Ingredients

• 4 boneless duck breasts
• 2 large lemons or fruit relating to liqueur used
• 250ml/8fl oz limoncello
• 50g/2oz butter
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 4 carrots
• peeled and chopped
• 1 celeriac
• peeled and chopped into chunks
• olive oil to taste
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Pat the duck breasts dry and place them in a shallow dish.
• Peel the lemons with a potato peeler so you get ringlets of lemon zest
• then squeeze the juice from them.
• Scatter the lemon ringlets over the duck pour over the juice and limoncello and leave to marinate for about 30 minutes.
• Remove the duck from the marinade
• dry on kitchen paper and season well all over with salt and pepper. Do not discard the marinade.
• Clarify the butter in a large frying pan by letting it melt
• then when it begins to foam
• carefully lifting off the foam with a tablespoon
• leaving just the clear
• golden liquid. Add the olive oil.
• When it is hot
• place the duck breasts in the pan
• skin-side down
• and seal well on both sides.
• Reduce the heat and cook for about 12 minutes
• turning the duck over from time to time. This will give you medium-cooked duck
• which I think is ideal for this dish.
• Now turn the heat up high
• pour in the marinade and let it evaporate
• turning the duck over and giving the pan a shake from time to time - this will help the sauce thicken.
• As soon as the sauce has thickened
• remove the pan from the heat and place the duck breasts on a chopping board. Leave to rest for about five minutes
• then cut them into slices
• arrange on four plates or one serving dish and pour over the sauce.
• To make the carrot and celeriac mash
• boil the vegetables and strain off the liquid using a piece of muslin.
• Return to the pan
• season with salt and pepper and a drizzle of olive oil
• and puree with a hand blender.
• Serve with the limoncello duck.