Mushrooms yell out to show off a good red wine, though that doesn’t mean you can’t try a white. Add in some meaty textured, woodsy-flavoured porcini mushrooms and soften the sauce with smooth, rich crème fraiche, and the flavours are superb with a Pinot Noir or a buttery Chardonnay.

Ingredients

• 10 grams dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups quality chicken stock
• 8 small shallots, peeled and sliced
• 4 tblsp butter or olive oil
• 6-8 large flat mushrooms, finely sliced
• 200 gram tub crème fraiche
• 4 duck breasts
• flaky salt and ground black pepper
• ½ cup picked Italian parsley leaves

Method

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in the hot chicken stock for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the mushrooms and stock.
2. Heat the butter or oil in a frying pan and cook the shallots for 4-5 minutes over a low heat until tender. Add the sliced flat mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms have wilted. Set aside. In the residue butter or oil add the re-hydrated porcini mushroom slices and pan fry until golden on both sides.
3. Return the mushrooms to the pan with the chicken stock and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the stock has reduced by about ¼. Stir in the crème fraiche and season with salt and pepper. Cover and keep warm.
4. Using a sharp knife, score the duck fat in a criss-cross pattern. Place the duck, skin-side down, in a very hot heavy-based frying pan and cook for 4 minutes or until the skin is golden. Turn and cook a further 4 minutes. Transfer to a 180 degrees Celsius oven for 8 minutes. Stand for 3-4 minutes before slicing.
5. Toss the Mixed Mushroom Sauce through freshly cooked pasta and pile into 4 bowls. Top with slices of duck and garnish with the parsley leaves. Serve hot.

Cooks Tips

Porcini Mushrooms are available from good delicatessens. I used Cigante Dried Porcini Slices. As they are flavour packed, a few will go a long way and the remaining mushrooms will keep well in an airtight container. Look for them in good delicatessens or call Sabato for phone orders on 0800SABATO.