Duck Breast with Green Peppercorn Sauce

Trim the excess fat and nerves from the breasts. Skin side up, make cross cuts. Be careful not to go through the meat. Season and line them in a heavy pan, skin side down. Turn on to medium heat. As the pan heats up, the fat will melt and start to fry. Add the butter and baste the meat regularly, for colour. When the skin is golden crisp, turn the breast. For a nice pink colour, the whole process will take about 8 minutes.

Drain the excess fat, throw in the cognac and flame it. Leave the breasts to cool on a rack while you make the sauce.

Deglaze the pan with the wine, bring to boil, and reduce it till half. Add the stockm the cream and the coarsely chopped peppers and reduce it until it thickens a little. Ajust the seasoning and stir the butter in. Slice the duck and baste it with the hot sauce on the plate.

Duck with Olives

Make cross diagonal slashes on the skin of each breast. Season with salt and pepper and put them skin side down in a heavy based frying pan, along with the shallots. Turn on the heat. As it gets hot, the duck fat will start to melt and fry the breasts. When the skin is golden brown (4min), turn them over until golden on the meat side. Transfer to a baking tray skin-side downand pour out the excess fat from the pan, reserving it. Deglaze the pan with the sherry, add the olives and the stock. Let the liquid reduce to a syrupy glaze. Return the breasts and shallots to the pan, cover and cook over a low heat for a further 4-6 minutes, until the meat is medium-rare.;In another frying pan, sautée the chopped garlic with 2 tbsp of duck fat. Add the partially drained chickpeas and mash them with a fork to a thick purée. Season with salt, pepper and parsley.;Cut the duck breasts crosswise into 5mm slices and serve on a plate covered with the olive sauce and garnished with the mash and shallots.