Duck Breast and Turnips with Medjool Dates

December 19, 2023

Duck Breast and Turnips with Medjool Dates & Caramelized Honey-Ginger Reduction

A white plate topped with meat and vegetables on a wooden table.

Chef: Terry Foshee, George’s at the Cove

  • 3 ea. 12 oz. Liberty Farms Duck breasts (trimmed of excess fat and score)
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 24 ea. baby turnips with greens attached
  • 1 tbsp. clarified butter
  • 18 ea. Medjool dates (pitted and cut in quarters)
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tsp. unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp. shallots (sliced thin)
  • 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. good quality honey
  • 1 tbsp. ginger (peeled and minced)
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups duck stock (you can substitute veal stock)
  • 2 tbsp. cold unsalted butter

TURNIPS

  1. Trim the greens off 1/2-inch above the turnips. Rinse the turnips and cut in 1/4s.
  2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the turnips. Boil until slightly tender and still crunchy. Remove to an ice bath to chill.
  3. Once chilled remove from the water immediately and reserve.
  4. Separate the turnip leaves from the tough stems and rinse well, reserve.

REDUCTION

  1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until the shallots begin to caramelize.
  2. Add the honey and cook until the honey turns a deep caramel being careful not to let it burn.
  3. Add the ginger and vinegar—careful the honey will splatter. Reduce until syrupy.
  4. Add the duck stock and simmer until reduced to a sauce-like consistency.
  5. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean saucepot and reserve.

DUCK

  1. Preheat the oven to 400° degrees.
  2. Season the duck breasts well with salt and black pepper.
  3. Heat a heavy-bottomed large sauté pan (cast iron works well) over medium-high heat and place the duck breasts fat side down.
  4. Cook until the skin and fat are well browned throughout, pouring off excess fat frequently—approximately 4-5 minutes.
  5. Place the pan in the oven. Roast until an internal temperature of 125ºF (52ºC) is reached—approximately 3-4 minutes.
  6. Remove the pan from the oven and flip the duck breast. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan with the rendered duck fat. Baste the duck with the thyme-infused duck fat for a minute or two.
  7. Remove the duck from the pan and reserve it in a warm place.

TO FINISH

  1. In a large sauté pan, heat the clarified butter over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the turnips and sauté until lightly browned.
  3. Add the greens and the dates and heat through. ‘
  4. Remove the veggies from the pan and disperse evenly on your plates.
  5. Slice the duck breasts thinly and place on top of the turnip mixture.
  6. Reheat the reduction and finish by whisking in the two tablespoons of butter.
  7. Remove from heat and spoon the sauce around.

2001 Merlot
2019 Merlot

Main Course

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