Duck breast on a potato rosti with caramelised apple balls and aubergine caviar

Aubergine Caviar: 

1. Place the whole Aubergine on a barbecue/chargrill or stove top grill. If you don't have access to either of these roast it whole in the oven until very soft. Once the Aubergine is soft transfer it immediately to a bowl and cover with cling film and allow it to sweat.

Rosti:

1. You can cook the Rosti ahead of time if you like. 
2. Grate the potato on you standard kitchen grater. Place the grated potato in to a clean tea towel and squeeze until all of the starch is out, or as best you can. 
3. In a bowl combine the garlic, rosemary and thyme. If you have a pan sized perfectly for piklets use this to cook your Rosti. Heat about a table spoon of oil in the pan. Once it is hot add the Rosti mixture, being careful not to burn the potato. 
4. Quickly add a knob of butter for flavour and a bit of extra moisture as the potato will soak it up. 
5. Once there is a nice golden brown colour, flip the Rosti and do the same to the other side. 
6. When it is cooked through and golden brown remove it from the pan.

Take the cling film off the Aubergine, making sure it isn't too hot. 

1. Pull a section of skin off and with a spoon scoop the seeds and flesh in to a kitchen blender. Add the rocket, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, confit garlic and extra virgin olive oil, whizz to combine. Set aside.

Caramelised Apple Balls:

1. Core your apple and cut it in half.
2. With a melon baller extract four balls of apple as perfectly shaped as you can get them….the trick is in the wrist movement! 
3. Heat a pan with some butter and about 1 table spoon of brown sugar, being careful not to burn the butter. 
4. Add the apple balls and coat in the sugar. Leave to caramelise on a low to medium heat for no more than 3 - 5 minutes.

Duck:

1. Trim the excess skin off your duck breast and lightly score the skin, season with salt and pepper. 
2. In a slightly warm pan with no oil lay the duck skin side down gradually increasing the heat. You will notice that the duck will baste itself and will begin to colour. 
3. Once you have reached a beautiful golden brown colour turn it over to seal the other side. 
4. Transfer to a preheated oven, skin side down (180 degrees) for 3 - 5 minutes. 
5. You want the breast have a bit of resistance when you touch it. Remove from the pan and rest for 3 - 5 minutes.
6. While the duck is resting warm your Rosti through in the oven along with your Apple.

Serve:

1. Warm the duck breast through again in the oven. 
2. On a round plate set your Rosti in the middle with the four Caramalised Apple Balls arranged evenly around it. 
3. Carve the duck and rest it on top of the Rosti. 
4. Finish by putting the Aubergine Caviar on top of the Duck and a small amount between the apple on the plate, garnish with a fresh sprig of Thyme.