Time to up your game! - Kitchen Garden Magazine

Cheer the family with this warming and tasty dish in the countdown to Christmas

Now that Bonfire Night is over, the festive season has truly begun – so now’s the time for those great, warming recipes that get everyone together round the table.

British Game Week takes place from November 20-26, and TV chef Rachel Green and the team at YesPeas! have a delicious game recipe which is perfect for a hearty family meal, especially now the nights are darker and colder.

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Honeyed Duck, Pea And Potato Mash With Shallots Glazed In Red Wine Sauce

Ingredients

12 shallots, peeled, trimmed tops and root ends

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100g butter

250ml red wine

200ml chicken stock

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1 tsp sugar

1 sprig thyme

Sea salt and black pepper

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600g peeled potatoes for mashing

300g frozen peas

2 tbsp double cream

Pinch ground nutmeg

4 duck breasts

1 tbsp local runny honey

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 400F / gas mark 6.

Heat half the butter in a heavy saucepan and add the shallots. Cook until lightly golden on all sides. Add the wine, chicken stock, sugar, thyme and a little salt and pepper. Over a fairly high heat, reduce until it forms a glossy liquid which coats the shallots, approx 20-25 minutes. The shallots should be tender by now. If the liquid becomes too sticky add a little more red wine or stock. Check seasoning. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

While the shallots are cooking, place the peeled potatoes, cut into medium-sized pieces, into a pan of boiling salted water for about 15-20 minutes or until nearly tender. Add the peas, bring to the boil and simmer for a further one minute. Drain in a colander, meanwhile return the pan to the heat, melt the remaining butter and add the double cream and nutmeg. Then add the peas and potatoes back to the pan and mash well. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm.

Meanwhile, score the skin of the duck breasts in a criss-cross pattern, going through the skin nearly to the meat. Place a frying pan on a low heat. Season the duck breasts with sea salt and black pepper and add, skin side down, to the cold pan and slowly heat the duck breasts. This requires no additional oil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the skin begins to crisp. Turn and seal the duck breasts on the meat side for a further 1 minute. Remove them from the pan and place in a small roasting tin and brush the duck breasts with the honey. Cook in the top half of the oven 10-15 minutes for pink, 20 minutes for medium, basting with the honey mixture as necessary.

To serve, let the duck breasts rest for a couple of minutes. Place a spoonful of mashed potato on a warm plate, slice the duck breast into three or four pieces, and place on top of the mash. Arrange three or four shallots at the side of the duck breast and drizzle with the red wine sauce.

Serves 4

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Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.