Mallard with spelt and black cabbage

Method

Step 1

To cook the spelt, bring 1 litre water to a simmer in a saucepan. Rinse the grains and then cook for 40 minutes, until tender to bite, topping up the water if necessary. Season the water with salt, then leave to cool before draining. Season the yogurt with salt, a few turns of black pepper and all but a pinch of the sumac.

Step 2

Heat the oven to 110°C/fan oven 90°C/mark 1/4. Season the birds all over. Melt 2tbsp duck fat in a heavy-based pan on a medium heat, then add the birds, rolling them around in the pan for 5-6 minutes until they brown all over. Make sure the pan is hot enough to colour the skin, but not to burn the fat.

Step 3

Transfer the birds to the oven and cook for 10-15 minutes until the breast reaches 55°C at its thickest point. Remove from the oven and leave in a warm place for at least 10 minutes.

Step 4

While the birds are resting, dry the cooked spelt a little by pressing it on a cloth. Heat a pan and add 1tbsp duck fat. Fry the spelt in the pan for a few minutes, stirring continuously – it should colour a little and go slightly chewy. Next, add the chicken stock and reduce it until the spelt is glazed and sticky – you should be able to separate the grains, but there should not be any liquid left.

Step 5

Wash the cabbage, trim away the thickest of the stems at the bottom of the leaves, then cut into large squares. Melt the butter in a lidded pan and sauté the shallots for 2 minutes. Stir in the cabbage, turn the heat down and cover with the lid. Sweat the cabbage for a few minutes.

Step 6

Take the mallard breasts off the crown by cutting along the breast bone with a sharp knife. Fold the spelt through the cabbage and plate with the mallard breasts. Add a spoonful of the yogurt and dust it with the remaining sumac.