Smørrebrød with Roast Duck, Red Cabbage and Prune Compote

Roast duck with red cabbage and prune compote © kvalifood.com

For many people, cold leftover duck from Christmas Eve is the real highlight of the season — when it lands on rye bread the next day. Duck meat has a rich, deep flavour and a texture that is more interesting than chicken, especially when sliced thin and overlapping on the bread. The red cabbage gives acidity and sweetness, and the prune compote adds a fruity depth with cinnamon and cloves. An orange slice on top is not just garnish — the fresh citrus cuts through the fatty meat and balances the smørrebrød.

Roast duck with red cabbage and prune compote assembly © kvalifood.com
Roast duck with red cabbage and prune compote assembly © kvalifood.com

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

Prune compote

  • 150 g prunes, pitted
  • 1 dl apple juice
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 tbsp sugar

Assembly

  • 4 slices dark rye bread
  • Butter, for the bread
  • 8–12 slices cold roast duck
  • Red cabbage (see recipe #46)
  • Orange slice
  • Fresh thyme
  • Coarsely ground black pepper
  • Flaky salt

Directions

Prune compote

Simmer prunes, apple juice, cinnamon, cloves and sugar for 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and cloves. Leave to cool.

Assembly

Butter the rye bread. Lay the duck slices on the bread — they should overlap. Arrange red cabbage on one side. Add a dollop of prune compote on the other. Garnish with an orange slice, thyme, pepper and flaky salt.

Tip: Warm the duck slices in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for 5 minutes to release the fat.