- 4
Ingredients
- DUCK BREASTS
- 1 lb (4 ) duck breasts (Pekin preferred, or Moulard)
- 1 tsp safflower oil
- SPICE RUB
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 tsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 TBS fresh rosemary leaves
- 1/2 TBS fresh thyme leaves
- CHERRY SAUCE
- 1 cup chicken or duck stock
- 1/4 cup ruby port
- 1/4 cup Luxardo or Bada Bing cherries, drained and quartered
- 1 TBS syrup from the cherry jar
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, minced
- 2 TBS unsalted butter
- 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
Preparation
Step 1
SPICE RUB:
1. Combine all the rub ingredients in a coffee grinder and grind together well.
DUCK:
1. Score a grid in the fat of the duck, being careful not to cut into the meat. (This helps the fat render more evenly). Rub the spice mixture into the duck breast on the meaty side only and allow the duck to rest, ideally overnight, but it's still great if you need to cook it right away.
2. Heat a pan over medium-high heat and coat the bottom with the safflower oil. When hot, add the duck breasts, fat-side down and turn the heat down to medium. Let the fat render from the duck breasts and slowly brown the fat side (this process should take about 10 minutes). Turn the duck breasts over and cook until the breasts register 130-135 on a digital thermometer for medium rare. Allow to rest ~10 minutes before serving. Reserve the pan to make the cherry sauce.
CHERRY SAUCE:
1. Deglaze the pan you cooked the duck in with the stock and the ruby port. Stir in the Luxardo cherries and syrup, Dijon mustard and thyme, then bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid until it has reduced by 1/3.
2. Swirl in the butter until it has melted in, then stir in the red wine vinegar. Serve over duck breasts.
Makes 4 servings.