DIVINE BONELESS DUCK BREAST WITH PORT WINE SAUCE

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Divine Boneless Duck Breast With Port Wine Sauce image

I first found and tried this recipe in 1999 on Epicurious. It does take a lot of work but it is so worth it! The sauce can be made the day before and slowly reheated. This is divine duck! But(hiccup), here's the lesson I learned, don't drink too much wine while making it or you'll get lost in the many steps.

Provided by Penny Stettinius

Categories     Duck Breasts

Time 9h

Yield 8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 18

1 1/4 cups dry red wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
2 boneless duck breasts, whole, with skin on (approx. 2 lbs each)
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup shallot, minced
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 cups dry red wine
3/4 cup beef broth
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup tawny port

Steps:

  • marinade:.
  • In a bowl whisk together the wine, the vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic, gingerroot, oil and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Put the duck breasts in a large resealable plastic bag, pour the marinade over them, and seal the bag.
  • Put the plastic bag in a large bowl and let the duck marinate, chilled, overnight.
  • Remove the duck from the marinade and pat it dry between layers of paper towels.
  • Preheat oven to 450.
  • Score the skin of each duck breast in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife and sprinkle both sides of the duck with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Heat 2 heavy skillets over moderately high heat until they are hot and in each skillet cook 1 of the duck breasts, skin side down, for 10 minutes.
  • Turn the duck and cook it for 2 minutes more.
  • Transfer the skillets to the middle of the preheated 450°F oven (wrap the skillet handles with a double thickness of foil if the handles are not ovenproof), and roast the duck for 5 to 7 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 145°F to 150°F for medium meat.
  • While the duck is roasting, in a small heavy saucepan combine the sugar and the water, bring the mixture to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved, and boil it, swirling the pan, until the mixture is a golden caramel. Add the vinegars carefully, swirling the pan until the caramel is dissolved, and reserve the mixture.
  • Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let it stand, covered loosely with foil, for 5 minutes.
  • Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from 1 of the skillets and in the fat remaining in the skillet cook the shallot and the garlic over moderately low heat, stirring, until the shallot is softened.
  • Add the dry red wine and boil the mixture until it is reduced by half.
  • Add the broth, boil the mixture until it is reduced by one third, and pour the mixture through a fine sieve set over the reserved vinegar mixture, pressing hard on the solids.
  • Whisk in the cream and the Port, simmer the mixture for 1 minute, and add the beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking until the sauce is smooth.
  • Simmer the sauce, whisking occasionally, for 2 minutes, whisk into the sauce any juices that have accumulated on the cutting board, and season the sauce with salt and pepper.
  • Cut the duck diagonally across the grain into thin slices, divide the duck slices among 8 plates, and spoon the sauce over the duck.
  • **A beurre manié is made by kneading together 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour.

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