Duck Breast with Blueberry Ketchup and pointed Cabbage

Served with Pearl Barley.

The ketchup I made at the beginning of this week and it needed something to go with. I went to my usual Saturday supermarket and checked the organic and regional section. They sell produce from a range of 150 km around. I found a duck breast amidst all the different free range chicken stuff and was very happy about it - it was 30 % off, because had to sold and eaten today.

I bought a package of large pearl barley and a special kind of cabbage -Spitzkohl - pointed cabbage.  This has much softer leaves then the regular white cabbage and is rolled up at the top to look like a pointed hat. It does not take much time to soften up in boiling water and is eaten best with some cream sauce.

recipe serves 2:
1 large duck breast
salt and pepper
5 tbsp Bourbon whiskey

1/2 pointed cabbage
2 spring onions
1 tbsp butter
50 ml cream
1 pinch of nutmeg,
salt and pepper
1 pinch Piment d´Espelette

75 g pearl barley - large or small is your choice
1 chicken stock cube

The barley cooks for 20 min and then rests in the stock for 10 min.
Criss Cross the skin of the duck breast with a sharp knife, do not cut into the meat.
Place the breast with the skin side down into a cold pan and start the heat on high.
Cut the cabbage leaves into bite size chunks, cook it in boiling salted water for 3 min, drain unter cold water.
Chop the spring onion and saute it in butter, add the cream and the seasoning and add the cabbage and cook for 3 minutes.
Turn the duck breast in the pan to the other side and brown it. Now you can place it into the oven or, just as I did, splash the whiskey into the pan, close the lid and turn down the heat to medium and let the breast cook to your liking.

Cut into slices and serve with the ketchup.