This roasted duck with chestnuts, blueberries, and cranberries offers a refreshing change from the traditional turkey, bringing a tender, richer and flavourful option to your holiday table. The rich duck pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the fruit and earthy girolles, while Brussels sprouts add a savoury contrast. It’s a perfect way to celebrate the season with something unique and memorable. This dish brings together the best of seasonal ingredients, creating a beautiful, festive centrepiece that will leave a lasting impression on your guests this Christmas.
Discover the perfect wine pairing for this recipe from Virgin Wines below.
Rub the duck with salt and pepper. Stuff it with thyme and the garlic cloves. Place it upside down on an oven dish and cook for 1h20 (turning it halfway through).
Prepare the vegetables: Wash the girolles and leave them to dry on a paper towel. Cross the base of the Brussel sprouts and preboil them for 5 min. Cross the top of the chestnuts and boil them for 20 min.
Halfway through the duck cooking, reserve some of the fat released by the duck (approx. 3 tbsp), add a roughly cut shallot, turn the duck and place back in the oven for the remaining cooking time.
Prepare the fruit sauce: Pan fry the cranberries in a tbsp of duck fat for 8 min, adding the blueberries halfway through.
Finish the vegetables: Once boiled, peel the chestnuts. Using the remaining duck fat, pan fry girolles, remaining shallot, Brussel sprouts and chestnut for roughly 10 min, until golden.
Take the duck out of the oven and serve on a large serving dish, placing vegetables and fruits around. Serve and enjoy with friends and family!
We recommend pairing this sensational dish with a bottle of Les Pierres Partagees Bourgogne Chardonnay 2022. Virgin Wines sommeliers describe it as a power-packed Pinot with a smart, cherry red nose and a feisty, youthful finish.
Normally only available from July to November, careful flash freezing ensures that you can use these wild mushroom beauties all year round. Girolles, also known as winter chanterelles, are one of the most prized wild mushrooms. These are fantastic used in a creamy mushroom risotto.
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