Duck Breast With Grapes Turnips And A Port Emulsion 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 BREASTS WITH TURNIPS AND EASTERN SPICES

Steps:

• Trim the ends of the turnips and peel them. Cut into 1/4-inch slices.
• Place the duck breasts and the turnips in a large saucepan, and cover with boiling water. Cook, simmering, over low heat for one minute. Remove the duck breast, and cook the turnips two minutes longer. Remove the turnips, and place the duck breasts and the turnips into an ice-water bath to prevent them from cooking further. When cool, remove the duck and the turnips. Pat the duck dry with a paper towel. Using a sharp knife, remove the thick, excess fat, leaving a thin layer of fat underneath. Score the surface of the fat diagonally.
• Grind the coriander, clove and cumin by placing them on a cutting board and crushing them with a heavy sauce pan. This can also be done in a spice mill, but be careful not to grind them too finely -- you want a crunchy texture to the spice crust.
• Meanwhile, season the duck breast with salt and pepper. Place in a skillet over medium-high heat, skin side down, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the turnips, turning them from time to time, and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Remove the duck and turnips from the skillet, and pour off the fat. Pat the skin of the duck with paper towels to absorb any excess fat.
• In the same skillet, combine the honey and white vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to caramelize lightly and evenly. Add the ground spices while stirring. Be careful not to burn. Remove the skillet from the heat. Return duck breasts to the skillet, fatty side down. Move them around in the pan to coat them with the spice mixture. Remove the duck, and keep warm.
• Return the skillet to medium-high heat, and add the cider. Cook, scraping the side and bottom of the pan, until all the brown particles are dissolved. Add the chicken broth, and bring to a simmer. Add the duck breasts, fatty side up, and place the turnips around them. Simmer for about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the duck and keep warm. The meat should be pink in the center.
• Bring the sauce and the turnips to a boil and cook until reduced by more than half, until the sauce has thickened to a syrupy consistency.
• Cut the breasts on a bias into thin slices. Arrange the slices of the breasts in a fan shape in the center of a warm serving plate. Garnish with turnip slices, and spoon the sauce around. Garnish with parsley.

DUCK BREASTS WITH SHALLOTS AND PORT

Steps:

• Score the skin on the duck breasts down to their meat, and season both sides with salt, pepper and herbs on both sides. Set aside.
• Heat skillet, and sear duck on both sides for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until most of the fat is rendered, skin is crisp, and meat is to cooked to desired doneness.
• Heat butter in saucepan, and saute onion, garlic and shallots until tender.
• Add brown sugar, and cook until carmelized, about a minute or two.
• Slowly add vinegar (step back, as it will steam!) and wine and allow to cook down.
• Add arrowroot which has been dissolved in 2 Tablespoons water.
• If desired, finish duck breast in the oven.
• To serve, cut the duck breast into diagonal slices and spoon some sauce on top. Serve at once.

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.

DUCK BREASTS WITH PORT REDUCTION SAUCE

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, trim away excess skin from the duck (leaving enough to amply cover the breast). Using a sharp knife, score the skin, first cutting diagonally in one direction, and then the other, in a crosshatch manner. Cut all the way through the skin and most of the fat, but avoid the flesh. Alternatively, you can use a Jaccard tool to pierce the skin. On a small rimmed baking sheet or a plate, place a 1/4 inch layer of salt rough the size of the duck breast. Place duck breast skin-side down on bed of salt. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove and brush off salt with a stiff brush. Line a small rimmed baking sheet or shallow dish with ice cubes and cover with plastic wrap. Place duck breast skin-side down on plastic wrap and weight it with a cheesecloth bundle filled with pie weights or dried beans for 25 minutes at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cheesecloth bundle and season flesh side with pepper, and place skin side down, in an unheated 10-inch skillet. Top again with cheesecloth bundle and cook over medium-low heat until a small pool of fat forms in the pan. As fat accumulates, spoon off into a heatproof bowl and reserve for another use; allowing it to cool before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. Continue to cook duck until the skin is nicely browned and crisp, about 25 minutes. Use tongs to turn breast over and top with cheesecloth bundle for 1 minute. Remove bundle and transfer skillet to oven and cook until duck is medium rare, 8 to 12 minutes. It should register 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to rest for 5 to 7 minutes. The duck will continue to cook slightly during this time.
• Drain all of fat from the pan and place over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add the port, chicken stock, and thyme, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce is syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup. Remove from heat and whisk in butter until fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
• Slice duck crosswise on a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices, fan out on serving plates, and drizzle with sauce before serving.

NO-FAIL DUCK BREAST

Steps:

• Pierce duck breast skin using a knife. Combine soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic powder, and ginger in a large shallow bowl. Add duck breasts to the marinade and let sit 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• Divide onions evenly between 2 small casserole dishes. Place 1 duck breast in each dish. Pour remaining marinade equally over duck.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove dishes from oven and carefully drain and discard as much accumulated fat as possible. Return dishes to oven and bake 20 minutes more.
• Transfer duck to serving dishes and let sit about 5 minutes. Slice thinly and top with baked onions.