Pumpkin rice with duck breast

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 large duck breast (approx. 450 g)
• 1 pinch(s) pepper, coarse
• 125 g brown rice or basmati rice
• 400 g pumpkin flesh (e.g. Hokaido)
• 1 m.-large zucchini
• ½ bell pepper(s), red
• ½ bell pepper(s), yellow
• 75 g tomatoes, dried in oil
• 1 onion(s), red
• 8 sage leaves
• 1 garlic clove(s)
• 1 handful of basil

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Cooking/baking time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Autumn laughs from the plate, would be an alternative even without meat

Cut the pumpkin into thin wedges. Dice the zucchini and bell peppers, and finely strip the sun-dried tomatoes, onion, and sage. Finely dice the garlic. Score the skin of the duck breast into diamond-shaped slices and season with pepper. Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the duck breast, skin-side down (sprinkle the other side with pepper as well) and sear for 5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Preheat the oven to 170°C (top/bottom heat) and heat a casserole dish in it. Add the rice to a pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to simmer. Add the duck breast to the casserole dish and season with salt. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the pan and reserve for another dish if desired. Sauté the onion and garlic in the duck fat. Add the pumpkin and sauté for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Just before the end of the 5 minutes, add the remaining vegetables and sage, deglaze with 1/2 cup water, and cook for another 5 minutes. Stir in the rice and season with salt and pepper. Cut the duck breast into 1/2 cm wide strips and arrange on plates. Sprinkle the pumpkin rice with basil.