Duck Breast in Cherry Port Wine Sauce


I recently posted a recipe for pork chops that I had bought online at D’Artagnan.com, and when I placed my order, they had duck breasts on sale. Although I do enjoy a well-cooked duck breast when we are dining out at a restaurant, it has been many years since I cooked duck at home, so I decided to order some.

Duck breast, sometimes called duck steak, is the meatiest part of the duck, and searing fresh duck breast makes for quick and easy dinner. The most important step when cooking duck breast is to score the skin, then sear it well to render the fat. Duck fat is considered a high quality ingredient, so do not throw the fat out. Instead of discarding the fat, after searing the breast and rendering the fat, allow the fat to cool, and then pour through a sieve.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 6months or up to a year in the freezer. Duck fat adds lots of flavor to vegetables, especially potatoes when frying them.

I went online and read many different recipes for duck and how vest to cook duck breasts, and ended up with this recipe which turned out better than I hoped for. The duck was tender and moist, and the cherry and port wine sauce was a perfect accompaniment.

I served my duck breasts with mashed sweet potatoes and sautéed greens, and we enjoyed the meal so much, I know I will be cooking duck often in the future. We prepared our duck medium rare, and for me, it was the best way to serve it. You do not want well-done duck breast as it will become dry and chewy.

Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele 

Duck Breast in Cherry Port Wine Sauce

Duck Breast in Cherry Port Wine Sauce

Yield: Serves 2
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes

Tender, moist duck breasts with a crisp, golden brown skin are served topped with a cherry port wine sauce in this easy recipe.

Ingredients

  • 2 (6 Ounce) Duck Breasts
  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • Salt & Pepper To Taste
  • 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
  • 1/2 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 1 Cup Halved & Pitted Sweet Cherries
  • 3 Tablespoons Tawny Port
  • 1 Tablespoon Honey

Instructions

    1. Pound the duck breasts to an even thickness of between 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch.
    2. Score the skin using a sharp knife, creating a 3/4 inch diamond pattern being careful not to cut into the flesh.
    3. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
    4. Sprinkle the breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
      Place the duck skin side down into the hot skillet, and cook until the skin is well browned and crisp, about 5 minutes.
    5. Turn the breasts over, and continue to cook until the duck is medium-rare, about 4 to 6 minutes.
    6. Transfer the duck to a warm plate and cover with foil.
    7. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan, then add the onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 3 minutes.
    8. Add the cherries, port, broth, and honey, then increase the heat to high and cook until the sauce has thickened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
    9. Whisk in the remaining butter and taste.
    10. Adjust salt and pepper as needed.
    11. Thinly slice the duck breasts and serve with the sauce spooned on top.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 305mgCarbohydrates: 25gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 3g

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