I love duck. Love it. It's rich, it's flavorful, it pairs well with fruit (my favorite combo). But I do not make it at home often because it is fairly fatty. But when I want something that is simple to cook but is decadent and delicious, duck breast is the perfect answer. I personally cannot stand eating any kind of gristle or fat, so I just cook it with the layer of fat on the breast to ensure moist meat, but do not eat the fat. I use fresh figs in this recipe, but you can re-constitute dried figs in near-boiling water for 20 minutes as another great option.
1 pint fresh figs, roughly chopped
1/4 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon honey
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 Tablespoon Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)
salt and pepper
1 lemon
2 duck breasts
extra virgin olive oil
wild rice
chicken broth
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook wild rice according to directions.
2. Combine figs, orange juice, honey, balsamic vinegar, and Cointreau in a small saucepan. Put over medium-low heat until figs break down and the sauce is reduced to a compote consistency, stirring ocassionally. Season generously with pepper, add salt to taste. Turn to low heat to wait for service.
3. Heat a large sautee pan over high heat. When hot, add olive oil and allow to heat for a 30 seconds. Salt and pepper both sides of duck breasts. Lay duck breasts, fat side down, in the hot oil and do not move. Let crisp for 5 minutes and then put the whole pan in the oven.
4. Let the duck breasts roast until medium, about 8-10 minutes. It should still be slightly pink in the middle.
5. Remove from oven (being careful to use potholders....I then put the potholder over the handle of the pot on the stovetop so that I do not forget that it's hot....lesson learned the hard way, I'm afraid) and place duck breasts on a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes.
6. Taste compote. If it's too sweet, add the juice of half a lemon and re-assess. Slice and serve with compote and prepared wild rice.
Serves 2.
Printable version here.
No comments:
Post a Comment