Recipe for duck breast stuffed with chestnuts, mushrooms, and walnuts, served with polenta.

Chop the mushrooms and chestnuts into small pieces of the same size. Peel the shallot and slice it. Sauté it in a knob of butter for 5 minutes. Wash the parsley and chop it. Add the mushrooms, chestnuts, and parsley to the pan and sauté for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Finally, deglaze with 4 tablespoons of brandy and let it heat for a few minutes. Pour the stuffing into a container (do not wash the pan), add the nuts, and mix well. Let it cool for a few minutes.

Start by preparing the polenta. Pour the water and milk into a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, nutmeg, and a peeled and crushed clove of garlic. Pour in the polenta and bring to a boil, whisking continuously. Let it cook for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. The polenta will then swell. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Next, cut the fillets in the center, flesh side, without cutting into the fat. Cut inside the slit, on the sides but do not go all the way through either. Fill the fillets with stuffing and close them with kitchen twine, tightening well. The stuffing should not escape during cooking. Sear the fillets in the pan you used for the mushrooms and chestnuts for 2 to 3 minutes. Then place the fillets in a dish and bake for 10 minutes (do not wash the pan yet, but discard the fat from the fillets).

Take the stuffed duck breasts out of the oven and let them rest for 10 minutes in aluminum foil. Pour the heavy cream into the pan you used to cook the duck breasts, heat it while gently scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to release all the cooking juices. Add 2 tablespoons of brandy. Season with salt and pepper, then mix well.

When the polenta is cooked, add the 30 g of butter, mix one last time, and serve on the plates. Slice the duck breast and place it on the polenta. Drizzle with a small amount of creamy sauce and enjoy!

To finish