- 300g/10½oz celeriac, peeled, chopped 3cm/1½in pieces
- 600m/21¼fl oz full-fat milk
- pinch sea salt
- 40g/1½oz unsalted butter
- squeeze fresh lemon juice
- 150g/5¼oz blackberries
- 1 clove
- 2 juniper berries, crushed
- ½ fresh bay leaf
- small sprig fresh thyme
- 1 tbsp sugar
- knob of butter
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 50g/1¾oz field mushrooms, sliced
- 100ml/3½fl oz ruby port
- 100ml/3½fl oz red wine
- 2 wild ducks, cleaned
- 2 tbsp duck fat
- caramelised diced apple
- blackberries
- deep-fried celeriac crisps
- For the celeriac purée, place the celeriac, milk and the salt into a heavy-based pan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 15-20 minutes, or until the celeriac is tender.
- Drain the celeriac, reserving the milk. Leave in the colander for 5 minutes to drive off any excess steam, then purée in a food processor or blender until smooth, using a little of the milk to help get the right consistency.
- Heat a frying pan until hot, add the butter and cook until it is a light nut-brown colour, then remove from the heat and stir into the celeriac purée with the lemon juice. Cover and leave to one side.
- For the blackberry sauce place the blackberries in a bowl and sprinkle over the clove, juniper berries, bay leaf, thyme and sugar and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a small pan and fry the shallot and mushrooms over a medium heat for 5 minutes, or until softened and light golden-brown. Stir in the port and wine and carefully set alight (CAUTION: stand well away from the flames), then add the blackberries and a pinch of salt.
- Gently simmer the sauce for 10 minutes, then purée in a blender or food processor. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and set aside.
- For the duck, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
- In a large frying pan on a medium heat, fry the ducks on their legs in the duck fat for 7 minutes each leg, or until pale golden-brown (this is to give them a head start as they need more cooking than the breasts).
- Carefully turn the ducks onto their breast-side, and fry for 1 minute until golden-brown all over. Transfer to an oven tray and roast for 10 minutes for medium-rare or 13 minutes for medium, or until the ducks are golden brown all over and the flesh is still lightly pink.
- Remove from the oven and leave to rest breast-side down. This is so that the juices will collect around the breasts, baste them and keep them moist.
- To serve, carve the ducks onto a large plate, serve the celeriac purée in a small pot on the side and spoon the sauce over the meat. Garnish with your choice of fresh blackberries, caramelised apples and celeriac crisps.