Grilled Duck Breasts With Dried Cherry Zinfandel Sauce Recipes

GRILLED DUCK BREASTS WITH CHERRY PLUM SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place sour-cherry preserves in a food processor, and puree. Transfer puree to a small bowl, and set aside. Place peppercorns on a clean cutting board. Using the flat side of a heavy knife, press down on peppercorns until they are coarsely crushed, and set aside.
• Cut both duck breasts in half, and trim away any excess fat, leaving the skin attached to the breasts. Season both sides of duck breasts with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon pureed preserves on the flesh side of each breast; sprinkle with half of the crushed peppercorns.
• Place duck breasts, flesh side down, in a medium oven-proof skillet. Spread 1 tablespoon pureed preserves on skin side of each breast; sprinkle with remaining crushed peppercorns. Place skillet in oven; roast until medium rare, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven; set aside in a warm place.
• Melt butter in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cherries, plums, sugar, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until sugar dissolves, 1 to 2 minutes. Add port. Strike a match, and carefully ignite port; cook until flame dies out. Add vinegar, and cook until juices thicken, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Transfer duck to a serving dish, and pour fruit sauce over top. Serve.

PANFRIED DUCK BREASTS WITH DRIED CHERRY-PORT SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the Port and dried cherries; set aside.
• Using a thin-bladed, sharp knife, score the skin of each duck breast half in a crosshatch pattern, taking care not to cut into the flesh.
• In a small bowl, mix 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.
• Season the breasts on both sides with the salt mixture.
• Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a cold, large nonstick frying pan.
• Place over med-high heat and cook the breasts until the skin is crisp and a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes.
• Holding the breasts back with a spatula, pour the fat out of the pan.
• Turn the breasts and continue cooking until med-rare, about 3 minutes longer.
• Transfer the duck breasts to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
• Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the frying pan and place over medium heat.
• Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 2 minutes.
• Add the Port and cherries and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Cook until the Port is reduced almost to a glaze, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the stock, return to a boil, and cook until the sauce is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat.
• Whisk in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, completely incorporating each addition before adding more butter.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper; keep warm.
• Holding a thin, sharp knife at a 45-degree angle, slice each duck breast half on the diagonal.
• Slip the knife under each sliced breast, transfer to individual plates and fan out the slices.
• Spoon some sauce over each breast and serve immediately.

GRILLED DUCK BREASTS WITH DRIED CHERRY-ZINFANDEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium heat.
• To make the spice rub: in a small bowl, mix together the ginger, five-spice powder, white pepper and salt. Sprinkle generously on both sides of the duck breasts and rub into the breasts.
• To make the sauce: in a saucepan, combine the stock, wine, dried cherries, soy sauce, and corn syrup. Cook over high heat, stirring often, until reduced by about half, 7-10 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook over medium heat for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, to thicken the sauce. Set aside and keep warm.
• Place the duck breasts, skin side down, on the grill, directly over medium heat. Cover the grill and cook until the duck is well-browned on the bottom side, 7-10 minutes, checking occasionally for flare-ups and moving the duck to a cooler part of the grill if needed.
• Turn and grill for 5 minutes more.
• Check for doneness by cutting into a breast or testing with an instant-read thermometer. Duck breasts should be cooked medium rare to medium, still pink at the center, or until an instant read thermometer registers 135 to 140 degrees F. Continue to cook as needed.
• Transfer to a platter, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. To serve, slice each duck breast on the diagonal and spoon the sauce over the slices.

DUCK BREAST WITH CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallot and saute until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more- be careful not to burn.
• Add chicken stock, wine, preserves, cherries, balsamic vinegar, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
• Simmer over medium heat until mixture reduces by half and cherries are softened.
• Whisk in dijon mustard and butter. Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare duck breasts by scoring the fat (do not slice into the breast-meat). Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat a cast iron (or other oven-safe) skillet over medium heat. Sear duck breasts, fat side down, for 6 minutes. Then flip and cook meat-side down for 1 minute more.
• Flip back to fat-side down. Cook in oven for 5-6 minutes for medium rare.
• Remove from oven and rest on a separate plate for 5 minutes before slicing.
• Serve with cherry sauce.

ROAST DUCK BREAST WITH DRIED CHERRIES AND PORT

Steps:

• Wrap each duck breast in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet until each breast is about 1 inch thick. Place the duck on a plate, sprinkle both sides with a total of 4 teaspoons salt, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
• When ready to cook the duck, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, making a crosshatch pattern but not cutting down to the meat.
• In a large (12-inch) heavy-bottomed, ovenproof skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Place the duck breasts in the pan, skin side down. Cook uncovered over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes, discarding the fat from the pan occasionally, until the skin is very browned. Turn the duck with tongs, place the skillet in the oven, and roast for 12 to 18 minutes, until the internal temperature of the duck is 120 degrees F for rare. Remove from the oven, cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil, and allow the duck to rest for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and saute for 2 minutes, until tender. Add the vinegar and cook for one minute. Add the Port, chicken stock, cherries, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the crème fraîche, orange zest, and orange juice and keep warm over low heat.
• Transfer the duck to a cutting board and slice diagonally, fanning the slices out on 4 dinner plates. Spoon the sauce generously on top, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot with extra sauce on the side.