- 4 duck breasts
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- olive oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 75g/2½oz cherry jam
- 1 tbsp red wine
- 1 tbsp raspberry vinegar
- 1 orange, juice only
- 4 shallots
- 50g/1¾oz butter
- 3 Little Gem lettuce hearts
- 100g/3½oz frozen peas
- 100g/3½oz chicken stock
- 2 small knobs of butter
- small bunch of flatleaf parsley
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- First, prepare the duck. Score the skin a couple of times with a sharp knife. Season well.
- Heat a frying pan with a little olive oil. When hot, sear the duck, skin side down, until golden brown. Remove from the heat and put the duck breasts into a baking dish. Cook in a hot oven for four minutes (rare); seven minutes (medium); 10 minutes (well done). Remove the duck from the oven to rest.
- Meanwhile, make the cherry sauce. Sauté the shallot over a gentle heat until transparent. Now add the jam, wine and raspberry vinegar. Let the mixture bubble gently until it reduces to a syrup.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the orange juice. Serve immediately or keep warm in a bain marie.
- To make the lettuce and peas, slice the shallots and sauté gently in the butter. When soft, add the Little Gem lettuces cut side down. Allow to gently brown and soften.
- Now add the peas and the stock. Cover the pan and simmer for 10 mins until the peas and lettuce are cooked.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the remaining butter. Add the parsley and season.
- Serve immediately with the duck sliced into three, placed on top of the braised lettuce. Drizzle over the cherry sauce.