Roast Duck and Cranberry Jus

Directions

1. For the duck: Prepare each breast by rubbing a drop of oil onto the skin and seasoning with salt and pepper. Then score the skin: using a sharp knife, make slices only through the skin in one direction about 2cm apart and then repeat in the opposite direction. Set aside and preheat the oven to 200ᵒC.
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Peel and roughly chop the potatoes and add to the boiling water. Cook until a cutlery knife cuts through the potatoes easily (about 20 minutes – depending on size).
3. Place the duck breasts, skin side up, on a baking tray and roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
4. In a medium sized saucepan, heat the stock and cranberry sauce. Prepare any vegetables and bring a pan of water to boil to cook them later.
5. Once the duck has been in the oven for 20 minutes, put the oven on a medium-high grill to crisp up the skin. Watch very carefully as this will happen quickly – about 2-3minutes. Remove the duck from the oven and place on a wooden chopping board to rest. Add the juices from the tray to the stock.
6. Reduce the sauce by boiling the liquid until it begins to thicken. If the liquid isn’t thickening quickly enough, add 1tsp plain flour to a cup and mix together with a drop of water to create a paste. Add a spoonful of the paste to the sauce and stir. Continue adding until the sauce is thick enough.
7. Meanwhile, drain the potatoes, leave to steam for 30 seconds and then return them to the pan and mash straight away. Add the milk and butter to your liking (I always do it by eye rather than following measurements because everybody likes their mash differently) and season with salt and pepper.
8. Cook the veg in the boiling water you prepared earlier and drain once soft.
9. Carve the duck diagonally into nice thick slices.
10. I serve the mash, topped with the veg, then duck and then the sauce around the outside to make it look neat – but by all means be creative!