Serves 4
- 4 duck breasts, boneless, skin on
- 1⁄4 tsp. salt
- 1⁄4 tsp. pepper
- 1 medium shallot, minced
- 3⁄4 c. dried cherries, halved
- 3⁄4 c. Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon
- 6 Tbsp. butter, cut in small pieces
Season both sides of duck breast with salt and pepper. Heat a sauté pan over medium heat; when hot, place duck breast in pan skin side down. Allow duck fat to render from under skin, crisply browning skin, about 8-10 minutes. (Do not shortchange this procedure!) Once well browned, increase heat to high and turn breast over to sear meaty side until it is also nicely browned. Remove duck from pan; keep warm.
Pour off accumulated fat, turn heat to low. Add shallots, dried cherries, and wine; cook together until wine is reduced by half. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking to incorporate each addition. Check for seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste.
To serve, spoon reduction sauce over duck breasts.
Recipe from Chef Jeremy MacVeigh, Professional Culinary Institute, PCIchef.com
Chef’s Note:
“The key to cooking duck breast is to render it, skin side down in a moderately hot pan for about 8-10 minutes to make the skin very crisp and to melt off the considerable amount of fat that lies beneath duck skin. Crisped duck breast skin is sublime, but only if it has been rendered well.”
Accompany with Cooper-Garrod Cabernet Sauvignon