Seared Duck Breast with a Cherry Port Sauce

One of the first things I look for on a menu at a great restaurant is Duck Breast. I absolutely love it if it is cooked to perfection (medium rare with a crisp crust).  I think you can eat it without sauce, because it keeps it crispy.  This is so easy, that I think anyone can do it if they are patient.  I know that I am suppose to use Duck that I hunt, but the best way is to buy a farm raised one that actually has fat and does not taste like mud.  Use that wild stuff for pepperoni.

Ingredients:

• 2 nice duck breast with skin on
• 1/4 cup of chopped Shallot
• 2 tablespoons of Chilled butter
• 1 tablespoon of quality olive oil
• 1/2 cup of Chicken Stock
• 10 halved pitted dark red cherries (if they are not in season buy frozen)
• 2 Tablespoons of Tawny port
• 1 tablespoon of good local honey
• Sea salt and pepper

Place the duck breast on a plate and take a sharp knife and score the fat side in an X fashion then sprinkle both sides of the breast with Sea Salt and Pepper.

Melt butter and add olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add duck, skin side down and let it brown (do not keep picking it up) takes about 5 minutes.  Turn duck breast over, reduce heat to medium and cook until brown and desired tenderness.  I usually shoot for 130 degrees on my meat pen.

Transfer to a plate and do a loose tent over them with aluminum foil.  If the temp is past 135 degrees do not tent, just let them sit.

Keep about 2 tablespoons of the dripping from the duck in the skillet.  Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat for about a minute.  Add broth, cherries, Tawny Port and honey.  Increase to high heat and bring to boil until it is thick like a glaze.  Add tablespoon of butter, and whisk.  Taste the sauce, add salt and pepper if to your desire.

Plate the duck and pour the sauce over the duck.

It is that easy folks.  Trust me you will not disappoint anyone at the table.  It is amazing.  I am going to try for some different non sweet sauces to drizzle in the near future.  I hope you enjoy.

Hunting Chef