Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Sauce

Andi Healey
Web Manager

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Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts (about 200-250g each)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 sprig fresh thyme

For the Cherry Port Sauce:

• 150g fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved
• 150ml ruby port
• 100ml good quality chicken or duck stock
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 25g cold butter, cubed
• Salt and pepper to taste

To Serve:

• Creamy mashed potatoes
• Tenderstem broccoli, asparagus or green beans
• Fresh cherries for garnish (optional)

Method

Preparing the Duck:

1. Score the skin: Remove duck breasts from the fridge 20 minutes before cooking. Using a sharp knife, score the skin in a crosshatch pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper on both sides.
2. Start cold: Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold Le Creuset frying pan. Turn the heat to medium. This allows the fat to render slowly without burning.
3. Render the fat: Cook for 12-15 minutes, occasionally tilting the pan to drain away the excess fat (save this for the best roast potatoes you've ever made!). The skin should turn deep golden and crispy. Add the thyme sprig to the pan for the last few minutes.
4. Flip and finish: Turn the breasts over and cook for 3-4 minutes for medium-rare, or 5-6 minutes for medium. The duck should feel springy when pressed.
5. Rest: Transfer to a board, skin-side up, and rest for 5-10 minutes while you make the sauce.

Making the Cherry Port Sauce:

1. Sauté the shallot: In a small saucepan, add a tiny knob of the butter and gently cook the diced shallot for 2-3 minutes until softened.
2. Add the port: Pour in the port and bring to a boil. Let it bubble away for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half.
3. Add cherries and stock: Stir in the cherries, stock, redcurrant jelly, and thyme. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the cherries have softened and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, coating consistency.
4. Finish with butter: Remove from heat, discard the thyme sprig, and whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time. This creates a luxurious, silky sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:

1. Slice the duck breasts diagonally into thick slices. Fan them out on warmed plates alongside your mashed potatoes and greens. Spoon the glossy cherry port sauce over the duck and around the plate. Garnish with a few fresh cherries if you're feeling fancy.

Wine Pairing

The rich, fruity sauce calls for a medium-bodied red wine. 

Try a Pinot Noir from Burgundy or New Zealand, or a Rioja Reserva. 

The wine's fruitiness will complement the cherries while standing up to the rich duck meat. 

Serve in Riedel Vinum Pinot Noir glasses to really appreciate the wine's aromas.

Why This Recipe Works for Valentine's Day

Duck breast is impressive but surprisingly simple - it's all about patience when rendering that fat. 

The deep crimson sauce looks stunning on the plate, and the combination of sweet cherries with rich port creates a sauce that tastes like romance. 

Best of all, the duck rests while you make the sauce, so there's no last-minute panic.

This is the kind of meal that makes your Valentine think you've been secretly attending culinary school.