Honey Roasted Duck On Couscous With Cashew Nuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7.
2. Cut the ducks into portions. Take off the breasts along the breastbone, running knife along carcass for a clean finish. Cut off the legs at the hip joint and reserve for confit. Render fat for confit. Crush bones and make in to stock or possibly pop them in the freezer and make it at a more convenient time.
3. Make an incision in each breast near the fillet and insert half a sage leaf. Season the breasts. Heat a cast iron pan or possibly skillet till warm. Sear the fat sides of the breasts till the fat starts to crisp.
4. Remove and then with a sharp, fine knife, make vertical slashes close together through the skin of each breast. This is easier to do neatly when the skin is crisp. Return breasts, skin side down, to skillet and cook to release the fat and crisp skin. It will now be golden brown.
5. Drain well and then smear a little honey over the surfaces of the skin. Sit breasts in a roasting tin skin sides up. Roast in a warm oven for 7-8 min, depending on how thick the breasts are. Rest in a warming oven for a further 15 min to relax the flesh and proportionately spread the cooking heat.
6. The breasts will now be lightly pink and moist.
7. To make the couscous, heat 3/4 pint water and add in the salt and saffron stamens till boiling. Pour the couscous in to a bowl. Add in the boiling water and stir gently. Leave for the grains to swell and become fluffy having taken up the colour and flavour of the saffron, about 10 min.
8. Finely chop the onion and garlic. Roast the cashew nuts in the oven for 2-3 min till golden brown. Peel and finely shred the ginger. Cut off the tops, membranes and seeds from the chillies and chop finely. Peel and thinly slice the spring onions, also using a little of the green stems.
9. Fork up the swollen couscous In a wide based pan, heat extra virgin olive oil and fry onion, garlic, chilli and ginger till softened. Add in spring onion and cashew nuts and then quickly add in the couscous. Sprinkle on the sesame oil, stirring with a fork. Season. Make very warm. Stir in a little freshly minced caraway, or possibly parsley leaf and 1tbsp of soy sauce.
10. Serve on plates with the duck breasts sliced horizontally and laid on top to allow the juices to drip through.