I had always been interested by Thomas Keller’s dish of five-spiced roasted lobster with Port-poached figs and duck foie gras. Finally having access to some fantastic figs, I thought to pair them with duck.
BBQed duck, Port-poached figs, vanilla potato mash
The figs are oven-braised in Port-style wine. A sauce is then prepared by blending some of the figs with a little bittersweet chocolate and coffee grounds, before passing through a fine seive/chinois. It’s a pretty good combo with duck, as is (John Campbell’s inspired) vanilla potato mash.
The match with by Farr’s Tout Prés Pinot Noir 2008 (Geelong, Victoria, Australia) was not particularly good, due to the wine’s high acidity (which was a problem anyway). A great nose of lichen, forest woods and leaves, and without the volatility that so many New World Pinots of this style get; a of touch spice and great oak integration. A fantastic front palate with silky texture and perfectly balanced medium-weight. Unfortunately, from there on the acid kicks in and destroys what would otherwise be a great wine. Nevertheless, enjoyable, but perhaps not with the “sweet” flavours of duck, fig and vanilla.