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Duck Breasts With Pomegranate and Mint

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Introduction

This is my idea of perfect dinner party food: it's easy to make, not complicated to serve and looks — and tastes — exquisite.

Feel free to griddle or grill your duck, rather than just sear it on the hob and then roast it, but I find I make the air too smoky when it's all done on the hob.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

This is my idea of perfect dinner party food: it's easy to make, not complicated to serve and looks — and tastes — exquisite.

Feel free to griddle or grill your duck, rather than just sear it on the hob and then roast it, but I find I make the air too smoky when it's all done on the hob.

For US cup measures, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

Duck Breasts With Pomegranate and Mint
Photo by Lis Parsons

Ingredients

Serves: 8

Metric Cups
  • 4 duck breasts
  • 200 grams rocket (or watercress or chard or mixture)
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 4 duck breasts
  • 8 cups arugula (or watercress or chard or mixture)
  • 1 pomegranate
  • 1 bunch fresh mint

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF.
  2. Heat a flameproof, ovenproof pan on the hob, and then sear the duck breasts, skin-side down, for a minute or so over a high heat.
  3. Turn the duck breasts over and then place in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the duck breasts from the oven and sit them on a carving board while you get organized. If you want to hold them at this stage, take them out of the oven at about 13 minutes and double-wrap in foil, then let them sit till you need them.
  5. Line a meat plate or flattish platter with the salad leaves.
  6. Slice each duck breast very thinly on the diagonal and lay on the salad-lined dish, pouring any meat juices over them as you go.
  7. Halve the pomegranate, and then bash out the seeds from one half to garnish the duck slices. Squeeze some of the juice from the other half — just by hand — over the duck as well.
  8. Tear off a handful of mint leaves and then finely chop them, scattering them over the duck.
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°C Fan/gas mark 7/425ºF.
  2. Heat a flameproof, ovenproof pan on the hob, and then sear the duck breasts, skin-side down, for a minute or so over a high heat.
  3. Turn the duck breasts over and then place in the oven for about 15 minutes.
  4. Remove the duck breasts from the oven and sit them on a carving board while you get organized. If you want to hold them at this stage, take them out of the oven at about 13 minutes and double-wrap in foil, then let them sit till you need them.
  5. Line a meat plate or flattish platter with the salad leaves.
  6. Slice each duck breast very thinly on the diagonal and lay on the salad-lined dish, pouring any meat juices over them as you go.
  7. Halve the pomegranate, and then bash out the seeds from one half to garnish the duck slices. Squeeze some of the juice from the other half — just by hand — over the duck as well.
  8. Tear off a handful of mint leaves and then finely chop them, scattering them over the duck.

Additional Information

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftover duck should be refrigerated within 2 hours. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat cold. The salad is best eaten on the day it's made.

MAKE AHEAD / STORE:
Leftover duck should be refrigerated within 2 hours. Will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Eat cold. The salad is best eaten on the day it's made.

Tell us what you think

What 3 Others have said

  • Duck, Pomegranate and Mint. That won me over straight away! This is so straightforward an obvious winner for a duckophile like me!

    Posted by GerryPerth on 21st July 2024
  • Thank you, Nigella! Your recipes read like a breath of fresh air. Simple, elegant and unfailingly delicious! The duck breast recipe is a great example!

    Posted by sancarloscharlie on 2nd June 2019
  • This is a gorgeous presentation!

    Posted by RobyH on 21st January 2018
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