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Duck Ham with wild winter herbs

A beautifully cured duck ham using wild ground ivy and douglas fir needles.

Prep: 45 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Hedge Garlic, Ground Ivy

Ingredients

  • 2 x Duck breasts
  • 50g coarse sea salt per breast
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed
  • 2 tbl sp ground ivy per breast, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Douglas fir needles per breast, finely chopped
  • 1 crisp apple
  • 20g Hedge garlic root
  • 10g Wood Avens root
  • Mayonnaise
  • Lemon Juice

Method

Mix 50g coarse sea salt, 1 tsp crushed black peppercorns, 2 tbsp finely chopped ground ivy and 1 tsp finely chopped Douglas fir needles per breast. Rub into 2 duck breasts. Layer in a container and refrigerate 24 hours, turning after 12 hours. Brush off salt and rinse under running water. Pat dry, wrap each in 2 layers of clean muslin, tie and hang in fridge 12-14 days so air can circulate. Slice thinly and serve with wild root remoulade, crabapple jelly and crusty bread. Remoulade: chop 1 crisp apple into matchsticks, grate 20g hedge garlic root and 10g wood avens root, bind with mayonnaise and season with lemon juice and salt.

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