Ingredients

• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cloves
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 2 duck breasts
• trimmed and skin scored
• 3 oranges
• zest of 2 oranges and the juice of 3
• 1 lemon
• zest and juice
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp sherry or balsamic vinegar
• 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• cut into small pieces
• 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
• 1 head cavolo nero
• roughly chopped

Directions

• For the duck
• preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
• Dry fry all the spices in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes until the spices start to release their oils. Place in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and grind to a powder. Sprinkle the spice mix all over the duck. Heat a large frying pan and add the duck skin-side down. Cook slowly until the fat has rendered out.
• Place the duck in the oven until cooked through (8-12 minutes depending on the size of the duck breast). Check the duck is cooked by piercing with a skewer. The juices should run clear. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
• For the sauce bigarade
• simmer the strips of orange and lemon in a little water for 5 minutes to soften. Then turn up the heat and boil to evaporate excess water. Stir in the orange and lemon juice
• reserve.
• Dissolve the sugar slowly in a small pan and cook carefully
• stirring
• until lightly caramelised (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully.). Add the vinegar and bubble fiercely for a moment
• stirring to make a thick syrup. Stir in the stock and let it bubble up again. Turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved zest and juice and reheat.
• Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter
• a little at a time
• to thicken the sauce.
• For the cavolo nero
• heat a sauté pan and add the butter and 2 tablespoons of water. Once hot add the cavolo nero and cook for 2 minutes
• until wilted.
• To serve
• cut the duck into 8 pieces and place on a serving plate. Add the cavolo nero and pour over the sauce.