Simon © 2011

Recipes - Clarence House Garden Party

DUCK WITH HEDGEROW SAUCE (SERVES 4-5)

3 Magret du canard

150ml/pint jellied chicken stock

Tbsp black or redcurrant jelly

Glass red wine

50g/ 2 oz each ripe blackberries and elderberries Seasoning

 

Preheat either the grill or the oven to 200 C/ 400 F/ Gas Mark 6. Score the fat on the duck breasts in a lattice pattern then season and place on a rack over a roasting tray and cook, either in the oven or under the grill for 12-14 mins then remove and leave to rest in a warm place whilst you make the sauce.

 

Tip the stock and red wine into a saucepan, plus the jelly, and place on a hot hob and reduce the liquid by half. Tip in the blackberries and elderberries and, if too sweet, add a spritz of lemon juice then season to taste.

 

To serve, carve the duck breasts diagonally and pour on the sauce. A puree of potato and celeriac is good with this.

 

TIP FROM THE SINK:

 

Should you happen to have a wild mallard to hand, then serve it with this sauce.

 

COURGETTE AND HERB FRITTERS WITH COBNUT SALAD (Serves 4-5)

 

500g/ 1 lb medium courgettes

2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs – i.e. basil, marjoram, flat leaf parsley

3 spring onions, white part only, finely chopped

3 free range eggs, beaten

Heaped tbsp plain flour

Zest of a lemon

Freshly ground white pepper

Ordinary olive oil

 

Lettuce leaves, preferably the inner ones from a buttery homegrown floppy lettuce or an assortment

Handful cobnuts, shelled

Hazelnut or Walnut oil

Seasoning

 

Grate the courgettes and salt them, then turn into a colander and leave them to drain. Using a clean tea towel wring out the excess water and put into a large mixing bowl together with the herbs, spring onions, eggs, flour and lemon zest and season with freshly ground white pepper. Next, heat approx 2 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy based pan and when hot, drop tablespoons of the mixture into the pan and, using the back of

a spoon flatten them out slightly. Cook for 2-3 mins and, when the bottom is golden brown and crisp, then flip over and repeat cooking process. When ready, remove and pat dry on kitchen paper.

 

To serve, arrange each patty on some leaves which have been anointed with the hazelnut or walnut oil and seasoned then scatter over the toasted cobnuts.