During autumn, I love these warm spices and meat. Since I made some sweet and sour cherries in august I wanted to use those in a dinner recipe. The sweet/sour flavor of the cherries go great with the more fatty duck & bitter chicory. Maybe this sounds like a difficult recipe, however I am promising you that it is really not too difficult. You could serve the dish with potato or parsnip puree. However sometimes I am just in the mood for a more heavy dessert after dinner.. Like this Ricepudding!
Duck, Cherries & Chicory
Equipment
- Baking pan
- Cooking pan
Ingredients
- 4 Chicory
- 2 Duck Breasts
- 4 tbsp Sweet & Sour Cherries
- 150 ml Port
- 100 ml Stock for example: mushroom stock
- Thyme optional
- Pinch of Cinnamon
- 4 tbsp Sweet & Sour Juice from the cherrie jar; or use 2 tbsp honey and 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 10 gram Butter ice cold
Instructions
Preparation
- Score the fatty side of the duck breasts with a parellel pattern, and season with some salt & pepper.
- Cut the chicory in half. Then cook the chicory in some salted water for about 5 minutes.
Baking the Duck & Chicory
- Melt 20 grams of butter in the baking pan. Then add the duck breasts skin side down. Bake for 5 minutes on a medium high heat to crisp up the skin.
- Then turn the duck breasts, put the fire on a medium heat and bake for another 5 minutes.
- Place the duck breasts on a deep plate and cover with some tinfoil to keep them warm.
- Melt the last bit of butter in pan and bake the chicory for 5 minutes (or until brown and caramelized)
Sauce Making
- Use the baking pan of the duck breast for this. The fat will add a great flavor to this delicious sauce. Add the port, stock, thyme and pinch of cinnamon to the baking pan. Bring to the boil and let it reduce with a third. Then turn off the heat. Add the sweet and sour juice, cherries and the juice (from the deep plate) and mix.
- Turn off the heat. Add the sweet&sour juice or honey and vinegar and the rest juices of the duck and stir through.
- Cut the ice cold butter in small cubes. Then, while stirring, add the cubes of butter. You can add the new cube of butter once the previous one is dissolved in the sauce.
- Time to serve!