Ingredients

• ½ duck breast
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cherries
• stones removed
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 100ml/3½fl oz white wine
• 1 tsp cornflour
• mixed into a paste with a little water
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• To make the duck
• rub the duck on both sides with the olive oil then season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat a frying pan and cook the duck for five minutes skin-side down. Pour off excess fat and turn the duck breast over. Place in the oven and cook for eight minutes. Remove and rest for one minute.
• To make the sauce
• heat the cherries in a frying pan and stir in the caster sugar.
• Add the wine and cornflour paste and cook to reduce by half.
• Serve the breast in the middle of the plate and spoon the cherry sauce around.