Smoked Duck with Christmas Spiced Pickled Cherries

Christmas Canapés
Makes: 24
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes

2 x 200g duck breasts, skin on

Smoking Mixture
1 tablespoon black tea leaves
1 tablespoon herbal tea (eg an earthy, spicy herbal tea such as cardamom and cinnamon)
2 tablespoons dried orange peel
4 tablespoons jasmine rice
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 star anise

Christmas Spiced Pickled Cherries
4 cardamom pods
4 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ cup (60ml) red wine vinegar
1/3 cup (50g) fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved

1. Line a wok or stir-fry pan with two pieces of heavy duty foil. Place smoking mixture on top, mix to combine and place over high heat. Place a rack in the wok and duck breasts, skin side up, on top. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil.  Once it starts to smoke, reduce heat to low and continue to smoke the duck breasts for a further five to ten minutes.
2. Meanwhile, prepare Christmas spiced pickled cherries by bruising cardamom, cloves and cinnamon in a pestle and mortar. Add to a small saucepan with nutmeg, ginger, red wine vinegar and cherries, bring to the boil then simmer for four minutes.  Set aside to cool.
3. Remove duck from wok and place skin side down in a cold frying pan. Place pan over medium heat and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until the fat renders and the skin is crisp. Turn and cook for a further one to two minutes. Rest in a warm place for five minutes.
4. To serve, thinly slice each duck breast into twelve slices. Place one slice on each serving spoon and top with a cherry half.