Duck Breast With Quince Compote Food

DUCK BREAST WITH QUINCE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Trim a tablespoon of fat from edges of each breast, and set aside. With a sharp knife score skin of each breast in a crisscross pattern. Rub flesh side of each with 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder, and season with salt and pepper.
• Place a heavy skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. Place breasts skin side down in skillet, and sear a few minutes, until skin is nicely browned. Place breasts in a baking dish skin side up. Place in oven for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, melt reserved fat in a saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots, and cook until soft. Add quince slices, remaining five-spice powder and the sugar; cook, stirring, a few minutes, until quince starts to color. Add stock, bring to a simmer and remove 1/2 cup stock to a dish. Add wine to saucepan, cover and cook about 15 minutes, until quince is tender. Whisk hoisin sauce into reserved stock. When quince is tender, stir in hoisin mixture. Simmer 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
• Remove breasts from oven, and slice on bias. Pour any juices into pan with quince. Arrange duck on a platter. Reheat quince mixture, and spoon around duck. Serve.

PAN-SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CASSIS COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Place the duck skin side up. Using a sharp knife, score 4 (1/4-inch-deep) cuts across the skin at a 45 degree angle. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.
• Heat a well-seasoned skillet or nonstick pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes. If you are unfamiliar with duck breasts, don't be put off by their unusual look. The fat-to-meat proportions reverse themselves when cooked, as much of the fat is rendered and the meat expands.
• Remove pan from heat (save the drippings) and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to a cooking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 6 minutes.
• Carefully discard all but 2 tablespoons of duck drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and add shallot. Stir occasionally for 3 minutes, or until shallot begins to turn golden. Add Cassis to the pan and stir with a wooden spoon to loosen up the browned bits left by the duck. Add jam, vinegar, and remaining teaspoon of black pepper, and stir occasionally for 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Remove duck from the oven and slice each breast at a 45 degree angle into 1/4-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plates and spoon Cassis compote overtop. Serve immediately.

SEARED BREAST OF MOULARD DUCK ON QUINCE PUREE WITH QUINCE SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare quince puree and sauce at least 1 hour ahead of cooking time for duck.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until lightly caramelized. Stir in 1/2 cup of the vinegar and cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add diced quince, stock, and salt, and partially cover. Adjust heat to low and cook until fruit is tender, 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Puree in an electric blender or with a hand mixer until smooth. Return to the pan and keep warm.
• Heat the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat until lightly caramelized. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of vinegar and reduce by half. Add quince peelings and demi-glace. Infuse sauce over low heat for 30 minutes, strain, and keep warm.
• Heat a heavy skillet until medium hot, over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the duck breasts with salt and pepper. Put duck breast in pan, skin side down, without any butter or fat. Cook for 8 minutes, checking to avoid burning. Remove fat as it accumulates. Flip breasts over, lower heat to medium, and cook 4 minutes longer. Remove duck from heat and keep warm in 1 of the skillets.
• To serve, place a small amount of the puree in the center of each of 4 warmed plates. Cut duck breast in half, then cut across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Shingle the duck slices over the puree. Spoon a small amount of infused quince sauce around the meat. Serve at once.

QUINCE COMPOTE WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• Combine water, sugar, vanilla bean, and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar has dissolved. Boil for 1 minute, then remove sugar syrup from heat.
• Fill a large bowl with water and stir in lemon juice. Peel, halve, and core quinces. Depending on their size, cut each into quarters or 8 pieces and immediately submerge in lemon water to prevent browning.
• Add quinces to saucepan with sugar syrup and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer until quinces are soft and have turned lightly pink, about 50 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

QUINCE COMPOTE

Steps:

• Place quinces, cider, and sugar in a pressure cooker. Close cooker securely and place pressure regulator over vent according to manufacturer's instructions. Heat until steam escapes in a steady flow and makes a whistling sound, about 10 minutes. Adjust temperature until regulator is gently rocking. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until quince are soft. Let pressure release naturally according to manufacturer's instructions, 5 to 10 minutes. Unlock lid and remove.
• Transfer cooked quinces and liquid to a serving bowl and season with lemon juice, orange flower water, and orange zest.
• Beat cream in a chilled glass or metal bowl using an electric mixer until frothy. Add vanilla sugar gradually, continuing to beat until soft peaks form. Mix in creme fraiche and serve with the quince compote.

SUSAN'S DUCK BREAST WITH FIG AND PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a pan, combine beef stock and chicken stock. Bring to boil and let simmer until mixture is reduced down to 1/2 cup. Set stock reduction to the side.
• While stock is reducing on the stove,lightly score fat side of duck breast, with a sharp knife, in a diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck breasts with thyme, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper to season. Let sit, for 20minutes.
• In a hot skillet pan, heat to medium high. Add olive oil. Add duck breast, fat (skin) side down, and cook for 6 minutes.
• Turn duck over and let cook 2 minutes.
• Remove duck breast to foil lined baking pan, meat side down, and bake in oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on cutting board for at least 5minutes.
• Meanwhile in skillet, drain off most of fat. Add 2tbsp of butter to pan.
• Add shallot and cook until tender.
• Add port wine and bring to a boil. Reduce by half.
• Add 1/2 cup stock reduction and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer sauce low until reduced by 1/3 or sauce is a syrupy glaze.
• Add fig preserves. Stir until completely melted and combined into sauce.
• In a cup combine remaining 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp butter (beurre manie).
• Add flour mixture to sauce and stir well to combine. Bring sauce to boil, stirring, until sauce thickens. That will take only 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
• Cut duck breast, into 1/2 inch slices, angled, against the grain.
• On serving plates, place sauce on bottom and place several slices of duck breast on top. Drizzle just a bit more sauce over top of duck slices. Repeat on all serving plates.
• Serve immediately. Bon Appetit.