Seared Duck With Pinot Noirpomegrante Reduction Recipes

PAN-SEARED WILD DUCK BREAST WITH PORT WINE REDUCTION

Steps:

• Schneider's recipe calls for a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder because she started with whole peppercorns and allspice berries. I simply stir my salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar, zest and thyme in a small bowl. It works just fine. The mixture should look like sand.
• Place the duck breasts on a platter and rub the spice mixture into them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. About 20 minutes before cooking, remove the duck breasts from the refrigerator and return to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 450ºF. Pat dry with paper towels. With a paring knife, remove the tenderloin, the thin strip of meat that runs lengthwise down the underside of each breast.
• Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot - it doesn't have to be smoking - put the duck breasts in fat side down. Let the breasts sizzle for about a minute (or longer if your kitchen isn't getting too smoky) or a minute and a half, then place the pan in the oven. After two and half minutes total have passed, open the oven, flip the breasts over, close the oven and cook for another two to two and a half minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the breasts to a platter, and let rest for five minutes. Turn your oven off.
• While the breasts are resting, finish reducing the sauce. (See my notes below with the sauce recipe - I make the sauce a day in advance, and then heat as much as I think we need for the two of us while the breasts are resting.) Place your sauce in a small sauce pan or frying pan and heat over medium-high heat. In no time, the sauce should start to thicken up, at which point you should remove the pan from the stovetop. Slice the breasts, if desired, and pour your beautiful sauce over top. (Or, don't slice the breasts, just pour the sauce over top.)

SEARED DUCK WITH PINOT NOIR/POMEGRANTE REDUCTION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Add shallots, season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cook until soft. Add wine, beef stock, pomegranate juice, thyme and cayenne. Bring to a boil then reduce to simmer and cook until reduced by half, about 20 minutes. Just before serving add remaining tablespoon of butter.
• Let the duck breasts come to room temperature on the kitchen counter while heating a cast iron skillet with medium-high heat.
• Generously season both sides of the duck with remaining salt and pepper and add to the skillet, skin side down. Allow some fat to render and the skin to crisp, about 7-10 minutes.
• When the skin is crisp, flip the breasts. Using a spoon, empty most of the rendered duck fat from the skillet into a small dish. Add the skillet into the preheated oven to finish cooking (another 7-10 minutes for medium). (Removing extra fat from the skillet will prevent the chance of a fire in the oven).
• When duck has finished cooking, remove from skillet and let rest for 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of reserved duck fat to skillet and then add brussel sprouts. Season with salt and pepper and cook until soften and crisp around the edges.