Thought it was about time I wrote a blog about some cooking. That is of course because I’ve been dining out on champagne, caviar and oysters every night darlings. If only… It’s pure laziness, I have had so many tins of baked beans with lashings of cheddar, ridiculous amounts of carbonara (until lent started of course) and loads of homemade soup, but I just can’t get excited about writing about soup at the moment. So, forgive me if I gloat a little here but I’m quite impressed with this little recipe, it took virtually no time at all, was quite posh for a Monday night and wasn’t that unhealthy.
Apologies about the photography and probably the writing – I’m a little out of practice!
Serves 2
(The bean bit will probably stretch to 3 – but the housemate and I didn’t fancy sharing)
2 x duck breasts
1 x tin of cannellini beans
1 x small garlic clove
3 x rashers of smoked bacon (diced)
4 x tbsp of frozen peas
1 x tsp crème fraiche
2 x tbsp white wine
Pinch of thyme
Salt & pepper
- Tip the whole tin of beans into a non-stick pan without draining them and gently heat through until they are piping hot (apparently you shouldn’t boil them in the juice as it affects the flavour – according to the tin)
- While the beans are heating through fry off the bacon until it’s crispy
- Once the beans are almost at the boil, slightly drain them and pop them back into the pan – no need to completely lose all the water it’s useful
- Using a potato masher, press down on the beans a maximum of 3 times – you don’t want to completely mash them, just crush a few of them
- Tip the bacon bits into the pan with the beans and turn on the heat to it’s lowest
- Add the wine, crème fraiche, garlic, thyme and peas and slowly bring to the boil – season to taste
- While the beans are doing their thing, heat up the same pan you cooked the bacon in until it is really hot
- Pat the duck breasts dry with kitchen towel, score the skin and sprinkle with a little salt.
- Skin side down place the duck breast into the hot pan for about 10-12 minutes turning over after about 7 minutes or once the skin is golden brown. If you have a lid for the pan put it on if, like me, you don’t – use a baking tray as the fat will spit
- After 10 minutes, place the duck breasts on to a board to rest for a couple of minutes – it is important to do this as any blood still in the meat will come drain out and won’t then seep into whatever it is sitting on
- Slice the breasts on the diagonal and serve on top of the bean mix
