Collard Greens with Smoked Duck and Parsnips

Ingredients

• 0.5 smoked duck breast (skin on)
• 1 large onion
• 1 small parsnip
• large bunch collard greens
• 0.5 green cabbage
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil and/or butter
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp garam masala
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp water

Method

Render the duck skin-side down in a large dutch-oven-cooking|Dutch oven over medium heat until the fat releases fully and the skin turns crisp and bronze — roughly 8–10 minutes. The fat itself becomes your cooking medium; pour off excess if you have more than a tablespoon pooling, then remove the duck to a board and slice it into 1 cm pieces once it's cool enough to handle. Leave the rendered fat in the pot.

Return the heat to medium and add your diced onion straight to the fat. sweating|Sweat for 3–4 minutes without colour — the onion should turn translucent and begin to soften. This develops the sweetness of the allium without the bitterness that comes from caramelisation. Introduce the coriander, cinnamon, and garam masala and stir constantly for 45 seconds; you want the spices to bloom in the fat and release their volatile oils, not burn. The toast becomes fragrant but remains pale.

Add the parsnip matchsticks and continue sweating for another 2 minutes, then lay in the shredded cabbage and the collard greens — there will be volume, but it collapses dramatically once braising|braising begins. Season with a few generous twists of black pepper. Pour in the 2 tablespoons of water, scatter the sliced duck across the top, and cover. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 12–15 minutes. The greens will compress and darken as the water condenses; the parsnip releases its own moisture and softens. Stop when the collard leaves bend without snapping and the parsnip is tender at the fork.

Taste and adjust the seasoning — the braising liquid will be minimal, concentrated, and deeply flavoured. A touch more pepper or a pinch of salt may be needed depending on the saltiness of your duck. Serve from the pot or transfer to a warm bowl, making sure to distribute the duck pieces evenly and scrape up any caramelised bits stuck to the bottom. The dish is comfort-food|comfort food built on rendered fat and long-cooked leaves; it does not need garnish.