River Cottage

Preheat the oven to 220�C/Gas 7. If the duck is tied, untruss it and
gently pull the legs away from the body (to encourage the heat to
penetrate). Season the skin well with salt and pepper. Put the duck
in a roasting tin and roast for 20 minutes, so the fat starts to run.

Baste the bird with the pan juices and cover tightly with foil. Return to the oven, lowering the setting to 150�C/Gas 2. Cook for 2–3 hours until the meat is very tender and easily comes away from the bone. Tip the bird so any juices in the cavity run into the tin. Transfer the duck to a warm plate to rest.

Carefully pour off most of the fat from the roasting tin (save for
roasting potatoes), leaving the dark juices in the tin. Put the tin
over a low heat, add the ginger, garlic and chilli flakes and cook
for 2–3 minutes. Add 4–5 tablespoons water and the soy sauce,
followed by all but a few of the blackberries.Simmer, stirring
occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until the berries are tender. Now
press through a sieve to remove the blackberry seeds, ginger
and garlic. Return to a clean pan, bring to the boil and simmer
for a minute or two. Taste and tweak – you can whisk in a blob
of redcurrant or crab apple jelly to sweeten it, and another dash
of soy if you want it saltier. When you’re happy, add the remaining
whole blackberries. Keep warm.

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Separate the pak choi
leaves, add to the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes. Drain, add a knob
of butter and season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

To serve, take the meat from the duck – it should be forkably
tender. Divide between warm plates and add a portion of pak choi
to each. Spoon the blackberry sauce over and around the meat
and serve. Noodles are the perfect accompaniment.

Swap Use 250g plums instead of the blackberries. Halve, stone
and roast in a small dish, in the oven with the roasting duck, for
30 minutes. Then give them a second cooking with the meat
juices, as above.

• Taken from Hugh's Three Good Things available here>