Honey and Cinnamon Duck with Lentil and Pomegranate Salad

This is a lovely, simple summery recipe that can easily be transformed into a vegetarian dish by swapping the duck for sliced, pan-fried halloumi cheese. The lentil salad is delicious the following day, and if you mix it with crumbled feta, it makes a perfect packed lunch or quick, healthy snack.

MAKES 4 adult portions

PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes

COOKING TIME 18 minutes

FOR THE HONEY AND CINNAMON DUCK

4 duck breasts, skin on

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp clear honey

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE LENTIL AND POMEGRANATE SALAD

500g/1lb 2oz cooked Puy lentils (see below)

1 red onion, finely sliced

100g/3½oz baby spinach leaves

1 small bunch mint, roughly chopped

1 pomegranate (or use a 100g/3½oz tub ready-prepared seeds)

juice of 1 lemon

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground coriander

75g/2½oz/scant ½ cup toasted almonds

FOR THE SPICED YOGURT

1–2 tsp harissa paste

6 tbsp Greek yogurt

 

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.

2 Score the duck skin with a sharp knife several times, then rub the cinnamon and some salt and pepper into the skin and meat. Heat the oil in an ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat, add the duck, skin-side down, and cook for 10 minutes until crispy. Drain off the fat, turn the duck breasts over and drizzle the honey over the skin. Transfer to the oven for 8 minutes, then remove from the pan and leave to rest in a warm place for at least 5 minutes.

3 In a large bowl, mix together the lentils, onion, spinach leaves and mint. Cut the pomegranates in half and, holding each half over the bowl, bash the outer skin with a wooden spoon until all the seeds fall into the bowl. You’ll need to bash the skin a few times before the seeds begin to fall out, but they will. Mix the ingredients together.

4 In a separate bowl, mix together the lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, cumin and coriander/cilantro, and season with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and mix well. Sprinkle with the almonds. Mix together the harissa paste and yogurt.

5 Serve the duck whole or sliced, with the lentil salad and spiced yogurt.

How to cook

puy lentils

Shop-bought packs of ready-to-eat Puy lentils are an ideal time-saver for this recipe but if you are cooking your own, here’s how to do it. To make 500g/1lb 2oz cooked lentils, rinse 250g/9oz/1¼ cups dried Puy lentils under running water. Put in a saucepan and cover with 3 times their volume (about 750ml/ 26fl oz/3 cups) hot vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and leave to simmer for 20–25 minutes, or perhaps a little longer, until just tender. Drain and serve or leave to cool.