Duck Breast

Out of some sense of fluke, or my old brain coming to it's senses, waking up possibly and remembering some rubbish. It occurred to me that Aldi a shop I normally avoid like the plague - I'm a snob, don't you know - sells duck breast, frozen and sold in air tight bags, gold on the back and clear plastic on the front. Real the shop I used to go shopping in, in Germany, only sold duck on the bone - and we all know how I feel about bones. On the off chance Aldi still sold them, I took the plunge and went in the store to have a look - and low and behold, duck breast is still sold in Aldi €6.00 for two maybe on the little expensive side, I'm not sure, I guess sometimes though choice isn't always on our side and you have to pay for whats available..... Who knows maybe this country (England) will offer a better choice? So far I haven't seen it, but then again I haven't properly looked either, my heart just hasn't been in it as of late. Anyway it's probably been done before but this is one of my own, by that I mean from scratch my own, not a doctored recipe from a recipe book!

Duck Breast With Port And Mushrooms

20g Butter (or margarine, personally I'm now against the use of margarine, after an article I read, but feel free to use it)

2 large duck breasts

Salt and black pepper

150ml chicken stock

3 tbsp port, maybe a splash extra ;o)

1tbsp cornflour/cornstarch

1tbsp water

50g Mushrooms

New Potatoes and green beans to serve

1. Season the duck breasts on both sides with salt and pepper, heat the butter in a skillet, add the duck and cook over a fairly high heat for 8 minutes.

2. Turn the duck breasts over and cook for a further 7 minutes, remove from the pan and keep warm.

3. Pour some of the fat from the skillet away, you want just enough to fry the mushrooms, but you don't want your sauce over loaded with fat. Fry the mushrooms, in the duck fat. Add the chicken stock, mix together the port and the cornflour, until there are no lumps then add that to the stock, stirring continuously bring to a boil, stirring until thickened, season to taste.

4. Cut the duck breasts into slices and arrange onto four warm plates, spoon over the sauce and serve with new potatoes and green beans.