Ingredients

• 4 skinless duck breasts
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• plain flour
• for dusting
• 40g/1½oz butter
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 4 pomegranates
• 1 escarole
• cleaned and leaves separated
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves
• finely chopped

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• Season the duck breast with salt and freshly ground black pepper and dust with flour
• shaking off any excess.
• Heat the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof frying pan until the butter begins to foam. Add the duck and fry for two minutes on each side
• then transfer to the oven to roast for 5-6 minutes
• or until just cooked. The duck should be rare
• but cook according to your preference.
• Meanwhile
• rub two of the whole pomegranates firmly on a work surface with the palm of your hand
• then cut them in half and squeeze out the juice
• as you would with a lemon
• all over the cooked duck.
• Open up the remaining pomegranates and remove the seeds. Sprinkle the pomegranate seeds over the duck.
• Place the duck onto a plate and drizzle with the juices and seeds from the pan. Let the duck rest for 2-3 minutes then slice on the diagonal.
• For the escarole
• blanch the escarole leaves for a couple of minutes in boiling salted water. Drain and set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan
• add the garlic and fry for one minute
• or until soft
• then add the escarole and gently sauté for 1-2 minutes. Reduce the heat
• cover with a lid and cook for 5-6 minutes
• or until the escarole is tender.
• To serve
• place the escarole onto the plate alongside the duck and spoon any remaining pan juices over.