Pan Fried Duck Breast with Blackberry Sauce

There's something very satisfying about free food and the hedgerows are full of blackberries at the moment.  I picked these this morning whilst walking the dogs in the autumnal sunshine near Little Whitley.  Truly scrumptious indeed and will be Sonia's supper tomorrow.

Ingredients

1 teasp olive oil, just to moisten the pan

2 thick duck breasts, skin scored

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

100ml beef stock

2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

1 garlic clove, crushed

85g fresh or frozen blackberries
Freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Method

Heat the oil in a frying pan, cook the duck for 6 minutes, skin side down, then turn over cook for three minutes and then place in the oven at 180C for 8 minutes more, depending on how pink you like it and the thickness of the meat.   Lift the meat from the pan, cover and set aside to rest.

Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan, and then pour in the stock, redcurrant jelly and garlic. Stir over quite a high heat to blend everything together, then add the blackberries and carry on cooking until they soften. Serve with the duck, celeriac mash and broccoli.