The duck breast from the South-West with porcini mushrooms and parsley-garlic sauce is one of the emblematic recipes of French gastronomy. Combining a generous duck breast, a crispy skin, fragrant porcini mushrooms, and a fresh garlic parsley sauce, this recipe highlights the terroir of the South-West. Cooking over a brazier adds delicate smoky notes that enhance the natural richness of the duck and the woody character of the mushrooms.
Prepared over a wood fire on a COEO brazier, the duck breast develops a perfect colour while the porcini mushrooms soak up the cooking aromas for a result that is both rustic, refined, and convivial.
NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
- 1 COEO fire pit
- 1 cooking spatula
- 1 kitchen brush
- 1 chef's knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 salad bowl
Number of people : 4
Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time : 15 min
Difficulty : Easy
INGREDIENTS
For the duck breast
- 2 duck breasts from the South-West weighing 350 to 450 g
- Fleur de sel
- Black pepper from the mill
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
For the porcini with parsley
- 600 g of fresh porcini mushrooms
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- Fleur de sel
- Ground pepper
PREPARE THE DUCK BREASTS
Gently score the skin of the duck breasts without cutting into the flesh.
Season with fleur de sel and black pepper from the mill.
Let the duck breasts rest at room temperature for about twenty minutes before cooking.
PREPARE THE PORCINI
Carefully clean the porcini mushrooms using a brush or a damp cloth.
Cut the largest mushrooms into evenly sized pieces.
Finely chop the garlic and parsley to prepare a generous persillade.
Set aside.
COOKING THE DUCK BREAST ON THE BRAZIER
Preheat your grill until you have a well-heated plate.
Place the duck breasts skin side down on the plate.
Allow the fat to gradually melt for 6 to 8 minutes. The skin should become crispy and take on a nice golden colour.
Then turn the duck breasts over.
Continue cooking:
- 3 to 4 minutes for a pink duck breast
- 5 to 6 minutes for a medium duck breast
Add a few thyme leaves to the embers to delicately flavour the meat.
Remove the duck breasts and let them rest for 5 minutes.
COOKING THE CÈPES WITH PERSILLADE
Take advantage of the naturally melted duck fat to cook the cèpes directly on the brazier plate.
Place the cèpes on the cooking area.
Allow them to colour for a few minutes until their water evaporates.
Then add the olive oil, chopped garlic, and parsley.
Mix regularly until you obtain a fragrant persillade.
Adjust the seasoning with fleur de sel and pepper.
PLATING
Slice the duck breasts into thin slices.
Arrange the cèpes with persillade on the plates.
Artfully place the slices of duck breast on top.
Add a little fleur de sel, a few fresh parsley leaves, and serve immediately.
THE DUCK BREAST, EMBLEM OF THE SOUTH-WEST
Originating from the South-West of France, duck breast has become over the decades one of the favourite meats of gastronomy enthusiasts. Recognised for its tender and tasty flesh, it is traditionally associated with local products such as ceps, garlic, sarladaise potatoes, and wines from the South-West.
Cooking over a brazier allows you to rediscover the authenticity of wood-fired meals while enhancing the natural flavours of the duck.
WHY COMBINE DUCK BREAST AND CEPS?
The combination of duck breast and ceps is a classic of South-Western gastronomy. The woody and slightly nutty notes of the cep pair perfectly with the richness of the duck. The persillade adds a touch of freshness that balances the whole and reveals the full aromatic complexity of the dish.
COOKING TIPS
- Always start cooking skin side down
- Do not remove all the melted fat: it will flavour the ceps
- Let the duck breast rest before slicing
- Use fresh ceps when the season allows
- Avoid overcooking to maintain the tenderness of the meat
DUCK BREAST, A GASTRONOMIC TREASURE OF THE SOUTH-WEST
Duck breast is closely linked to the gastronomic history of the South-West of France. This specialty is particularly associated with the regions of Gers, Landes, Dordogne, and Lot-et-Garonne, areas renowned for their traditional duck farming.
Cities like Sarlat-la-Canéda, the gastronomic capital of the Black Périgord, Auch, the historical capital of Gascony, Mont-de-Marsan, Dax, Pau, Cahors, and Périgueux have contributed for generations to the reputation of duck from the South-West. The magret has become one of the culinary symbols of these regions, alongside foie gras, duck confit, and ceps.
Traditionally served in the inns and markets of the South-West, duck magret is often accompanied by sarladaise potatoes, Périgord ceps, or a red fruit sauce. This gastronomic wealth attracts thousands of visitors each year who come to discover the authentic flavours of Gascony, Périgord, and the Landes.
Today, duck magret remains one of the most emblematic meats of French cuisine. Cooked over a brazier, it regains all the authenticity of wood-fired meals that make the reputation of the large tables of the South-West.
WHAT ARE THE BEST REGIONS FOR DUCK MAGRET?
| Region | Iconic city | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Gers | Auch | Fat duck and Gascon cuisine |
| Dordogne | Sarlat-la-Canéda | Magret, ceps and sarladaise potatoes |
| Landes | Dax | Farm duck and Landes cuisine |
| Lot | Cahors | Magret and food-wine pairings |
| Béarn | Pau | South-West cuisine and gourmet traditions |
| Périgord | Périgueux | Foie gras, ceps and duck |
TABLE OF DUCK BREAST VARIANTS IN THE SOUTH-WEST
| City / Region | Duck Breast Variant | Particularity |
|---|---|---|
| Toulouse | Grilled duck breast over an open fire | Simply seasoned with salt and pepper, cooked over wood fire |
| Bordeaux | Duck breast with red wine sauce | Reduction of red Bordeaux and shallots |
| Saint-Émilion | Duck breast with Saint-Émilion wine | Rich sauce with wines from the Bordeaux vineyard |
| Bayonne | Duck breast with Bayonne ham | Combination of duck and the famous Basque ham |
| Biarritz | Duck breast with sweet Basque peppers | Typical flavours of the Basque Country |
| Espelette | Duck breast with AOP Espelette pepper | One of the most popular recipes from the South-West |
| Pau | Duck breast with porcini mushrooms from Béarn | Highly appreciated land and forest combination |
| Dax | Duck breast with asparagus from the Landes | Iconic product from the Landes |
| Mont-de-Marsan | Smoked duck breast with oak wood | Intense flavours from the wood fire |
| Agen | Duck breast with Agen prunes | Traditional sweet-savoury pairing |
| Auch | Duck breast from Gers roasted with garlic | Authentic Gers recipe |
| Tarbes | Duck breast served with Tarbais beans | Recognised local specialty |
| Arcachon | Duck breast and oysters from the Arcachon Basin | Original land-sea alliance |
| Sarlat | Magret with sarladaise potatoes | Classic of Périgord |
| Périgueux | Magret with foie gras sauce | Gastronomic périgourdine version |
| Cahors | Magret with Cahors wine | Full-bodied sauce made from Malbec |
| Albi | Magret with honey from Tarn | Sweet and slightly caramelised notes |
| Carcassonne | Magret served with a cassoulet | Generous recipe from the South-West |
| Narbonne | Magret with olives and Mediterranean herbs | Languedoc influence |
| Montpellier | Magret with garrigue herbs | Thyme, rosemary and savory |
WHY IS MAGRET EMBLEMATIC OF THE SOUTH-WEST?
Duck magret is one of the most representative specialities of the South-West. From Bordeaux to Toulouse, passing through Bayonne, Pau, Dax, Auch or Agen, each region has its own interpretation of this noble meat. Today, duck magret cooked on a brazier has become a reference for outdoor cooking in the South-West thanks to its quick cooking, crispy skin and melting heart. It perfectly accompanies convivial meals around a brazier and highlights the emblematic products of regional gastronomy.
FAQ
WHAT IS THE BEST COOKING FOR A DUCK MAGRET?
Pink cooking remains the most appreciated. A core temperature between 54 and 57°C allows for tender and juicy meat.
CAN WE USE FROZEN CÈPES?
Yes, but fresh cèpes offer more texture and flavour.
WHY SCORE THE SKIN OF THE MAGRET?
Scoring promotes the regular melting of fat and allows for a crispy skin.
WHAT SIDES TO SERVE WITH A MAGRET WITH CÈPES?
Sarladaise potatoes, green beans, grilled vegetables or a forest sauté pair perfectly with this recipe.
WHICH WINE TO PAIR WITH A SOUTH-WEST DUCK MAGRET?
A Cahors, a Madiran, a Fronton or a Bergerac red will ideally complement the flavours of the duck and cèpes.
DUCK MAGRET COOKING CHART
| Cooking level | Internal temperature | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | 50 to 53°C | Red and very tender meat |
| Medium rare | 54 to 57°C | Juicy and melting meat |
| Medium | 58 to 62°C | Slightly pink meat |
| Well done | 63°C and above | Firm and fully cooked meat |
WHAT IS THE IDEAL CORE TEMPERATURE FOR A DUCK MAGRET?
To achieve a tender, melting and perfectly juicy duck magret, the recommended temperature is between 54 and 57°C, corresponding to a pink cooking.
Remove the magret from the grill about 2°C before the target temperature and let it rest for 5 minutes before slicing.
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