“I’m looking to the top end of the market, but I’m sure this is the way things will go.”This method is not so far from that used to produce the most prized chicken of all, the Poulet de Bresse, from north of Lyons, in France. Each bird is pampered and fed choicest grains to a decent age, and sold with its own certificating number It has texture, some firmness, a marked flavour. But how much flavour can you take in a chicken? When it was on the menu at Claridges, chef Marja Lesnik told me customers sometimes sent it back: “There’s something wrong with this chicken It tastes too strong.” Of course, sir, yes sir. We can send out for a broiler hen.Ostriches are safe to eat, aren’t they? We hope so. In the last week of our Safe Meat Guide, we look at poultry and alternative meats. When food historians look back on the 20th century, they may well point to the 1996 beef crisis as the point at which eating habits took a new turn.

People emptied their freezers of beef, and stuffed them full of chicken Tesco started selling ostrich. Pubs across the land tempted customers with kangaroo and crocodile (perceived as safe, except when alive) The blow to our beef industry has produced many new winners. None will be more grateful than the poultry sector, which is showing dramatic growth – the prepared chicken market rose from nothing 10 years ago to a current pounds 500m Poultry is perceived as healthy. However, in proposing a New Charter for Meat, we call for assurances in safety, animal welfare, value, and above all, taste.CRISPY ROAST DUCKThis recipe is taken from Alastair Little’s Keep It Simple (Conran Octopus pounds 20). It makes the most of two birds, using the legs and giblets to make a confit which can be used in other dishes. With the breasts left on the bone you can make a delightfully sophisticated roast which bows towards China and France in its flavour and execution.When buying the ducks, ask your butcher to remove the legs, the backbone from behind the breasts, and the wishbones. Get him to clean the gizzards for you and make sure that you get all the rest of the giblets (including the livers) and the necks and the carcasses.

These parts will form the basis of the gravy which accompanies this dish, while the legs and the gib- lets can be used to make the confit.Begin to prepare this dish in advance: it is best to glaze the duck and make the gravy the day before. If the gravy is refrigerated overnight, this enables you to remove the last vestiges of fat settled on the surface.Serves 42 ducks, each weighing about 2.3kg/5lb2 tablespoons clear honeyFor the gravy: 12 bottle (375ml/13fl oz) red wine1 onion1 stick of celery1 carrot1 tablespoon sugar1 tablespoon wine vinegarsprig of rosemaryblack pepper55-85g/2-3oz unsalted butterFirst glaze the duck (preferably a day ahead): dissolve the honey in four tablespoons of water, add a pinch of salt and bring to the boil. Do not reduce: if the glaze is too syrupy it will burn and become black and bitter during roasting. Paint this glaze over the duck breasts and leave overnight in a cool airy environment This effectively ‘wind dries’ the skin. Alternatively, use a fan or hair-dryer on a cold setting for 10-15 minutes to blow dry the skin.Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Prepare the vegetables for the gravy and cut them into a mirepoix. Chop the duck necks and carcass bones into small pieces.Begin by making the gravy (this whole process takes about 60 minutes, so it is a good idea to carry it out in advance): in a flameproof casserole or deep heavy roasting pan, brown the mirepoix in a little duck fat (or oil). Chop the necks and carcasses and brown thoroughly.Sprinkle with sugar (this is essentially a caramelisation process), vinegar, some pepper and the rosemary and continue to brown, stirring continuously. Do not skimp on the browning, but be careful not to char the bones.Add the wine and boil hard to reduce, scraping the pan as you do so, until the liquid has almost all evaporated Add just enough water almost to cover the bones Return to the boil and skim. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until reduced by half.Add a handful of ice cubes and skim the stock once more.

Pass the liquid through a sieve and return it to a clean saucepan. This is the technique whereby the classic jus (French for gravy) of the French professional kitchen is achieved, creating the stock and the sauce simultaneously.To roast the ducks: place them breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 10 minutes. Lower the temperature to 170C/330F/Gas 3- 4 and continue roasting for a further 30 minutes. The skin will crisp and balloon in a spectacular way and go a glossy golden brown.Transfer to a warmed serving dish and leave to rest for 5 minutes. The skin will deflate slightly (but remain crisp), so if you want to get your guests excited show it to them as soon as the roast duck comes from the oven.Towards the end of the roasting period, reheat the gravy and before serving swirl in the butter to give the sauce its final consistency and gloss.