Roast duck with rosti potatoes and sauce of rhubarb and red port

Ingredients

2 x 360g/12½oz large duck breasts
200g/8oz baby spinach, stems removed, washed
20g/1oz butter
For the sauce
25g/1½oz caster sugar (quantity may vary depending on sharpness of rhubarb)
3 stalks rhubarb, roughly diced
150ml/6oz red port
150ml/6oz chicken stock
For the rösti potatoes
4 medium baking potatoes, peeled
salt, to taste
2 sprigs thyme, leaves only
oil, for frying

Method

1. To make the sauce, place the sugar and rhubarb in a medium-sized pan and cook over a low-to-medium heat for five minutes.
2. Add the red port and bring to the boil for two minutes.
3. Add the chicken stock and cook until rhubarb resembles a sauce.
4. Preheat oven to 180C/356F/Gas 4.
5. To make the rösti, begin by par-boiling the potatoes for about 10-15 minutes. This will help the rösti to cook through more quickly. Cool until you're able to handle them.
5. Once cooled, using a grater, finely grate the potato. Sprinkle the potato with salt and place in a large tea towel or cloth. Squeeze firmly and discard the moisture that comes from the potatoes through the cloth.
6. Mix thyme leaves with potato and place in a small blini pan, about 2-3cm/1in in depth.
7. Using plenty of oil, cook rösti potato on a medium heat until golden brown on one side.
8. While rösti potato is cooking, constantly push the potato down using a fork.
9. Turn rösti and continue to colour until golden on both sides. NB: Rösti potatoes can be made in advance and reheated just before serving.
10. For the duck, on a medium-to-high heat, place duck breasts in a frying pan skin-side down and cook until skin is a light golden brown.
11. Place duck breasts in the oven for 8-12 minutes while continuing to check from time to time that the skin of the duck does not become too dark.
12. Remove duck from oven and rest for 4-5 minutes.
13. In a separate pan, sauté spinach in a little butter until soft.
14. Using the back of a slotted spoon, squeeze excess moisture out of spinach (discard) and keep spinach warm.
15. Place spinach and potato on serving plate, slice duck and arrange in a fan shape around the spinach and potato.
16. Drizzle sauce around the plate and serve.