Roast duck breast with honey, sesame, orange and celeriac

Method

1. Heat the oven to 210°C fan/gas 8. Use a sharp knife to finely score the skin on each duck breast diagonally in two directions to make a grid pattern (don’t cut through to the meat). Rub the honey into the skin on each breast, making sure it’s completely coated, then put on a baking tray.
2. Peel the celeriac and halve. Cut one half into 2cm thick wedges. Lay them flat in a large frying pan in a single layer, then pour over the orange juice and add the butter and thyme. Chop the other half into small cubes. Put in a saucepan, pour in enough milk to just cover them (the size of your pan will dictate how much milk you need), add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt.
3. Sprinkle the duck breasts liberally with sesame seeds and salt. Roast for 16-18 minutes, flipping the breasts every 4 minutes to ensure an even cook. Once the skin has crisped and the thickest parts of the breasts are hot to the touch, remove them from the oven and leave to rest for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. This is important so don’t skip it; the resting time ensures all the juices stay in the meat when you carve it.
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4. Once the duck is in the oven, put the celeriac wedges and the celeriac in milk both over a low-medium heat. Gently cook both for 20-25 minutes until tender, turning the wedges halfway through. You want the celeriac in milk to be completely soft, but the wedges to still have a little bite and be glazed in the reduced orange juice and butter.
5. Make the jus by adding all the jus ingredients to a small saucepan with a pinch of salt. Gently simmer for 5 minutes until thickened and combined, then keep over a low heat (or reheat before serving).
6. Once the celeriac in milk is soft, discard the bay leaf and strain the liquid through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Transfer the celeriac to a blender, then whizz, adding enough milk to create a smooth purée (you may not need all the milk). Season to taste with a pinch of salt and the lemon juice.
7. To serve, make a bed of celeriac purée on each serving plate, then slice the duck and arrange on top. Arrange the wedges alongside, season with salt and pepper, then finish with the orange jus and a little rocket.