Food: Now is the time to make a change from chicken

THERE are several dishes that the casual foodie might happily order off a restaurant menu but will rarely attempt in their own kitchen. This rule of thumb tends to apply to the usual top of the range suspects which use ingredients such as foie gras or lobster and whose hefty and intimidating price tags almost include a "don't try this at home" in brackets.

But it can't just be the thought of binning an expensive piece of meat after a culinary disaster that leaves many household cooks wary of certain foodstuffs.

Duck, that mainstay of French and Chinese cuisine, has yet to become a regular favourite in Scottish homes despite being readily available and relatively affordable. Local butchers and game dealers generally keep stocks of it or will order it in for you.

Try the supermarket, however, and you'll find whole sections devoted to chicken in all its forms but rarely make a sighting of its pond-dwelling cousin. Strange, as for my money that unique game-meets-poultry flavour of duck beats the blandness of chicken every time.

Perhaps the different breeds available, varying cooking methods and conflicting tips about preparation have the public confused about what exactly to do with a duck should they take the plunge and forego chicken in favour of waterfowl.

So if you're thinking about a family dinner featuring duck then roasting a whole mallard would be a straightforward place to start. You could soak the bird in salted water for 24 hours to give it a stronger flavour or alternatively rub the skin with a liberal amount of salt and perhaps a strong herb such as thyme or rosemary. Remember that, like goose, duck is a fatty bird so prick the skin with the point of a sharp knife or skewer so that the fat will run during cooking. It's best to roast the bird on a wire rack above a roasting tin to capture the fat, which you can use for basting. Once your duck is cooked retain the fat as it will add fantastic flavour to your roast potatoes.

Of course, duck fat has other uses. Once you've roasted two or three birds and retained the fat you should have enough to make duck confit (alternatively you can buy the fat in jars from your local deli). A classic French country dish, this is simply duck legs rubbed with salt and herbs then cooked slowly in duck or goose fat. Like all good peasant recipes it requires a bit of cooking time but is relatively cheap, easy and strong on rustic flavour.

However not all duck recipes need hours in the oven. A duck breast can be pan-roasted, sliced and served within ten to 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook this as you'll lose all the moisture and a lot of the flavour. As with a good cut of beef most chefs consider it a criminal offence to serve duck breast cooked anywhere beyond medium. Allow the meat to rest for a few minutes before slicing and the flesh will have an even pink hue.

So don't leave it all to restaurant chefs. If your experiences of eating duck up until now have been confined to posh French restaurants or the shredded, crispy variety then maybe it's time to have a go in your own kitchen. You won't know until you try.

Andy McGregor is chef/proprietor at Blonde Restaurant, 75 St Leonard's Street, 0131-668 2917

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Confit leg of duck with olive mash and red wine gravy

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 duck legs

300-400g duck or goose fat

Leaves from 4 sprigs of fresh thyme

Sea salt and ground black pepper

for the mash:

700g potatoes, peeled and halved

100g black olives, chopped

100ml milk

Knob of butter

Salt and ground black pepper

for the sauce:

50g butter

A small red onion, sliced

300ml red wine

700ml beef or chicken stock

Salt and ground black pepper

Method

Place the duck legs on a tray and sprinkle liberally with salt, black pepper and thyme leaves. Cover with cling film and refrigerate overnight.

Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Place the duck legs in a heavy oven tray and cover with the fat. Heat gently on the stove until the fat is simmering then carefully place in the oven uncovered. Allow to cook for two to two and a half hours until the meat is very tender. Remove from the fat using tongs and put back in the oven until the skin is crispy.

Boil the potatoes until soft, drain thoroughly and mash with the milk, butter and seasoning. Add the chopped olives and mix in. keep warm.

Melt the butter with the onions in a pot and fry until golden brown. Add the red wine and stock, bring to the boil and reduce by half.

Serve the duck leg on the mash and surround with the gravy.

Warm salad of duck breast with orange, chicory and walnut dressing

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 duck breasts

2 heads of chicory, leaves separated

2 heads baby gem lettuce, washed and separated

4 oranges, peeled and segmented

100g walnuts

1 bunch of spring onions, washed and chopped

Olive oil

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp soy sauce

Salt and ground black pepper

For the dressing:

30ml walnut oil

30ml white wine vinegar

1 tbsp marmalade

1 clove garlic

Salt and ground black pepper

Method

Combine the dressing ingredients.

Place the chicory, babygem, walnuts, orange segments and spring onion in a mixing bowl, add the soy sauce and lemon juice then season.

Score the fatty side of the duck breasts and season. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and fry skin side down for five mins then turn over and cook for two-three mins or until meat is pink. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 3-4 mins.

Slice and mix the pieces with the salad ingredients. Portion on to plates and drizzle with the dressing.