Instructions: Remove skins from the duck breast. Lift fillet of each and insert a sprig of fresh thyme, replacing the fillets to hold the herb in place. Roughly crack the mix of peppercorns and spread on a plate. Season the breasts lightly with a very little salt and then press them onto the cracked pepper pressing it in with your hand, turning them to do both sides and making a crust in the duck breasts.

Heat a skillet until evenly hot. Add a knob of butter and a swirl of the oil and then sear the breasts on each side. Turn down the heat and continue cooking for about 3 minutes each side. Remove and rest in a warm place whilst you make the sauce.

Deglaze the skillet with a good glug of cognac and a little duck stock scrapping up all the meaty juices into the liquor. Add the cream and continue bubbling until the cream has caramelised and given the sauce a nutty flavour. Check seasoning.

Serve the breasts sliced on a bed of the cabbage with the sauce poured around.

To make the cabbage:
Shred the washed cabbage finely. Break up the crispy bacon into pieces and crush the garlic. Heat a little of the butter and olive oil in a wok and throw in the garlic and cabbage, stirufrying quickly until the cabbage just wilts. Add a splash of water if the cabbage appears not to wilt quickly.

Add the bacon and season lightly. Serve immediately with the duck.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.