Duck salad with steeped cherries

Serves 4 as a starter

Rather like pork, duck is one of those meats which marries perfectly with a few classic sweet flavours. Apples, blackcurrants, oranges and even wild elderberries all complement those slightly fatty, rich and crisp qualities that a duck has.

2 large duck breasts
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
A couple of handfuls of tasty, small salad leaves
30 or so cherries, stoned and halved
3-4tbsp cider vinegar
1tsp Tewkesbury or Dijon mustard
2tbsp rapeseed oil
2tbsp vegetable or corn oil

The day before, put the cherries in a non-reactive bowl with the cider vinegar, cover with clingfilm and leave overnight or until required.

To serve, heat a heavy frying pan, season the duck breasts and cook for 3-4 minutes, first on the skin, then turn them over and continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes, depending on size and keeping them nice and pink.

Remove from the pan and leave to rest on a plate.

To make the dressing, drain off the vinegar from the cherries, place half of it in a mixing bowl and whisk in the mustard and oils and season.

Slice the duck breasts as thinly as you can on the angle. Toss the leaves in the dressing with the cherries and slices of duck and arrange on serving plates.