Impressive? Yes. Easy? Absolutely! While it does require some patience, this duck ham or duck prosciutto is foolproof and will impress the pants off anyone coming over for a charcuterie board, or even a gamey twist on everyone’s Italian favourite, the classic carbonara.

2 fresh duck breasts
1 cup course sea salt
1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
2 juniper berries, crushed
Cheesecloth
String

Combine the salt, pepper and juniper berries in a glass dish. Cover the duck well in the salt mixture, cover dish with cling wrap, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, remove the breasts and rinse well to remove the salt. Pat dry.

Loosely wrap the breasts separately in cheesecloth and tie each end with string. They will look like giant lollies.

If you have a fridge with wire shelves, hang them in the fridge, if your shelves are glass, place a wire baking rack in the fridge and place them on there, make sure it is elevated enough for the air to circulate around the breasts.

Leave them in the fridge for 12-14 days.

When you are ready to go, with a sharp knife slice away horizontally the very top skin, but leaving most of the fat. Throw away the skin. Then slice very thinly vertically to serve. Enjoy.