Sous vide Duck Breast, Beetroot & Balsamic | Recipe by sousvidetools.com

Method

A cracking sous vide duck & beetroot dish from our friend Storm Ashdown, the use of in season beetroot makes this dish all the more special. Storm is creating some amazing dishes over on Instagram, give her a follow @whatstormeats

1. Prepare the beetroot puree by placing peeled and quartered beetroot in a vacuum bag and placing in the sous vide water bath at 90 degrees for 1 hour.
2. Once the beetroot has cooked, empty the contents of the vacuum bag into a blender with the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Place aside and reheat before serving.
3. Prepare the duck breasts by placing them into a vacuum bag with a sprig of fresh thyme and a little seasoning. Cook them in a water bath for 45 minutes at 62 degrees.
4. Once the duck has finished cooking, remove from the vacuum bag and pat dry.
5. For the fondant beetroot, melt the butter with a splash of olive oil in a pan on a gentle heat. Once melted add your cubed peeled beetroot, and cook on a medium-low heat until they start to caramelized. At this point add the stock and continue to cook until the beetroot has cooked in the centre but still crispy around the edges.  You can do test this by inserting a metal skewer to test its softness.
6. In a frying pan, heat a cube of butter with a teaspoon of olive oil on a medium-high heat. Place the duck breasts skin side down and cook until golden. Seal the under side for 1-2 mins before removing from the pan.
7. In the same pan, add in some beetroot leaves for extra greenery. If your beets do not come with the leaves, you can use kale instead. Stir fry quickly before plating up.
8. Put together your dish by placing the heated through puree on the plate followed by sliced duck breast, fondant beetroot and the stir-fried leaves. Finish with a generous drizzling of balsamic vinegar to lift the dish.