Duck breast with Tarbais beans

Gascony, one of France's great culinary regions, blends glamorous seaside resorts with historical villages. Guillaume honours this diversity by pairing rich, succulent duck breasts with Tarbais beans, one of the region's most humble, but famous, dishes.

Credit: Craig Kinder

• serves

  4

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  1:25 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 400 g dried cannellini beans (soaked in cold water for 8 hours minimum)
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 1 celery stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 6 thyme sprigs, divided
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 eschallots, thinly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 4 duck breasts
• Salt and black pepper

For the tomato confit

• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• ½ tsp thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp brown sugar
• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 375 g grape tomatoes, halved

Soaking time: 8 hours

Instructions

1. Start with the tomato confit by preheating the oven to 120°C. In a small baking dish, combine the garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, sugar, a little black pepper, oil and the tomatoes. Toss gently to combine, then cover the tray with a layer of baking paper and bake for 1 hour, or until the tomatoes are soft and their skins begin to split. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
   
2. While the tomatoes bake, cook the beans. Drain the soaked beans, then place into a large saucepan. Cover with water, then add the carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf and 4 thyme sprigs. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until tender. Once tender, drain and discard the vegetables, bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
   
3. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a second large saucepan over medium heat, then add the eschallot and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, until softened. Pour in the chicken stock and remaining 2 thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer. Stir through the cooked cannellini beans and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the beans have heated through and have absorbed some of the flavour. Carefully stir through half the tomato confit, then remove from the heat and set aside.
   
4. To make the duck, use a sharp knife to score the skin of the duck in a crosshatch pattern. Season all sides of the duck well with salt and pepper.
   
5. Heat a dry large frying pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the duck breasts, skin-side down and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook for a further 3-4 minutes for medium-rare, or longer if you prefer it well-done. Remove from the heat and allow the duck to rest for a few minutes before slicing.
   
6. Divide cannellini beans between plates and top with the remaining confit tomatoes and sliced duck.

Watch how to make this recipe on Episode 11 of Plat du Tour Season 6, streaming free on SBS On Demand. See Plat du Tour each night during coverage of the 2025 Tour de France.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.