Duck with Blackcurrants

Serve 4

• 4 duck breasts
• 1 small tin (60g) blackcurrants in fruit juice
• 2 tsp cornflour
• 1 tsp stock powder
• ¼ pint (150ml) water
• 3 fl oz (75ml) double cream
• salt and pepper

Open the tin of blackcurrants and drain them, reserving the juices. Score the skin of the duck breasts (to allow the fat to run away and to prevent it from curling as it is cooked). Heat a ridged griddle pan in the roasting oven for 5 minutes, then put the breasts, skin side down, into the hot pan and put it onto the floor of the roasting oven. Griddle the breasts for 5-7 minutes each side, turning once. Move the cooked duck to the warm plate to rest for 5 minutes while you make the sauce.

Tip the blackcurrant juice and most of the water into a pan and bring to the boil and boil hard for two or three minutes to reduce it. Remove from the heat.
Mix the cornflour with the remaining water and add to the juice, together with the stock powder. Simmer until thickened, then remove from the heat and stir in the blackcurrants and cream. Season.

Carve the breasts into thin slices and arrange on plates. Pour over the sauce and serve.

Oven: Floor of roasting oven and simmering plate.

Prepare in advance: Sauce will keep in the fridge for 24 hours, but meat is nicest eaten on the day it was cooked.

Prepare ahead: Will keep warm, before carving, in the simmering or warming oven for up to an hour.

Freeze: Yes, but it really is nicer eaten on the day it was cooked.

Recipe from Effortless AGA Cooking by Sarah Whitaker.