Ingredients

• 4 Gressingham duck breasts
• 1 red cabbage
• core removed
• finely chopped
• 75g/2½oz brown sugar
• 50ml/1¾fl oz red wine vinegar
• splash water
• 4 Maris Piper potatoes
• peeled and sliced into even-sized cubes
• large knob butter
• splash milk
• 4 spring onions
• finely sliced on the diagonal
• 200ml/7¼fl oz red wine
• 750ml/1 pint 7fl oz veal or beef stock
• sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
• For the braised red cabbage
• place the cabbage
• brown sugar
• red wine vinegar and water into a non-reactive pan with a tight-fitting lid over a medium heat. Once the mixture has come to the boil
• reduce the heat to low and place the lid on top. Cook for about 25 minutes
• or until soft. Check periodically and add more water if needed.
• For the champ
• place the potatoes into a large pan
• cover with water and
• over a high heat
• bring to the boil. Once boiling
• reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until tender. Drain in a colander and return to the pan to steam dry.
• Meanwhile
• place the butter and milk into a small pan and heat through until the butter is melted. Once the potatoes have dried
• mash the potato with a potato masher or ricer. Add the spring onions
• and butter-milk mixture to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
• For the thyme sauce
• place the red wine
• veal or beef stock
• thyme and bay leaf into a pan and cook until the volume of liquid has reduced by two-thirds.
• For the roast Gressingham duck breast
• place the duck breasts
• skin-side down into a large
• dry frying pan. Place the pan onto a medium to hot heat. As the pan heats up it will render the fat from the duck breast. As more fat is produced
• drain it off. Fry the duck on the skin side until golden-brown. This will take about eight minutes. Once the skin is golden-brown
• place the breasts
• flesh side down on to a baking tray and place in the preheated oven to cook for 7-8 minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and leave to rest
• covered
• in a warm place for at least five minutes.
• To serve
• place a small mound of champ into the middle of each of four plates. Place a small amount of cabbage onto the mash
• top with the duck breast and spoon over the thyme sauce.