Pan-fried duck breasts in blackberry,
star anise and red wine reduction

Duck is a wonderful meat – grainy, juicy and best served pink. I often buy a whole duck remove the breasts, then save then legs and wings for confit the next day. The star anise gives this dish an oriental feel so I usually serve it with spinach wilted in soy sauce, along with some small roast new potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 duck breast per person
A handful of blackberries
Two glasses of red wine (a light wine like Chianti would be good)
5 whole star anise crushed into large pieces
A tablespoon or so of finely chopped chives

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 180æ C

Lightly score the duck breasts across the skin side 6 or 7 times but don’t mark the flesh.

On a medium heat cook the duck breasts skin side down for 10 minutes or so until the skin has crisped up nicely. Spoon off the excess fat every couple of minutes. Turn the duck onto the flesh side for a couple of minutes then place in an ovenproof dish flesh-side down. Place the dish in the oven for about five minutes.

While the duck is cooking, pour off any excess fat from the frying pan but be careful not to lose any juices or meat residue in the pan. Place back onto the heat and de-glaze with the red wine.

After a minute throw in the anise and blackberries, breaking up the fruit as you do.
Reduce the volume of liquid to about half – that’s the sauce.

Remove the pieces of anise before serving then add the chopped chives. Season.

Let the duck rest for about five minutes before serving – stir any leaked juices into the sauce then serve.