My mead-pairing adventures continue with this latest recipe!
ICYMI, I was intrigued by the different mead cuvées offered by Bulles de Ruche. Each honey wine derives its unique flavours and colour from the blossoms of the honey used to make it. I wanted to create easy-to-make food pairings that would help accentuate these aromas, so that you can enjoy a convivial apéro or meal with friends!
When it comes to food, most people associate lavender with cocktails and desserts. However, the distinctive flavour of lavender lends itself well to meat, especially game meats. A nice rule of thumb is that things that would typically be prepared with rosemary, such as lamb, duck, and venison, also work well with lavender. In this case, I used duck breast.
Cooking duck breast is daunting for a lot of people — but it is actually quite simple to make. You only need to cook it for a few minutes per side. The drippings can be used for a variety of other dishes (such as potatoes!), and sauces. This recipe looks impressive and can be made in about half an hour or less, with minimal cooking time. It can be served hot or cold, so it can even be your new picnic go-to.
The sauce is made by infusing Port wine (Porto), a classic duck sauce, with lavender. The taste is subtle and perfect for accentuating the soft aromas of Bulles de Ruche’s Lavender Mead. This mead is made with lavender honey harvested by the beekeepers of La Miellerie Provençale “Martine” on the Valensole plateau, IGP Provence. The resulting modern mead is sparkling, light in alcohol (4.5%) and calories (45/100mL). Its floral aromas of lavender, violet, and medicinal herbs are a treat for the tongue.
This recipe was designed to be enough for 2 people, as part of a multi-course dinner. I recommend doubling it if you want it to be only dish of your meal.
INGREDIENTS
1 large duck breast
1 sucrine lettuce
1 endive
1/2 fennel bulb, plus fronds for garnish
300mL ruby Port wine
1 small sprig rosemary
2-3 small sprigs thyme
2 fresh lavender flower clusters (or 2 small pinches of dried lavender)
Salt and pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat a pan on medium heat.
- Lightly crisscross the fatty side of the duck without notching the meat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Arrange the duck breast directly in the preheated pan, without oil or butter, fat-side down. Cook for 8 minutes, until fat is golden brown and crispy.
- In the meantime, slice your leafy greens in half, then finely sliced lengthwise. Set aside.
- Turn the duck breast over and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove duck from pan and set aside, covered with aluminum foil, to rest.
- Empty the pan of excess fat and deglaze with the Port. Add herbs and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for a few minutes, until sauce has reduced and thickened. Discard herbs.
- Arrange greens in the middle of the plate, so that leaves are all pointing the same direction. Slice the duck breasts diagonally, about 1 cm thick. Arrange slices of duck over the leaves. Drizzle the sauce around the edge of the pile. Garnish with fennel fronds, lavender flowers, and bee pollen. Don’t forget to serve with a glass or two of chilled Lavande Bulle de Ruche. Enjoy!
