Grilled duck breast with orange & pomegranate jus

Pato a la parrilla con naranja y salsa de granada

This is a lovely way to enjoy the succulent flavours of duck during the warmer months, when a confit or roasted dish is too heavy to even contemplate. Serve with a fruity red wine, a manzanilla fino sherry wine from the Cádiz region, or a nice cold glass of a mixed drink such as tinto de verano or agua de Valencia.

SERVES 4

450 g (1 lb) duck breast (at room temperature)

2 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced

4 large handfuls mixed lettuce leaves

2 large oranges, peeled, white pith removed and cut into segments

1 pomegranate

FOR THE JUS

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) blood orange juice

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses

juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons soft brown sugar

½ teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

Combine all the jus ingredients in a small saucepan over medium–high heat and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Refrigerate until cooled.

Score the fat side of the duck breast with a sharp knife. Season both sides well with sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over medium–high heat. Put the duck breast into the pan skin side down and cook for 2–3 minutes, until the skin is crispy and all the fat is released into the pan. Turn the breast, cover the pan with a lid and cook for another 5–6 minutes.

Remove the breast from the pan and leave to rest on a plate covered with foil. (Keep the left-over duck fat for later; it’s great for roasting potatoes.)

To make the salad, put the spring onion, lettuce leaves and orange segments into a large bowl. Slice the pomegranate in half, hold it in one hand, seedy side down over the bowl, and bash it with your other hand to release the seeds. Add a dash of the jus dressing and toss gently to coat. Arrange the salad on a serving plate.

Pour the juices from the resting plate into the bowl. Cut the duck breast into 12 pieces. Arrange on the serving plate alongside the salad.