Ingredients

• 1 small red onion
• finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic
• finely chopped
• ½ red chilli
• chopped
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground chilli
• ½ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp ground mace
• knob of butter
• 100g/3½oz Puy lentils
• 150ml/5fl oz red wine
• 2 limes
• zest and juice
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 25g/1oz fresh coriander
• chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• creamy mash
• to serve
• 2-3 tbsp runny honey
• 4-6 duck breasts
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• To make the lentils place the onion
• garlic
• ginger and chilli in a blender with the ground spices
• and a drop of water. Blend to a paste
• then fry the paste in a little butter for a few minutes
• stirring all the time.
• Add the lentils and wine and simmer gently for 20-25 minutes until the lentils are cooked.
• Meanwhile
• for the duck
• place a dry large frying pan on the heat. Add the honey and cook over a low heat until golden and bubbling.
• Place the duck breasts in the pan
• skin-side down. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and move around in the pan
• using tongs
• to coat the duck breasts in the honey.
• Transfer the duck breasts to a roasting tin
• skin-side up. Pour the honey from the pan over the top. Place in the oven for 8 minutes or more
• until cooked to your liking
• then remove and allow to rest before slicing.
• Remove the lentils from the heat and add the lime zest and juice
• soy and chopped coriander. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Serve the sliced duck on a bed of creamy mash with the lentils spooned round the edge.