Braised duck with lemon grass, ginger and soy

Ingredients

2 ducks
720ml poultry stock
2 tablespoon chopped, fresh lemongrass
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh ginger
2 tablespoon sun dried tomatoes
1 tablespoon thyme leaves – finely chopped
2 tablespoons sherry
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons apple or fruit jelly
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper

Method

Cut up the duck and brown well in a pan. Transfer the pieces to a casserole. Combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil, pour over the duck, cover and cook in a cool oven, Gas mark 1 /150ºc/ 275ºf/ gas 3 - for 1 hour.

Remove the duck from the liquid, set aside covered. Put the liquid in the fridge and when it is cool, remove the fat from the surface. Reheat the duck in the sauce, and season to taste.

Pineapple and red pepper chutney

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 small red onion, chopped
1 red pepper
2 tablespoons of fresh ginger
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
300g chopped fresh pineapple
¾ distilled white vinegar
115ml orange juice
115g sugar
2 tablespoons currants
2 small Thai chilli peppers finely chopped
½ teaspoon coarse salt

Method

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook without browning until the onion is soft (about 4 minutes). Add the ginger and garlic, stir, and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring over a high heat, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered stirring occasionally until the chutney thickens, about 35 minutes. Cool completely.

Gratin Dauphinois

Sliced Potatoes Baked with Cream and Garlic
Ingredients – serves 6
4 medium-sized potatoes
75ml (3 fl oz) milk
75 ml (3 fl oz) double cream
15 ml (1 tbsp) clarified butter
Salt
Pinch of nutmeg
1 garlic clove

Method

Peel the potatoes and slice very finely on a mandolin. Soak in cold water to remove the starch.
Boil together the milk and the cream, season with salt, and add the nutmeg.
Rub a 15 x 30.5 cm (6 x 12 inch) rectangular roasting pan with garlic. Brush it with clarified butter.

Drain the potatoes and dry thoroughly on absorbent kitchen paper. Spread the potatoes in thin, closely packed layers, adding a little creamy liquid between each layer.

The mixture should not be more than 2 cm (¾ inch) thick. Pour the rest of the liquid on top and bake in the oven at 180c (350f) mark 4 for about 30-45 minutes or until nicely browned on top.