I was in Bury yesterday and they have an award winning market. I spotted a fresh Mallard for £2.99 so we revisited a recipe we created in February, with a few additions. It’s a while since we were all chefy in the kitchen because I’ve been away. This is a recipe well worth having a pop at if you happen to come across some Duck breasts.

The original recipe is here

Our improved version……

Ingredients:-
 
2 Duck Breasts ( I cut and scored these from the bird. The remainder will but be Tiggy fodder and we’ll have Duck fat for roast Potatoes and some outstanding Duck stock)
1 ½ tsp Garam Masala
1 tsp Grated fresh Ginger
2 cloves of Garlic, grated
Oil to fry
Fresh ground Black Pepper
1 tbsp Butter / Margarine
1 tsp Cumin seeds
100g Basmati Rice
800ml Chicken Stock
85g Frozen Peas
A bunch of Spring Onions, finely chopped
Foraged Chive flowers (Not really needed, but they added a bit of colour contrast)
Home made Plum sauce (See below)
 
Method:-
 
(1) Score the Duck skin and rub with Garam Masala, Ginger and ground Black Pepper.
(2) Chill for 30 minutes to allow the marinade to flavour the meat.
(3) Heat the oven to 200c.
(4) Gently fry the Duck breasts skin side down until the fat runs out.
(5) Transfer to a baking dish skin side up then leave to rest.
(6) Melt butter in a large pan. Add Cumin seeds and fry for 2 to 3 minutes then and add the garlic.
(7) Transfer the Duck breasts into the oven.
(8) Stir in the Rice.
(9) Pour over the Stock and simmer for 10 minutes.
(10) Add Peas in the last 4 minutes.
(11) When the liquid has absorbed folk through and add the Spring Onions.
(12) Season to taste.
(13) Slice the Duck breasts and serve on a bed of the Rice dressed with sliced Spring Onions, Chive flowers and Plum sauce.

Plum sauce

Ingredients:-

½ of frozen foraged Plums ( A punnet of red supermarket Plums will do the trick!)
1 tbsp Wholegrain Mustard
1 tbsp Sugar
3 tbsp Spirit Vinegar

Method:-

(1) Add all the ingredients to a pan and bring to the boil.
(2) Reduce the heat to simmer for 40 minutes.
(3) Press through a sieve.
(4) Return to the heat just before serving.

If we were asked to pay £19.95 in a restaurant for this dish we would happily have paid it, if we had the money. But instead we created it at home for less than £4 for two of us and we have Risotto left for the foundation for tomorrows meal.