Charred Duck Hearts, Beetroot & Blackberry Skewers
A proper nose-to-tail bite that won't apologise.
Duck hearts are lean, dense, and packed with iron — they're the engine room of the bird, and they deserve better than the bin. I picked this up from a Pekinese duck farmer in Waltham Abbey who reckons they're the best bit of the whole carcass. Pair them with autumn's blackberries and earthy beetroot, add a crack of pink pepper, and you've got something that tastes like you actually know what you're doing.
How to Cook It
- 01
Prep the beetroot
Peel your beetroot (use gloves or you'll look like you've murdered someone). Cut each one into six wedges — roughly golf-ball chunks. You want them firm enough not to fall apart, soft enough to taste like autumn. No need to cook them; raw is better here, sweet and earthy.
~10 min - 02
Clean the hearts
Rinse the duck hearts under cold water. Pick out any clots with your fingers (they're offal, not precious — just be respectful). Pat bone-dry with kitchen paper. This matters: wet meat won't char, and charring is where the flavour lives.
~5 min - 03
Thread the skewers
Soak four wooden skewers in cold water for 10 minutes. Thread them alternately: heart, beetroot wedge, blackberry (two per skewer), another heart, more beetroot. Finish with a heart. You're looking for balance — the fruit shouldn't dominate, it's a voice in the conversation, not the lead singer.
~5 min - 04
Season and sear
Pat the skewers dry again. Season generously with fleur de sel. Get your heaviest pan screaming hot — not medium, actually hot. Add rapeseed oil, then the skewers. Don't move them. Two minutes each side, until the hearts are charred on the outside and rare to medium in the centre. The blackberries should be blistered, the beetroot still firm.
~6 min - 05
Rest and finish
Remove to a warm plate. While the hearts are still hot, crack pink peppercorns over the top — use a pestle or the bottom of a glass, don't be shy. Drizzle with sherry vinegar. Leave for two minutes while you catch your breath.
~2 min
“Lean the skewers against each other on a warm plate, or lay them flat. Let the blackberries and beetroot do half the talking. A pinch more fleur de sel beside, a crack of pink pepper visible. No sauce, no garnish. It's four ingredients working — offal, veg, fruit, spice. Let people see what they're eating.”
First bite: the char hits, then the dense mineral of the heart, iron-rich and unapologetic. The raw beetroot cuts through with cold sweetness. Then the blackberry melts, the pink pepper arrives like a small electric shock. Finish is clean, bright, nothing muddied. It tastes like autumn and respect in equal measure.
Replace duck hearts with thick-cut aubergine medallions (200g total), soaked briefly in tamari and smoked paprika, then threaded and charred the same way. The density and slight firmness will mimic the heart's texture; the char will give you that savoury depth. Beetroot, blackberry, and pink pepper stay exactly the same. Sherry vinegar finish, fleur de sel, same sear time. It's not a meat replacement — it's a different dish that respects the same idea.
The earthy tannin matches the offal; the bright acidity cuts the char. No bigger wine needed.
Roasted malt plays with the charred heart. Dry enough not to coat the mouth.
The tannin structure of proper cider hangs with the offal like an old mate.
Fermented but alcohol-free; the slight sour tang mirrors the vinegar finish.
- ·Duck hearts are lean — overcook by 20 seconds and they become rubber. Rare to medium is the sweet spot. Trust your fingers: press, and it should bounce back gently.
- ·Raw beetroot has more pop than cooked. If you prefer it softer, microwave the wedges for 2 minutes before threading — it'll still hold up to the char.
- ·Blackberries are fragile. Add them last, thread gently, and don't shake the pan when they're in it. One splits, your plate looks sloppy.
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