Duck Breasts With Ancho Chile Dulce De Leche Glaze Recipes

ROAST DUCK BREASTS WITH POMEGRANATE-CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• For sauce:
• Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth, and California chiles. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Puree in tightly covered blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in adobo sauce, vinegar, and cumin. Season to taste with generous amount of coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.
• For duck:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin of duck (don't cut into flesh) with 5 cuts in 1 direction; repeat in opposite direction, making diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck all over with coarse salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, to skillets, dividing equally. Cook duck until skin is crisp and deep brown, about 7 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 1 minute. Pour off fat. Transfer skillets to oven. Roast duck until cooked to mediumrare, about 5 minutes.
• Transfer duck to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice each breast crosswise on slight diagonal. Arrange slices on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
• Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.
• ** Dried, smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

DUCK BREASTS WITH ANCHO CHILE DULCE DE LECHE GLAZE

Steps:

• Place chiles in a small, dry, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, and toast until slightly darkened, turning once, about 40 seconds. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl and pour over boiling water. Let stand until softened, about 20 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer chiles to the jar of a blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid and garlic; blend until smooth. Set aside.
• Place orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until liquid is reduced by half; add dulce de leche and chicken stock. Bring mixture to a simmer and immediately remove from heat; set aside.
• Working in batches, season duck with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. As fat begins to render out, drain into a heatproof bowl and discard or save for another use. Continue cooking until skin is well-browned, about 15 minutes. Turn, and continue cooking duck until meat is browned, about 3 minutes more. Transfer duck to a plate and repeat process with remaining duck breasts.
• Return all duck breasts to skillet, cover, and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted horizontally in the center of a breast registers 135 degrees for medium-rare, about 6 minutes. Transfer duck to a carving board and let stand, uncovered.
• Pour out and discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet. Add reserved chile and orange juice mixtures to skillet, along with any duck juices that have accumulated on the cutting board. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring, scraping up any browned bits that have accumulated in the bottom of the skillet, until thickened, about 6 minutes. Whisk in butter until melted. Season with salt, and chopped cilantro.
• Slice duck breasts and serve immediately with sauce.

DUCK BREASTS WITH DULCE DE LECHE CHILE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, roast the ancho chiles over moderately high heat, turning, until fragrant and pliable, about 1 minute. Transfer to a heatproff bowl; cover with 2 cups of hot water and let stand until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
• In a small saucepan, simmer the orange juice over moderately high heat until reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and add the stock, dulce de leche, anchos, 1 cup of the chile soaking liquid and one-third of the garlic. Puree until smooth.
• Heat the large skillet. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderate heat, spooning off the fat, until golden and crisp, about 10 minutes. Turn the duck skin side up and add the ancho chile, thyme, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the lemon juice, and the remaining garlic to the skillet. Cook, basting the duck occasionally until medium within, about 8 minutes.
• Transfer the duck to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the skillet.
• Add the chile mixture and bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until just thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Off the heat, whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the chopped cilantro.
• Discard the arbol chile and thyme; season the sauce with salt and pepper. Thinly slice the duck across the grain and serve with the sauce and cilantro springs.
• SERVE WITH: Sauteed spinach.