Newsletter January 2006
Modern Country Living - Domestic Bliss
Game On: Happy New Year
Is
it me or is everybody getting a little jaded by Bullshot and soup
for elevenses? One of the biggest debates in our house is whether
to make straight Bullshot or Bloody Bullshot as if you don’t have
enough to worry about cooking the sausages, making the cheese
biscuits and getting the beaters soup on the go- I’m worn out
by half past 8! Now that I am thoroughly bored of bull in what
ever form it comes in I have started making, as Noel Coward to
elegantly put it in the film “In which we serve”, “It’s just ordinary
Bovril rather heavily laced with Sherry” – a “Kinross Special”.
I have named it that because earlier in the film Celia Johnson
makes him a cocktail of that name – not the same but I like the
clipped Cowardesque feel it has! Do try it for elevenses. – just
ordinary Bovril and lots of sherry.
Recipe
Roast breast of Duck with Walnuts and chillies
Serves 4
4 Duck Breasts skin on
1 tbsp walnut pieces
2 sprigs thyme – leaves picked off
1 tablespoon honey
1 red chilli, sliced if you leave the seeds in it will make the
dish hotter
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp walnut oil
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Salt and pepper
Oil to fry in
Knob of butter
Season the duck breasts with salt. Heat up a heavy
frying pan and add a little oil and the knob of butter. Lay the
duck breasts skin side down and cook for 2-3 minutes then turn
over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes – they may need more cooking
if the breasts are very thick. If you like them done a little
more cook for longer.
Remove them from the pan and leave to rest.
Drain the pan of any fat and wipe it out. Make the
dressing. Whisk together the mustard, vinegar, oils, chillies
and honey. Add the chillies and thyme leaves then pour into the
pan and heat for a few minutes. Add the walnuts to the pan and
season.
Slice the breasts and arrange on a plate then spoon
over the warm dressing and serve with bead and a chicory salad.
Tip:
If like me you are looking forward to Spring Seeds of Italy have
an amazing range of “Italian ingredients you grow yourself”. From
Tomatoes to chillies and everything in between. www.seedsofitaly.com
or 0208 427 5020
This article by Amy Willcock appears
in The Shooting Gazette January 2006, and is reproduced here with
permission.
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