I love cooking duck up in different ways; gnocchi, bao, and even mousse and paté, but pan-seared duck breast is one of the easiest. Minus the cherry sauce, pan seared duck breast happens to be 1 of the things I cooked during my “5 dishes in 1 hour stage” that landed my sous chef position. This recipe isn’t just simple, it’s delicious and lite.
For the duck:
2 duck breasts, skin on
Kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
½ tbsp unsalted butter
½ tbsp good quality olive oil
For the cherries:
½ tbs butter
1 ½ c pitted fresh sweet cherries
1 c merlot
1 tbs good quality brandy
½ tsp dried orange zest
2 tsp brown sugar
⅛ tsp nutmeg
⅔ c chicken stock
½ tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water
Score the duck skin, making sure not to cut down to the meat. Season both sides with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat a sauté pan to medium high heat. Add butter and olive oil. Once the butter is completely melted, add the breasts, skin side down. Sear until you see the meat begin to change color just below the skin line, and skin has become crisp. Turn over and continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until the breast has reached desired donness. You can temp the breasts with a thermometer or press to decipher by the force of resistance. It’s a method we use in every restaurant I’ve worked in. Touch the tip of your index to the tip of your thumb and press the pad of skin on your palm just below your thumb. If the meat feels the same when you press on it, that usually represents rare. Middle to thumb is medium rare, and so on. If you want an exact temp, it’s best to use a cooking thermometer. Once the breasts are done, transfer to a plate and tent with foil. Allow to rest.
While the breasts are resting, melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add the Cherries. Sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the brandy and orange zest. Cook down until the liquid reduces, stiring occasionally. Add the merlot and raise the heat to medium. Simmer for roughly 15 minutes or until the sauce reduces by ⅓. Add the brown sugar, nutmeg, and stock. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Make a slurry with the water and cornstarch. Whisk into sauce, stirring until it thickens.
Slice rested breasts on a slight bias and fan out on plate. Spoon cherry glaze over breasts and serve with blanched greenbeans or a wild greens salad.
Girl-Chef Tastes 