Kelly Stretton

INGREDIENTS

2 duck fillets

2-3 Maris Piper potatoes

2 tbsp duck fat

100g blackberry

1 large beetroot

50g balsamic

20g caster sugar

Sprigs of thyme

METHOD

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Prep the duck by taking out of the fridge and scoring with a sharp knife diagonally across the fat surface. Flip over and do the same on the opposite diagonal, creating a criss-cross all over the fat. Put the duck back in the fridge until required.

Rub the 2 tablespoons of duck fat evenly over your baking tray.

Peel and cut potatoes into even sized chunks and place on your baking tray.

Scrub/peel your beetroot and remove the stalk, wrap securely in tin foil and add to the try with your potatoes. Bake on 200°C for 30 - 40 minutes.

Take out the beetroot and return your potatoes for a further 10 - 15 minutes until crisp and perfectly golden, shaking the thyme spring to shake loose the ends. Flavour your potatoes for the remaining time.

Render the duck fat - heat the hob on a medium heat and add the duck skin side down into a cold oven proof frying pan. Place the pan on the heat.

As it gradually warms, the fat will be released. Keep spooning this into a jug and set aside (keeping this to use for next time).

After 5 - 6 minutes the duck skin will start to brown and crisp and the fat will no longer be released. At this stage take your duck off the heat and place it in the oven for 4 minutes. Take it out and leave it to rest (you want the meat to be set and still very pink).

In a saucepan, add your balsamic and sugar.

Cut your beetroot into small, even chunks and add to the sauce with a sprig of thyme.

Allow to bubble gently for 10 minutes. Once you have a stick sauce, add your blackberries and take the pan off the heat. Remove the thyme stalks.

Serve by placing your potatoes just off the centre, and then resting your duck on top and to the side. You can either cut the duck diagonally lengthways into two pieces or widthways into thin slices.

Top with the glaze and beetroots, one last stalk of thyme and enjoy.