Roast duck breast with seared white asparagus, Cape Mentelle jus and caramelised shallot buttered hispi cabbage (Gary Rhodes)

Ingredients:
4 duck breasts
vegetable oil
50g butter
salt and pepper
1 onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, crushed
sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf
2 glasses cabernet sauvignon
450ml beef consommé

Method:

1. To make the sauce, fry the sliced onion, garlic, thyme and bay leaf in a little vegetable oil until golden. Continue to fry for a few minutes before adding the wine, allowing it to boil and reduce by three quarters.
2. Add the consommé, boil and reduce by half before straining.
3. To finish, whisk in the butter, seasoning with salt and pepper.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 220˚C/425˚F/gas mark 7. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and heat 1 tbsp of oil in a roasting tray on top of the stove.
5. Place the breasts, skin-side down, in the tray and fry over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing the skin to release fat while turning golden brown. Turn and finish cooking in the oven for 7-8 minutes.
6. Remove from the tray and leave to rest. Serve with fondant or mashed potato.

Hispi or Savoy Cabbage and Shallots
1 Hispi or Savoy cabbage – finely shredded, and blanched until tender
2 shallots – peeled and sliced into rings
1-2 knobs of butter
salt and pepper
Soften the sliced shallots in butter before adding the hot blanched cabbage, seasoning with salt and pepper.

Seared white asparagus
3-4 spears white asparagus per person
knob of butter

1. Blanch the asparagus for a few minutes until tender. Remove and plunge into iced water to refresh.
2. Cut each spear in half lengthways and pan fry in a knob of butter until light golden brown.