Duck with Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes and Cranberries

For the duck: rinse duck breasts and pat dry. Peel shallot and garlic, puree with salt, cumin powder, sugar, mustard seeds, bay leaf, juniper berries and 80 ml (approximately 1/3 cup) of maple syrup and 200 ml (approximately 3/4 cup) of water in the blender. Marinate duck breasts in the mixture for about 3-4 hours. 

Heat oil in a pan and sear duck breasts briefly. Roast in preheated oven at 80°C (approximately 175°F) for about 30 minutes. 

For the cranberries: combine cranberries with sugar, red wine, cinnamon and orange zest. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Strain through a sieve, collecting all juice. Return all juice to the pan and bring to a boil. 

Whisk cornstarch with a little cold water, add to the juice and bring to a boil again. Simmer until it thickens. Return cranberries to the juice and  season well with pepper. Remove from heat. 

For the mashed potatoes:  peel potatoes and cook in salted water for about 25 minutes. Drain and press through a potato ricer. Peel parsnip, cut into pieces and cook in salted water for 10 minutes or until soft. Drain and press through the ricer. Mix mashed potatoes and parsnip.

Add heated milk and butter to potatoes and whisk well. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper. Add more milk, if necessary. 

For vegetable bed: rinse and spin dry chard and endive, cut out hard stalks, if necessary. Blanch chard and endives in boiling salted water for about 3 minutes. Drain well and chop coarsely. Toss with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

Cut duck breasts into thin slices.