Stuffed And Seared Duck Breasts Recipes

STUFFED DUCK BREAST WITH WALNUT, DRIED CHERRIES AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Carefully cut a pocket into the side of the duck breast horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through. Combine the goat cheese and walnuts in a bowl, then gently spoon inside the pocket in the duck breast. Set aside.
• Macerate the dried cherries in 1 cup of the Champagne for 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the Champagne in a saucepan and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in sugar, season to taste and set aside.
• Cut a crosshatch pattern into the skin of the duck breast being careful to not cut through to the flesh. Sprinkle the flesh side with salt.
• Place in the oil in a pan, skin-side down, over medium-low heat. Cook to render of some of the fat and crisp up the skin, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Flip the breast, reduce the heat to medium and cook on the flesh side, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
• Slice and serve topped with sauce and mashed sweet potatoes.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, fill with water to cover and add some salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the potatoes until fork tender (a fork pierces a piece easily), about 13 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes well. Transfer them to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the goat cheese, butter, honey, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend again until everything is well combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 1 minute.
• Spoon the potatoes into a resealable plastic bag with its corner snipped or a pastry bag fitted with a tip, or spoon directly onto plates.

DUCK BREAST WITH FENNEL AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Place duck breasts, skin side down, on work surface. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine garlic, fennel, rosemary and olive oil in small bowl. Press herb mixture over duck breast meat. Place 1 breast atop the other, meaty sides together. Tie breasts together with cooking string.
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add tied duck breasts and cook until well browned on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Pour fat from skillet and discard. Transfer skillet with duck to oven. Roast duck to desired doneness, turning occasionally, about 25 minutes for medium. Transfer duck to work surface; let rest 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour pan drippings into glass measuring cup. Spoon fat off top. Remove string and cut each breast into 1/2-inch slices. Drizzle any pan juices over and serve immediately.
• *Available at specialty foods stores or from Joie de Vivre; call 800-648-8854, or go to www.frenchselections.com.

GARLIC ROASTED DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Place duck breast skin side-down on a cutting board. Cut a small slit from top to bottom, 2/3 of the way through the duck breast. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Place duck breast skin side-down in the hot skillet; cook until browned, about 30 seconds. Flip and repeat on the other side.
• Transfer duck breast to a clean work surface, skin-side down. Place 3 or 4 garlic strips inside the slit. Place rosemary sprig over garlic; top with remaining garlic strips. Place skin side-up in a baking pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 120 degrees F (50 degrees C), about 10 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

STUFFED DUCKLING

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the bread cubes, rice, basil, rosemary, sage, parsley flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add the raisins, pecans and enough broth to moisten; toss gently., Sprinkle duck cavity with remaining salt. Lightly stuff bread mixture into duck. Place breast side up on a rack in shallow roasting pan. Prick skin well with a fork., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-3/4 to 2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for duck and 165° for stuffing. Drain fat as it accumulates during roasting. Cover duck with foil and let stand for 20 minutes before removing stuffing and carving.

STUFFED AND SEARED DUCK BREASTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees. Use a sharp knife to slice into each duck breast half at thickest part to create a pocket the entire length of breast, being sure not to poke through the other end (If you'd like, score the skin as shown in the photo. Scoring renders the fat more thoroughly and keeps the skin from warping and sticking in the pan). In a bowl, mix together the garlic, fennel seeds, rosemary, Parmesan and olive oil until paste-like. Use your fingers to push herb mixture into each duck breast, filling pocket as much as possible. Sprinkle breasts with salt and pepper.
• Heat heavy, large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add duck breasts skin side down and cook until nicely browned, about 10 minutes. Turn meat and transfer skillet to oven; roast 10 to 15 minutes for medium-rare. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into meat should read about 125 degrees.)
• Remove duck to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Carve on the bias into 1/2-inch pieces; serve with pan juices.