Duck Breast With Porcini Polenta - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/2 oz dried porcini mushrooms
None None a few thyme springs
1 cup chicken stock
2 (7 oz) duck breasts
None None sea salt and cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp butter
1/2 cup instant polenta
1/2 bunch chives, chopped
1 None handful flatleaf parsley

Preparation

Place mushrooms and thyme sprigs in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 mins or according to packet instructions.
Bring stock to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
Meanwhile, place a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Score duck skin by making incisions in the fat about 1/2 inch apart without piercing meat. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
Cook duck breast in pan, skin side down, for 7 mins. Turn and cook a further 5 mins, or until cooked to your liking. Remove from pan and allow to rest.
Drain mushroom mixture and add liquid to pan that duck was cooked in. Place over high heat and reduce by two-thirds. Whisk 1 tbsp of butter into sauce at the last minute.
Meanwhile, pour polenta, in a slow stream, into boiling stock, whisking continuously until thickened and cooked. Roughly chop mushrooms and stir through polenta with chives and parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide porcini polenta among serving plates and place sliced duck on top. To serve, drizzle with mushroom liquid.