Does anyone know of a good side dish to accompany boneless duck breasts? The only thing that’s off the menu is mashed potatoes because my mother absolutely hates them. I think the flavour of the duck is going to be a honey-pepper-orange type deal (I’ll have to look up a recipe on epicurious).
hm, heaven and earth? saute together apples and shredded red cabbage in butter, season with balsamic vinegar and black pepper.
pommes landaise? using salvaged duck fat, saute quarter inch dice of prosciutto and quarter inch dice potatoes until potatoes are browned and crispy [dont stir them around too much or the cubes go mooshy, use a large enough pan that you can do that little toss thing] season with white pepper, no salt needed because of the prosciutto.
a good quality long grained and wild rice side dish [i use uncle ben’s as it is what my mother used…]
The apples and cabbage is a nice suggestion. I serve this with pork loin all the time, but it would go well with duck also.
It’s the whole German thing, you see.
Rice would work. Long grain, and dress it up a bit with some almonds and raisins to set off the seasonings of the duck.
I think, too, I would start this off with a nice salad of wilted greens, either spinach or a fine leafy lettuce. Wilted salads are very trendy right now, but I grew up on them.
My Grandma made them from garden fresh lettuce, crumbled bacon, and green onions. The dressing was bacon drippings, hot wine vinegar, and sugar, with lots and lots of black pepper and a little salt.
aruvqan’s suggestion of crisping potato in the rendered duck fat sounds great, but if you won’t get enough duck fat from your breasts, how about polenta topped with some mushrooms? A slightly bitter leaf would work too - grilled witlof or raddiccio.
Thanks for the suggestions! I really like the wilted salad idea, Mr. Moto. I know my mother and sister would go for that. The wild rice pilaf idea sounds good too-I think I’ll mosey over to whole foods to get a mild-flavoured one. I don’t want it to compete with the flavour of the duck and its sauce.
I know this is a little late, but celleriac (cellary root) thickly grated with thick grated apple, seasoned and pressed into rough patties can be lightly pan fried and goes well with game.
Best duck I ever had was accompanied with mashed carrots. Sounds a little gross, but it was French, and that means tasty.
I have no idea what the recipe is (the waitress wouldn’t give it up, even after I promised to let her pleasure me – there’s no pleasing some people), but I’ll hazard a guess:
Slice the carrots into small disks, then boil or steam until very soft. Mash with a little butter, season with salt and pepper. If not very sweet, add a little honey.
Some duck-weed and soaked bread? 
Good luck with it. Sounds delicious.
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Seriously, I have no idea what this stuff tastes like. Given the greasiness of duck, though, you’d probably do well to feature something astringent or acidic, like greens with a vinegar-based dressing, or something.
I usually make a sundried tomato and basil polenta when I make duck breasts, and put the duck on top of the polenta slices. Mushrooms sound lovely too.
Rocket/arugula also works well as a slightly bitter leaf. And pickled red cabbage would make a nice vinegary side to go with the fatty duck (and coordinates well colorwise).
Rabbit! (Call the dish “Bug’s & Daffy” or “Elmer Wins.”
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