Parmentier-style Potato Mash with Duck and Onions

Ingredients

• 1 duck breast fillet (pre‑cooked; about 350 g)
• Salt
• Pepper (freshly ground)
• 2 shallots
• 2 sprigs thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 peppercorns
• 500 g duck fat
• 300 g potatoes
• 1 onion
• 60 ml milk
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tbsp grated French hard cheese

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with upper and lower heat.

2. 2.

   Wash, pat dry, season the meat with salt and pepper, and sear the skin side in a hot pan. Add the shallots, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns, flip the duck breasts, then add the duck fat so everything is well coated. Transfer the pan to the oven and braise the meat for 1½–2 hours until tender.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile peel, wash, roughly cut the potatoes and boil in salted water for about 30 minutes.

4. 4.

   Remove the duck parts from the fat, let them cool, loosen the meat from the bone, chop into small pieces and arrange on four baking rings (about 8 cm diameter).

5. 5.

   Drain the potatoes, let them steam off, mash with a potato masher, then blend with milk and butter to a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper, fold in the cheese, spread over the duck, and place briefly under the hot oven grill.

6. 6.

   Peel the onion, slice into thin strips, and fry in melted butter until golden yellow.

7. 7.

   Plate the Parmentier, remove the ring, garnish with fried onion strips, and serve.