Duck Breast With Fresh Figs Recipes

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH FIG SAUCE

Steps:

• For the duck breasts: Sprinkle each duck breast liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add the duck skin-side down and reduce the heat to low, cooking as the fat slowly renders and the skin becomes crispy, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Once the skin is crispy and golden brown, flip and continue cooking until a thermometer reads 128 to 130 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the breast (for medium-rare doneness), 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate or cutting board and allow to rest about 5 minutes. It will carryover cook to about 135 degrees F. Don't tent with foil in order to ensure the duck skin will stay crispy.
• For the fig sauce: Pour off all but 1 or 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet, reserving the excess for another use. Over medium heat, add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the sherry and reduce by half. Next, add the chicken broth, fig jam and balsamic vinegar, and continue simmering until the sauce has thickened and is syrupy, another 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter. Garnish with chopped chives.
• Serve the sauce alongside thinly sliced duck breast.

NIGEL SLATER'S DUCK WITH FIGS AND BAROLO

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Season the duck legs with salt and black pepper, tuck in the thyme sprigs, then roast in the oven until golden and crisp-skinned-a matter of 25 to 30 minutes or so.
• Holding the duck in place with a spatula, pour off the fat and reserve for another day. It will be wonderful for potatoes. Cut the figs in half and tuck them, cut side down, around the duck. Pour in the red wine and place over medium heat until the wine has evaporated by half and the figs have softened, scraping any crusty bits from the pan into the wine.

SAUTEED DUCK BREAST WITH FIGS AND PORT

Steps:

• Remove excess fat from duck breasts. Brush breasts with oil; sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon thyme and pepper. Cover and let stand 1 hour. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate.)
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add duck bones, chicken backs and onion and cook until brown, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes. Add both stocks. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until reduced to 3/4 cup liquid, about 1 hour. Strain and degrease duck stock. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season duck breasts with salt; add to skillet skin side down and cook 4 minutes. Turn and cook about 2 minutes longer for medium-rare. Transfer to heated platter and tent with foil to keep warm.
• Pour off fat from skillet. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and melt over medium heat. Add shallot and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add Port and figs. Increase heat and boil until liquid is reduced to glaze, scraping up any browned bits, about 4 minutes. Add duck stock and boil until syrupy, adding any juices accumulated on duck platter, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter 1 tablespoon at a time. Season with salt and pepper.
• Thinly slice duck on diagonal. Arrange on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon thyme.

DUCK BREAST WITH FRESH FIGS

Steps:

• Combine five-spice powder and 1 teaspoon pepper in a bowl. Stir in soy sauce. Score fat on duck in crisscross. Rub duck on both sides with marinade. Set aside 2 hours.
• Heat a grill to very hot. Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Sear duck on fat side about a minute, until dark brown (flare-ups are normal). Turn and sear on flesh side about 1 1/2 minutes, until browned. Or sear duck over high heat in a cast-iron skillet. Place duck in a baking dish in oven.
• Dust figs with pepper; sear on grill 3 to 5 minutes, until starting to sizzle. Remove from grill and halve. Or sear figs in a skillet.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add shallots and cook until soft. Stir in thyme and half the wine. Cook until wine just films pan. Stir in stock. Add figs and remaining wine; cook until wine is reduced by a third. Stir in remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• When duck has baked for 45 minutes, serve it, or reduce heat to 150 degrees and keep in oven up to 30 minutes longer. To serve, slice duck on the bias. Reheat sauce and spoon over duck.

SUSAN'S DUCK BREAST WITH FIG AND PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a pan, combine beef stock and chicken stock. Bring to boil and let simmer until mixture is reduced down to 1/2 cup. Set stock reduction to the side.
• While stock is reducing on the stove,lightly score fat side of duck breast, with a sharp knife, in a diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck breasts with thyme, garlic, paprika, salt and pepper to season. Let sit, for 20minutes.
• In a hot skillet pan, heat to medium high. Add olive oil. Add duck breast, fat (skin) side down, and cook for 6 minutes.
• Turn duck over and let cook 2 minutes.
• Remove duck breast to foil lined baking pan, meat side down, and bake in oven for 5-6 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest on cutting board for at least 5minutes.
• Meanwhile in skillet, drain off most of fat. Add 2tbsp of butter to pan.
• Add shallot and cook until tender.
• Add port wine and bring to a boil. Reduce by half.
• Add 1/2 cup stock reduction and bring mixture to a boil. Simmer sauce low until reduced by 1/3 or sauce is a syrupy glaze.
• Add fig preserves. Stir until completely melted and combined into sauce.
• In a cup combine remaining 1 tbsp flour and 1 tbsp butter (beurre manie).
• Add flour mixture to sauce and stir well to combine. Bring sauce to boil, stirring, until sauce thickens. That will take only 2 minutes or so. Remove from heat.
• Cut duck breast, into 1/2 inch slices, angled, against the grain.
• On serving plates, place sauce on bottom and place several slices of duck breast on top. Drizzle just a bit more sauce over top of duck slices. Repeat on all serving plates.
• Serve immediately. Bon Appetit.