Duck Breast With Crème Fraîche And Roasted Grapes Recipes

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH GRAPE SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a sharp paring knife, score the fat in the duck breasts a couple times in two directions to create a crosshatch pattern. Cut through the fat but not into the meat of the breast. Salt the breasts and let sit outside the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
• Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large saute pan. Place the duck in the pan skin-side down. Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the duck breasts low and slow to allow the fat to render and so the skin can get nice and crispy. As the fat renders out of the duck, pour or spoon it out of the pan and SAVE IT for another purpose. (It's yummy!) Cook the duck for 8 to 9 minutes on the skin side. Turn the duck over and cook the duck for 2 to 3 minutes on the flesh side. Remove the duck from the pan, cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
• Add the grapes to the pan with the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. Cook the grapes until they split and let out their juices and the bacon is crisp.
• Spoon half the grapes out of the pan and reserve. Add the port and vinegar to the pan, season with salt and reduce the port by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce it by half. Add in the reserved grapes. Taste and re-season if needed.
• Slice the duck on a severe bias and serve garnished with the sauce.

DUCK BREAST WITH CRèME FRAîCHE AND ROASTED GRAPES

Steps:

• Using sharp knife, score skin of duck breast diagonally to create 3/4-inch-wide diamond pattern. Sprinkle crushed juniper berries and thyme over both sides of breast; press to adhere. Place on rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 4 hours. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Preheat oven to 500°F. Arrange grape clusters in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast until skins are slightly crisp but grapes are still soft and juicy inside, about 14 minutes. Cool. (Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
• Sprinkle both sides of duck breasts with salt and pepper. Heat heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add duck, skin side down; cook until almost all fat is rendered, about 7 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook until skin is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Turn duck over and cook about 3 minutes longer for medium-rare. Let duck rest 5 minutes.
• Divide arugula among 6 plates. Thinly slice duck breasts crosswise and fan out slightly; place 1 breast atop arugula on each plate. Drizzle crème fraîche over each breast. Divide grapes among plates.

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.

DUCK BREAST WITH GRAPES, TURNIPS AND A PORT EMULSION

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Score the duck skin with a sharp knife. Season both sides of the breast with salt, but only put pepper on the flesh side. Place breast in a cold saute pan and place over low heat. As fat renders out of the skin, drain it off. When skin is crisp and golden, increase flame to medium and turn breast over. Add 2 of the thyme sprigs, the garlic clove and about 2 tablespoons butter. Finish cooking the breasts until medium rare. Remove from the pan and hold in a 200 degree oven. Drain off excess fat from pan. Add shallots and cook until translucent, about one minute. Add port, remaining thyme sprigs, ground coriander seeds and vinegar. Reduce until almost all the liquid is gone. Whisk in cold unsalted butter cubes in small additions. If emulsion becomes too thick , add a touch of chicken stock or water. Strain and keep in a warm, not hot, place. Saute in butter or vegetable oil the turnips until golden or tender. Season with salt and black pepper. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. Repeat the process with the grapes. Drain on paper towels and keep warm. To serve, slice the duck breast thinly. Arrange on warm plates (not too hot, or your emulsion may break). Mix together the emulsion, turnips, and grapes. Spoon over the duck and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves, chervil pluches, or chive points.

GRILLED DUCK BREASTS WITH CRèME FRAîCHE, ROASTED GRAPES, AND POTATO-BACON GRATIN

Steps:

• Pound the juniper berries in a mortar until coarsely ground. Score the skin of the duck breasts with a sharp knife, and season with the juniper berries and the thyme. Cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
• Light the grill 30 to 40 minutes before cooking, and remove the duck from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F.
• Using scissors, snip the grapes into six clusters. Toss the clusters gently with the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast the grapes on a baking sheet 12 to 15 minutes, until the skin is slightly crispy and starting to blister.
• When the coals are broken down, red, and glowing, push the embers to one side of the grill. Season the duck with salt and pepper. Place the duck breasts, skin side down, on the cooler half of the grill. As they cook, rotate the breasts in a quarter-turn pattern every 2 minutes or so, to allow the fat to render and the skin to crisp. Turn the breasts over, and cook a few more minutes, until the duck is medium-rare and still springy to the touch. Remove from the heat, and rest 5 minutes, on a wire rack set over a baking sheet.
• Scatter the greens onto a large warm platter. Slice the duck breasts, and place them over the greens. Spoon a little crème fraîche over each duck breast, and arrange the clusters of roasted grapes around the platter. Serve the potato-bacon gratin at the table.
• Potato-Bacon Gratin
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Cut the bacon into 3/8-inch-thick slices, and stack them in two piles, then cut the bacon crosswise into 3/8-inch even-sided rectangular shapes, or lardons.
• Heat a large sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for a minute. Swirl in the olive oil and add the bacon. Cook the bacon about 5 minutes, stirring often, until tender and lightly crisped. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon, reserving the bacon fat in the pan.
• Add the onions, 2 teaspoons thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and some pepper to the pan. Cook 15 minutes, stirring and scraping with a wooden spoon, until the onions start to caramelize. Turn the heat down to low, and continue to cook, about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are a deep golden brown. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes into 1/16-inch-thick rounds. Pour 1/2 cup cream evenly onto the bottom of a 9-by-9-inch (or equivalent) gratin dish. Place one layer of potatoes side by side, slightly overlapping, on the bottom of the dish. Spread a third of the onions over them and scatter a third of the bacon on top. Arrange a second layer of potatoes, drizzle a 1/4 cup cream over it, and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt, a healthy pinch of pepper, and 1 teaspoon thyme. Press the potatoes down with your fingers, letting the cream soak up through the layers. This will ensure that the cream is evenly distributed and coats the potatoes well.
• Arrange another layer of potatoes on top, followed by another third of the caramelized onions and the bacon. Drizzle over another 1/4 cup cream, and continue with two more layers of potatoes. Drizzle with 1/2 cup cream and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper. Press the potatoes down with your fingers again. Scatter the rest of the onions and bacon over the potatoes, and drizzle with 1/3 cup cream. Season one last time with 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon thyme, and a pinch of pepper. The cream should cover the potatoes but not be "soupy." Add more cream if the gratin seems dry.
• Cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender when pierced. Remove from the oven, and carefully uncover. Turn the oven up to 425°F and return the gratin to the oven. Cook another 20 minutes or so, until the top is nice and golden brown (as in "gratinéed").
• Note
• Marinate the duck overnight and make the gratin in the morning, then reheat the gratin (giving it that beautiful gratinée color) while the ducks are on the grill.

GRILLED DUCK BREAST WITH MORELS

Steps:

• Skin the duck breasts (the skin can be fried over low heat and the fat used for frying potatoes on another occasion). Sprinkle the breasts with safflower oil and set aside. (If you have decided to render the duck skin, omit the safflower oil and sprinkle the breasts with a tablespoon of the hot duck fat before grilling them.)
• Clean the morels thoroughly under running water.
• Melt the butter in a skillet and soften the shallots.
• Preheat broiler.
• Add the morels to the skillet and saute for five minutes, stirring frequently. Meanwhile, broil the duck breasts for about three minutes on each side. They should be rare in the middle.
• Add the brandy to the morels, cook for a minute, then add the creme fraiche. Heat through, season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture on two individual plates and add the duck breasts. Serve immediately.