Honeyed duck with pea and potato mash with shallots glazed in red wine - serves four

10:02am Friday 8th February 2008

• Ingredients: 12 shallots
• 100g butter, melted
• 250ml red wine
• 200ml chicken stock
• One tsp sugar
• One sprig thyme
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 600g peeled potatoes for mashing
• 300g frozen peas
• Two tbsp double cream
• Pinch nutmeg
• Four duck breasts
• One tbsp local runny honey

Peel and trim the shallots. Heat half the butter in a heavy saucepan, add the shallots, cooking until lightly golden on all sides, add the wine, chicken stock, sugar, thyme and a little salt and pepper. Cook and reduce until it forms a glossy liquid coating the shallots. If it becomes too sticky add a little more red wine or stock. Remove from the heat.

Peel and chop the potatoes, place into a pan of boiling salted water and cook until nearly tender. Add the peas, bring to the boil and simmer for one minute. Drain and return the pan to the heat, melt remaining butter, adding double cream and nutmeg. Add the peas and potatoes and mash well. Adjust seasoning. .

Score the skin of the duck breasts. Place a frying pan on a low heat. Season the duck breasts with sea salt and black pepper and add, skin side down, to the cold pan and heat slowly. Cook for 3 -4 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp. Turn and seal duck breasts on the meat side for one minute. Remove from the pan and place in a small roasting tin, brush with honey. Pre heat the oven to 2000C/400 F/gas mark 6.

Cook in the top half of the oven, basting with the honey mixture as necessary.

Allow the duck breasts rest. Place a spoonful of mashed potato on a warm plate, slice the duck breast into three or four pieces, and place on top of the mash.

Arrange three of four shallots at the side of the duck breast and drizzle with the red wine sauce.

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