Seared Duck Breast with Kumquats, Spiced Brussels Sprouts, and Pumpkin Bushi–Finished Sunchokes and Delicata

Seared Duck Breast

Starting skin-side down in a cool skillet renders the fat gradually, producing crisp skin without overcooking the breast. Resting before slicing keeps the meat juicy.

Ingredients

• 4 skin-on duck breasts, 7–9 ounces each
• 1½ teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ghee

Instructions

1. Pat the duck very dry. Score the skin in a shallow crosshatch, cutting through the fat but not into the flesh. Season with salt and pepper. If time permits, refrigerate uncovered for 4–12 hours, then pat dry again before cooking.
2. Spread the ghee in a thin film across a cool, heavy skillet. Add the breasts skin-side down without crowding; use two skillets if necessary. Set over medium-low heat and press gently for the first minute to establish even contact.
3. Cook skin-side down for 12–18 minutes, adjusting the heat to maintain a gentle sizzle. Pour off accumulated fat periodically into a heatproof container, leaving only a thin layer in the pan. The skin should become deep golden and crisp.
4. Turn the breasts and cook on the flesh side for 2–5 minutes. Briefly sear thick edges if needed. For the rosy result pictured, remove at 130–135°F in the thickest part and rest skin-side up for 8–10 minutes; the temperature will rise a few degrees.
5. Reserve the browned skillet for the kumquat sauce. Slice the rested duck across the grain into roughly ½-inch slices immediately before serving.

Notes

• Rosy duck is below the USDA-recommended poultry temperature of 165°F. Cook to 165°F for the conservative food-safety endpoint, particularly for higher-risk diners.
• For unusually thick breasts, finish in a 350°F oven after rendering and turning, checking the internal temperature frequently.
• Strain and refrigerate the rendered duck fat for another meal.

Kumquat-Shallot Pan Sauce

Kumquat peel supplies fragrant sweetness while the juice and wine balance the duck's richness. A small amount of butter rounds the reduced pan juices without making a heavy sauce.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces kumquats, washed
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon rendered duck fat, retained from searing
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• ½ cup unsalted chicken or duck stock
• 2 teaspoons honey, plus more to taste
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, diced
• to taste kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley, optional

Instructions

1. Slice the kumquats crosswise into thin rounds and remove the seeds. Reserve about one-quarter of the prettiest slices for serving.
2. After removing the duck, pour off all but 1 teaspoon of fat from the skillet. If any residue is black rather than brown, wipe it away. Lower the heat to medium-low, add the shallot, and soften for 2–3 minutes.
3. Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits. Simmer until reduced by about half, then add the stock, honey, and remaining kumquat slices.
4. Simmer gently for 5–7 minutes, until the kumquat peel is tender and the liquid lightly coats a spoon. Add any resting juices from the duck.
5. Remove from the heat and swirl in the cold butter. Season with salt and pepper, adding a little more honey only if the fruit is sharply sour. Serve over the sliced duck, with reserved raw kumquat slices and optional parsley.

Notes

• If the sauce reduces too far, loosen it with a tablespoon or two of water or stock. If thin, reduce it further before adding the butter.
• Avoid boiling after adding the butter so the sauce stays glossy.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Noma Projects Spice Mix

A hot, uncrowded tray browns the cut faces while leaving the centers tender. Adding the spice mix near the end protects its aromatics from scorching.

Ingredients

• 1½ pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Noma Projects spice mix, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, only as needed depending on the spice mix
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds. Dry the sprouts thoroughly after washing.
2. Toss the sprouts with the olive oil and a little salt if the spice mix is not already salty. Arrange cut-side down on a large metal sheet pan, leaving space between pieces.
3. Roast for 20 minutes, then inspect the cut sides. When well browned, turn the sprouts and toss with the spice mix. Roast another 5–10 minutes, until the centers are tender and the outer leaves crisp.
4. Toss with the lemon juice just before serving and adjust the seasoning.

Notes

• Taste the spice mix before seasoning; its salt level and heat will determine how much to use.
• Remove detached leaves early if they brown faster than the halved sprouts.

Roasted Sunchokes and Delicata Squash with Pumpkin Bushi

Sunchokes become nutty and creamy under a browned exterior, while delicata adds sweet, tender crescents. Pumpkin bushi goes on after roasting so its savory aroma remains distinct.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sunchokes, scrubbed well
• 1 medium delicata squash, about 1 pound
• 2½ tablespoons olive oil, divided
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons loosely packed Noma Projects pumpkin bushi shavings, or to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 425°F. Cut the sunchokes into roughly 1-inch pieces, halving small ones and quartering larger ones. Leave their skins on.
2. Halve the delicata lengthwise, scoop out the seeds, and cut into ½-inch-thick crescents; leave the edible skin on.
3. Toss the sunchokes with 1½ tablespoons olive oil, half the salt, and half the pepper. Spread on a large sheet pan and roast for 10 minutes.
4. Toss the squash with the remaining oil, salt, and pepper. Add it to the tray in a single layer, using a second tray if necessary.
5. Roast for another 25–35 minutes, turning once, until the sunchokes are easily pierced and both vegetables have deeply browned edges. Remove any squash pieces that finish early.
6. Transfer to a warm serving dish and scatter with pumpkin bushi just before serving. Taste before adding more salt.

Notes

• Keep the vegetables uncrowded; use separate trays if needed to avoid steaming.
• Apply the pumpkin bushi off heat rather than roasting it with the vegetables.

Overall Timing / Workflow

The vegetables roast while the duck renders on the stovetop. The duck's resting time provides the window for making the sauce.

Instructions

1. 0:00 — Heat the oven to 425°F. Score and season the duck, then prepare the vegetables.
2. 0:15 — Put the sunchokes in the oven. Slice the kumquats and shallot while they begin roasting.
3. 0:25 — Add the delicata to the sunchoke tray and put the Brussels sprouts on the other rack.
4. 0:30 — Begin rendering the duck in the cool skillet. Rotate the vegetable trays as needed for even browning.
5. 0:45 — Check the duck temperature and turn it when the skin is crisp. Toss the Brussels sprouts with the spice mix and return them to the oven.
6. 0:50 — Rest the cooked duck and make the kumquat sauce. Check the vegetables and remove them as they become tender and browned.
7. 1:00–1:05 — Finish the sprouts with lemon and the sunchokes and squash with pumpkin bushi. Slice the duck, finish the sauce, and serve.

Notes

• Timing varies with duck-breast thickness and sunchoke size; follow temperature and tenderness rather than the clock.

Plating

Keeping the vegetable piles distinct preserves their textures and lets the bright kumquat sauce stay focused on the duck.

Instructions

1. Fan the duck slices on one side of warm plates or a large platter, keeping some crisp skin exposed.
2. Spoon the kumquat-shallot sauce over the meat rather than flooding the plate.
3. Arrange the sunchokes and delicata together beside the duck, with the Brussels sprouts in a separate mound.
4. Finish with reserved fresh kumquat rounds and the optional parsley. Serve immediately.

Leftover Path

Storing the sauce separately keeps the duck and vegetables from becoming soggy. Gentle reheating limits further cooking of the breast.

Instructions

1. Refrigerate the duck, sauce, and vegetables in separate shallow containers within 2 hours. Use within 3–4 days.
2. Reheat vegetables on a sheet pan at 400°F for 10–15 minutes, until hot and crisp at the edges. Add any remaining pumpkin bushi after reheating.
3. Warm the sauce over low heat with a splash of water. Add sliced duck briefly to heat through, or serve properly chilled duck thinly sliced with the reheated vegetables and kumquat sauce.
4. For the conservative leftover reheating endpoint, heat the duck to 165°F; it will lose its rosy center.