Grilled peaches and duck breasted salad

Peaches at the moment are just wonderful. If you buy them by the tray they are also very economical and if you get them this way, it’s handy to have recipes like this so the peaches can be incorporated into daily meals and waste avoided. Pork fillet would work well here as duck and pork work well with fruit. Grilling the fruit adds extra flavours.

INGREDIENTS

(Serves 4)

• 2 duck breasts

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 freestone, yellow-fleshed peaches, halved and stones removed

• 4 small handfuls rocket leaves

• 1 cup spring onions, cut finely on the long diagonal

• 1 Lebanese cucumber, cut into fine shreds

• 2 tbsp mint, roughly shredded

Dressing

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp garlic, crushed

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

METHOD

Score the skin of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern — this allows an avenue for the duck to release its fat — and then season the skin. Place breasts in a cold pan skin side down and bring up slowly to a medium heat, by which time the fat will be being released. When the skin is golden brown turn over and cook the other side for about a minute. Allow to rest in a warm place for several minutes. Now you can either barbecue, grill or even pan-fry the peaches in the same pan. What you need to do is to lightly oil the cut side and place it closest to the heat source. When it is well coloured, turn it over and cook for another minute — we still want it firm. Slice the duck and cut the peach halves into segments. Combine with the other ingredients. For the dressing, simply combine the ingredients and season well. Tumble this through the other ingredients and serve at once.