Spicy Roasted Duck and Honey Walnut Pumpkin

Cinnamon, cloves and sage bring warm, autumnal notes to Tyler's sumptuous duck feast.

Spicy Roasted Duck and Honey Walnut Pumpkin

Provided by: Tyler Florence

1 hr 5 mins total 0 mins prep Full Screen

Servings

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 tablespoon ground cloves
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup fresh Israeli arugula for garnish (or regular arugula)
• 2 small pumpkins cut into half-moon wedges
• 2 sticks of butter room temperature
• 1 branch fresh sage
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400 F.
• Begin by preparing the pumpkin. Cut pumpkin into halves and then scoop out the seeds. Cut the halves into 8 wedges and put them into a large mixing bowl. Add the room-temperature butter fresh sage toasted walnuts and honey to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add 3/4 of the butter mixture to the pumpkin in the mixing bowl and toss to coat each piece evenly. Reserve the remaining 1/4 of the butter mixture for the duck breasts. Take a large baking sheet and lay out the pumpkin wedges in a single layer with plenty of space between each piece. Sprinkle each piece with some brown sugar and then roast in the oven until tender approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile prepare the duck breasts. Lay them out on a cutting board skin side up and score (lightly cut into) each breast in a diamond pattern which will allow the fat to render and the skin to get crispy. Combine the cinnamon cloves and fresh sage together in a bowl and season the breast with spice mixture salt and pepper.
• To cook coat the bottom of a large saute pan with olive oil and put the pan over medium heat. When the oil is smoking add the breasts skin side down and cook slowly for about 10 minutes occasionally dumping fat into a bowl. Cool until most of the fat is rendered (cooked off) and the skin is browned and crispy. Turn the breasts and cook 3 to 4 more minutes for medium doneness. Take the duck out of the pan and put it on a platter and set aside. Add the reserved butter mixture to the pan until melted and it turns a light brown color.
• To serve cut the duck breasts crosswise on an angle into 8 slices each. Lay over a small stack of pumpkin wedges and pour the brown butter over it. Garnish with Israeli arugula leaves or regular arugula.

• Filed under:
• Poultry,
• Vegetable,
• American,
• Dinner,
• Main Dish

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