Duck liver with seared melon

Serves 4 Starters and mains

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Method

Peel and deseed the melon, then cut eight slices from it, each 5mm thick. Cut these slices into rectangles. Blend the rest of the melon, then put the purée in a saucepan, bring to the boil and reduce until syrupy.

Season the duck liver slices and remove any fat or sinew. Cook them over a high heat in a frying pan for 1-2 minutes, turning once or twice, depending on their thickness.

Drain on kitchen paper, then keep warm in a low oven. Wipe out the frying pan, then add the melon rectangles and quickly sear over a high heat, turning them to colour both sides.

Place 2 melon rectangles on each plate and top with a warm duck liver slice. Dress with a little of the reduced melon purée. Scatter with salt and garnish with the fresh almonds.

For more garnish ideas, you could garnish with roughly chopped toasted almonds. And to make it even better, serve the duck and melon with some delicious almond milk: combine 250ml cream, 250ml milk, a splash of amaretto, 125g roasted almonds and a little salt and pepper in a saucepan, then simmer until reduced by three-quarters – you want quite a thick sauce.

One tip: sear the liver without cooking it completely at the start. Then, when your guests sit down to eat, reheat it in the oven.