BLACK Beluga lentils are grown on the cool dry plains of North America and are the most delicious type of lentil
I've ever tasted. Their vibrant black colour and slight earthy taste makes a wonderful contrast with the apricots here.
They're now available in our local supermarkets so do check them out.

INGREDIENTS
2x175g (7oz) duck breasts
Juice from 3 medium oranges
100g (4oz) dried apricots
100ml (3.5floz)cold water
200g (8oz) Black beluga lentils
1 finely diced red jalapeno chilli
5-6 sugar snap peas
2 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp olive oil
4-5 pitted dates chopped
1/2 chicken stock cube
100ml(3.5floz) Balsamic vinegar (optional)

METHOD
1. Score (criss-cross) the skin of the duck breasts, then refrigerate.
2. In your food processor combine the orange juice, apricots and cold water and puree until smooth.
3. Push the apricot sauce through a fine strainer, pressing it through so the sauce becomes very smooth.
The apricot pulp can be saved and used for something else.
4. Reduce the balsamic vinegar in a small non-stick saucepan until it has a syrupy consistency.
5. Remove the balsamic from the heat and cover the saucepan with clingfilm to prevent further evaporation.
6. Rinse the lentils under cold water then drain and recover with twice the volume of water to lentils.
Add the stock cube and simmer for about 15 minutes.
7. Remove the stringy fibre down the sides of the sugar snap peas, then cut them into very small pieces and
stir them into the hot cooked lentils.
8. Next stir the sherry, chilli, olive oil and dates into the lentils, season with salt and pepper, and cover with a lid.
9. Preheat your oven to 19O9C (gas mark 5).
10. Brown off your duck breasts on both sides in a hot frying pan (you don't need oil because the duck will give
off plenty of fat as it is cooks.)
11. Transfer the duck to the oven and cook for a further 8-10 minutes on the middle shelf.
12. Allow the duck to rest for 5 minutes whilst you heat up the apricot sauce and lentils.

TO SERVE
USE a pastry cutter to shape your lentils into a disc shape on each warm dinner plate. Cut each duck breast
into two and place onto the lentils, then spoon around the apricot sauce. Decorate with a thin 'lace' of the
balsamic using a teaspoon to drizzle with.