Recipe: Duck breast and beetroot salad

Duck Breast and Beetroot Salad. Photo / Jason Burgess

Grant Allen conjures up a banquet on the road

A "foreign" ingredient slipped in here - puy lentils, which are easy to find in most good supermarkets. If you can't find puy, use green lentils instead.

1. Gently cook the lentils with a bay leaf in the water until they are soft. Drain and cool.

2. Roast small beetroot (leave the skins on) in a medium oven until tender. When the beetroot have cooled, slip off the skins and chop the beetroot into small dice.

3. Sear the duck breasts in a very hot pan until both sides are cooked through. Rest in a warm oven for 15 minutes.

4. Wash and drain some crunchy greens (I used rocket leaves and cos, but iceberg would do or use some of the baby beetroot leaves).

To serve, make a bed of the lentils, leaves and diced beets. Slice the duck breasts into thin slivers and arrange across this base. Dress with some good olive oil and a splash of red wine or red fruit vinegar. Season well with salt and pepper.