Little Biddy Gin Cured Duck Bacon Fettuccine
To serve 4
Ingredients:
Duck bacon
4 duck breasts
1/2c sea salt
1/2c brown sugar
40-50ml Little Biddy Gin - Classic
Fettuccine (Note: If you prefer you can use dried or fresh pasta it will work the same)
400g white flour
4 eggs
30ml good olive oil
1.5tsp salt
Duck Bacon (use the Bacon created from the 4 duck breasts)
1 large onion
1c white wine
10-15g Thyme leaves
10-15g Rosemary
100g parmesan
800ml cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
To prepare the Duck Bacon
Combine the salt and sugar.
Trim the excess fat from the edges of each breast. Score the fat, but not the meat and cover in the salt and sugar mix.
Place in a large bowl and pour over the Little Biddy Gin - Classic, evenly covering all sides. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours.
After 3 hours remove from fridge, lightly rinse and pat dry with a paper towel and place in a large bowl. Cut each Duck breast into thin, even slices approx. 0.5cm thick and refrigerate while you prepare the rest of the dish. Each breast makes enough Bacon for one person.
Blend all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture comes together and has a breadcrumb consistency. Turn onto a lightly floured bench and kneed into a ball.
Wrap in glad wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Then roll through a pasta machine in four batches until you get to the second to last thickness setting.
Lay on a lightly floured bench and cut into even sections, run through the fettuccini attachment and lay on baking paper, flat and spread out so they are not touching. Blanch in salted boiling water when you are about to start the sauce.
To make the sauce
Spread the Bacon pieces out on a single layer in a large, deep frying pan and start to brown. When the bacon is about halfway there, add diced onion, Thyme and Rosemary. Brown the diced onion until sweet and caramelised.
Add the White Wine and reduce by half; then add cream and reduce by half again. Add the cooked Fettuccini and coat in the sauce. Stir through the grated parmesan, reserving some to serve.
To serve
Divide into 4 bowls and sprinkle with the remaining parmesan, a few Thyme leaves and a garnish of your choice.
Chef: Tim Hodges
Photography: Haley Hodges
Chef’s Comments:
This is the quintessential Autumn dish, a perfect farewell to summer and welcome to warm comfort food.
Chef’s tip: Little Biddy Gin Pear Compote perfectly complements the Duck Bacon. Save a few Bacon bits to try.