Name: Ben Russell’s roasted mustard-glazed duck with peach, fennel and almond salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
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

“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.