BACON WRAPPED DUCK BREAST WITH CRANBERRY DUCK SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Working with 1 duck breast at a time, spread a butterflied breast skin down on a work surface. Sprinkle the breast with salt and pepper. Place the cooked spinach down in a thin layer along the center the breast. Then top with a row of Onion Petals, followed by a row of cranberries in the center of the breast. Fold the duck breast meat over onto itself to form a roll. Place 4 lengthwise overlapping slices of bacon on the work surface and place 2 slices perpendicular to the 4 slices so they overlap by 1-inch to form a cross. Place the duck breast in the center, parallel to the 2 bacon slices, fold the bacon over the duck, and then roll it up to make a neat package. Repeat with the remaining duck breasts.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large ovenproof saute pan. Carefully place the bacon wrapped duck breast in the pan and cook on all sides for about 6 minutes to render and brown the bacon. Drain off most of the fat from the pan and put into the oven to finish the cooking, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and let the duck breast rest for 5 to 8 minutes before slicing. Slice each duck breast into 4 even slices. Place the sliced duck breast on the plate with the Cranberry Duck Sausage. Drizzle with the Cranberry Maple Syrup.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over high heat. Carefully place the onions in the pan cut-side down. Cook until golden brown, 2 minutes on each side. Add the butter and continue to cook the onions in the foaming butter for about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock and place the pan in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the ground duck meat, sun-dried cranberries and thyme, and mix well. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the sausage mixture into a piping bag. Find the end of the casing and slip it over the end of the piping bag and push the casing over the tip of the piping bag so that it forms an accordion-like pleat. Keep the casing wet throughout this process (keep dipping your hands in warm water). Applying pressure to the piping bag with one hand, stuff the casing with the sausage. As a sausage is formed, make links by twisting the sausage, and then pipe again. Regulate the flow of the sausage into the casing by applying different amounts of pressure to the piping bag. This will determine how tightly packed the sausage is; if you try and pack the sausage too tightly the casing will burst. If the casing does burst, tie it off at that point and start again.
• In a cast-iron skillet over medium heat, add the oil and sausages. Cook evenly on all sides until golden brown, about 6 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the maple syrup, cranberries and vanilla bean and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.