Tabbouleh with smoked duck breast

<i>Serves 4</i>

Home smoking can be quite fun, whether you have a home smoker or convert your barbecue into a smoker. Or try it my way. Line a heavy pan with foil, add wood (usually oak) smoking dust (you can buy this from DIY or fishing-tackle shops) to the bottom and sit meat or fish on a rack over the dust under a tight-fitting lid. Poultry works particularly well, as do oily fish such as salmon or mackerel. The oak flavour penetrates nicely into the fat and flesh and because it's cooked pink you get a subtle smoky flavour.

Home smoking can be quite fun, whether you have a home smoker or convert your barbecue into a smoker. Or try it my way. Line a heavy pan with foil, add wood (usually oak) smoking dust (you can buy this from DIY or fishing-tackle shops) to the bottom and sit meat or fish on a rack over the dust under a tight-fitting lid. Poultry works particularly well, as do oily fish such as salmon or mackerel. The oak flavour penetrates nicely into the fat and flesh and because it's cooked pink you get a subtle smoky flavour.

Savu food smoker bags are also great. These are tin-foil pouches from Finland. Put the fish, or other food, into the bag, pop it in the oven or on to the barbecue, and out comes smoked food. They're £1.95 each, or six for £9, from Carrilon (0870 3803 3000). If you don't fancy the home-smoking palaver, then there plenty of smoked duck breasts you can buy, although some are a bit fatty. f

4 smoked duck breasts - buy ones which don't have too much fat, or smoke your own

for the tabbouleh

4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 heaped dessertspoon dry couscous
50g flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked, washed and coarsely chopped
30g mint, leaves removed, washed and coarsely chopped
2 tomatoes, skinned, seeded and chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
1-2tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tabbouleh should use very little couscous, but most people pile it in so they don't have to chop so many herbs. Put all the ingredients into a bowl, season and mix well. Cover with cling film and leave for an hour to stand. A little more olive oil and lemon can be added to taste. Serve with slices of duck breast on top.