
• 15 g sugar
• Pinch of white pepper
• 50 ml soy sauce
• 50 ml fresh orange juice
• 25 g butter

For the Duck:

• 2 large duck breasts, skin scored
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the red wine sauce:

• 1 shallot, sliced                                      
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 leek, top sliced
• 1 clove, garlic crushed
• 1 stick celery, sliced
• 1 sprig each thyme and rosemary
• 1 bay leaf
• 200ml good quality red wine
• 500ml game stock or brown chicken stock
• 50 ml red wine Vinegar
• 100ml port

Method:

The day before

Rinse the potato slices under cold water to remove excess starch. In a saucepan, bring the milk, cream, garlic, nutmeg, thyme and the measured salt and pepper just to the boil. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, then add the potatoes and toss to coat. Transfer the potatoes to a 24 cm non-stick pan, pressing gently to compact. Bake for 30–40 minutes until tender. Cover with a second weighted pan, then chill overnight.

For the chicory

Sprinkle the sugar and white pepper over each chicory half and caramelise in a hot pan. Add the soy sauce, orange juice and butter, cover with greaseproof paper, and cook for 5–6 minutes—basting regularly—until tender and glossy.

To cook the duck

Season each breast with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in a cold frying pan over medium heat, allowing the fat to render slowly and the skin to crisp evenly. Once golden and most fat has rendered, turn the breasts for 1 minute, then switch off the heat and leave them to rest in the pan for 15 minutes.

Red wine sauce

Sauté all the veg in a heavy based pan, with a little vegetable oil until well-coloured, scraping the pan all the time.  Add the herbs, red wine, port and vinegar, reducing to a few millimetres.  Then add the game stock and reduce by half.  Strain through a sieve, pressing out all the vegetable juices.  Return to a smaller saucepan and reduce by half again.  Thicken with 25g unsalted butter or xanthan gum.

To plate up

Cut the chilled dauphinoise into thumb-sized portions and reheat. Slice the duck breasts longways and square off the edges so they sit neatly. Arrange the duck and dauphinoise on warm plates with a chicory half alongside, then drizzle generously with red wine sauce.

Enjoy!

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