Seared Duck Breasts With Cherry Agrodolce Food

SEARED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• With a sharp knife, score the fat of the duck breast in a crisscross pattern, being careful to not cut into the meat. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Warm a cast-iron or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat and add enough oil to just coat the bottom of the pan.
• Place the duck breast fat-side down in the skillet to render off the fat, about 8 minutes. Once the fat has rendered out and the skin is golden brown and crisp, turn the duck breast over and add the butter, thyme and garlic. Turn up the heat to medium-high and, once the butter is foamy, begin basting the duck breast using a spoon. Continue basting until the duck breast reaches medium rare and measures 135 to 140 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes before slicing.

SEARED DUCK BREASTS WITH CHERRY AGRODOLCE

Steps:

• Score the fat on the skin side of the duck breasts with a paring knife in a crisscross pattern, being careful not to pierce the flesh. Season the duck with salt and pepper on both sides and place skin-side down in a cold large skillet. Place a saute pan or other heavy pan directly on top of the duck to keep it pressed down and cook over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Remove the saute pan and cook until the skin is fully rendered, brown and crispy, about 15 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, flip and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the duck breasts registers 135 degrees F, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Stir together the vinegar, dried cherries, honey, shallots and chiles in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until boiling, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by half, about 15 minutes.
• Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the rendered duck fat from the skillet. Reserve the drained rendered duck fat for another use. Add the frozen or fresh cherries and the rosemary to the skillet and cook over high heat until the cherries soften, about 2 minutes for frozen cherries and about 4 minutes for fresh cherries. Add a splash of vinegar and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze the skillet. Cook until the cherries soften, about 2 minutes for frozen cherries and about 4 minutes for fresh cherries.
• Slice each duck breast into 1/2-inch-thick slices on the bias. Spoon 3 tablespoons of the dried cherry agrodolce sauce in the center of a plate, top with a quarter of the duck and garnish with a quarter of the duck fat-sauteed cherries. Repeat with the remaining sauce, duck and cherries and serve.

ROAST DUCK BREAST WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND PORT

Steps:

• Wrap each duck breast in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until each breast is about 1 inch thick. Place the duck on a plate, sprinkle both sides with a total of 4 teaspoons salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, making a crosshatch pattern but not cutting down to the meat.
• In a large (12-inch) heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, discarding the fat from the pan occasionally, until the skin is very browned. Turn the duck with tongs, place the skillet in the oven, and roast for 12 to 18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the duck is 120 degrees F for rare. Remove from the oven, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the duck to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the vinegar and cook for one minute. Add the Port, chicken stock, cherries, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, orange zest, and orange juice and keep warm over low heat.
• Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice diagonally, fanning the slices out on 4 dinner plates. Spoon the sauce generously on top, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CHERRY-PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the stock until steam begins to rise from the surface, about 3 minutes. Add the dried cherries and remove from the heat.
• Season the duck breast halves with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, score the skin by making a crisscross pattern, being careful not to cut into the meat.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Place the duck, skin side down, in the pan and cook until the skin is very crisp and golden, 12-15 minutes. Turn the duck over and cook until the meat is just springy when pressed, 3-5 minutes more for rare to medium-rare, or until done to your liking.
• Transfer the duck to a warmed platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 3 to 5 minutes before carving.
• Pour off all but 1 Tb fat from the pan. Set the pan over medium heat, add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes.
• Add the port, bring to a boil and cook until it is almost evaporated, about 3 minutes.
• Add the stock and cherries and the demi-glace, and cook until slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the butter and whisk until completely incorporated.
• Taste and season with salt and pepper.
• Using a sharp carving knife, cut the duck across the grain into thin slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Pour the sauce over the meat and serve immediately.

PANFRIED DUCK BREASTS WITH DRIED CHERRY-PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the Port and dried cherries; set aside.
• Using a thin-bladed, sharp knife, score the skin of each duck breast half in a crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh.
• In a small bowl, mix 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
• Season the breasts on both sides with the salt mixture.
• Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a cold, large nonstick frying pan.
• Place over med-high heat and cook the breasts until the skin is crisp and a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Holding the breasts back with a spatula, pour the fat out of the pan.
• Turn the breasts and continue cooking until med-rare, about 3 minutes longer.
• Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the frying pan and place over medium heat.
• Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Add the Port and cherries and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Cook until the Port is reduced almost to a glaze, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the stock, return to a boil, and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, completely incorporating each addition before adding more butter.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.
• Holding a thin, sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, slice each duck breast half on the diagonal.
• Slip the knife under each sliced breast, transfer to individual plates and fan out the slices.
• Spoon some sauce over each breast and serve immediately.

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH PLUMS AND PORT

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, 1/4 cup of the port, the shallot, ginger, red pepper flakes, cumin and pepper. Stir to combine.
• Trim away the silverskin from the meat side of the duck breasts and trim away any excess skin and fat along the edges. Score the skin by making diagonal cuts just through the skin at 1/8-inch intervals. Put the duck breasts, skin side up, on a large rimmed plate and pour the marinade over them. Marinate, turning the breasts over once or twice during the process, for 1 hour at room temperature.
• To cook the plums and make the sauce:.
• Heat the butter in a small sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Season the plums with salt and pepper and cook, tossing them occasionally, until they are browned, about 5 minutes. Using a flexible spatula, transfer the plums and most of the butter to a plate. To the pan the plums were cooked in, add the remaining 1 cup of port and the chicken stock. Remove the duck breasts from the marinade and pour the marinade into the pan as well. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until reduced by almost half. Add the browned plums to the sauce and continue to cook over lowest heat until the plums are tender (the time it takes for all this to happen is about the same time as it takes for the duck to cook).
• To cook the duck:.
• Pat the duck breasts dry with paper towels. Heat enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the duck, skin side down. As the meat cooks, fat will render. Pour this fat off, using a large spatula or plate to hold the breasts in place. Keep pouring off the fat as the duck cooks, adjusting the heat if the skin begins to burn (use your nose to detect any burning, as the sugar in the port as well as the soy sauce will blacken the skin). While the duck cooks, check on the sauce; if it seems to be reducing too much, remove from the heat.
• Turn the duck over when almost all of the fat in the skin has melted away and the skin is dark and crispy, about 12 minutes. Cook an additional 2 minutes on the flesh side. Take the pan off the heat and let the duck rest in the pan off the heat for at least 5 minutes before slicing it. At this point you can heat up the plum sauce over low heat, if you had to take it off the heat earlier because it was in danger of becoming too reduced.
• To serve:.
• Remove the duck breasts to a cutting board, skin side up. Pour any juices (but not the fat) from the sauté pan into the pan with the plums. Slice the breasts across the grain into thin pieces, about 6 slices per breast. Place the duck slices neatly on each plate. Spoon some sauce and plums onto each plate.

SEARED DUCK BREAST HALVES WITH BALSAMIC CHERRY REDUCTION

Steps:

• To prepare marinade, whisk balsamic vinegar through pepper together until combined.
• Marinate duck breast halves in a covered dish in the refrigerator for 2-10 hours, turning occasionally.
• Remove duck from marinade; reserve marinade.
• Wipe and pat duck breast halves dry with paper towels, rub on all sides with one teaspoon of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt.
• Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a heavy skillet on medium-high until the oil starts to smoke.
• Add the duck breast halves and cook 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.
• Remove to platter and keep warm.
• Turn heat to high; add wine to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom to release browned bits.
• Add reserved marinade and cherries and cook, stirring frequently, several minutes or until sauce has reduced by about half.
• Taste and adjust for seasoning if needed.
• Pour reduction (sauce) over duck and serve at once.

CRISPY PAN SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH BASALMIC ONION MARMALADE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 to 400 degrees F.
• First don't use frozen duck breast. Go to your local butcher if they don't have it, usually they have no problem ordering it special for you. :).
• Score each breast shallowly in a crisscross fashion. Do NOT slice to the meat. These cuts allows the fat to render into the pan and the skin to get crispy.
• I like to use my cast iron skillet, you could also use stainless steel. I do NOT recommend using a non stick skillet. It needs to be oven proof.
• Sprinkle each breast on both sides with salt and pepper. You can be generous with the salt on the skin side. It really helps dry out the skin so you get a super crispy skin.
• Heat skillet over medium high heat. Place duck breasts skin side down and cook for about 5 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Remember watch it carefully you want to crisp the skin, but not overcook the meat. You might have to lower the temperature a bit. Patience is the main ingredient for a perfect duck breast. I reserve the fat that renders off and use with roasted potatoes or anything really. It's so tasty. Remove the drippings from the pan before placing in the oven.
• Place your skillet with your duck breasts into the preheated oven. Cook for about 12 minutes or until Medium Rare. Remember watch your duck carefully because cooking time varies on how thick your breast is and how much has already cooked through on stove top. It will also carry over cook once you remove from oven. If you have a thermometer it should read about 125 to 130.
• Do NOT turn your breasts. It still should be skin side down.
• Remove to warm plate skin side up and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and then slice about 1/2 inch thick and on the diagonal and serve with onion marmalade. ( Recipe Below).
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• Balsamic Onion Marmalade.
• In a large heavy pan, combine the red onions and brown sugar and cook over Medium to Medium high heat, stirring often, until the onions begin to caramelize about 20 minutes.
• Stir in the wine and vinegar, increase the heat to Medium high stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

SEARED DUCK BREASTS WITH CHERRY RHUBARB CHUTNEY

Steps:

• combine first 10 ingredients in a large saucepan.
• bring to simmer over low heat until sugar dissolves.
• add rhubarb, onions and cherries raise heat to medium, cook until rhubarb is tender and mixture thickens, about 10 minutes, remove from heat and cool.
• for duck:.
• with a sharp knife, score the fat on the breasts in a cross pattern.
• heat a grill pan and add duck, fat side down, cook for 5 minutes.
• you can turn them to create a nice grill mark and cook for 3-5 minutes more, to taste.
• drain the fat.
• (i like mine well, family likes their's rare).
• turn over and cook 5-10 minutes more, to taste.
• serve with chutney.