John Cesters Poultry & Game Meat

Venison & Game Meat Melbourne

Roast Duck with Cherry Sauce

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Ingredients

  • 2 kg duck, whole
  • 450 g fresh cherries, pitted, halved
  • sea salt
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) tawny (port)roast-duck
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbspsugar
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (125ml) water

Steps

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced).
  2. Remove duck from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Rinse duck inside and out, pat dry. Tie legs together with kitchen string. Using a skewer, prick skin of the breast, just into the fat, but not as deep as the meat. Make about 10 holes in each side. This will allow the fat to render out during cooking and will make the skin lovely and crisp.
  3. Place the duck on a wire rack in a baking dish, rub skin with sea salt flakes. Roast, about 2 1/2 hours, or until duck is browned and tender.
  4. Meanwhile, place cherries, soy sauce, tawny, pepper, sugar, balsamic vinegar and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 20 minutes, until it becomes syrupy. It will thicken a little more on cooling.
  5. Serve duck accompanied with cherry sauce.

(Food To Love, 2011)

SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH CHERRIES AND PORT SAUCE

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INGREDIENTS

  • 2 duck breast fillets
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) chilled butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped shallot (about 1 large)
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock353376_hires
  • 8 halved pitted sweet red cherries, fresh or frozen, thawed
  • 2 tablespoons tawny Port
  • 1 tablespoon orange blossom honey

PREPARATION

  1. Place duck breast halves between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Pound lightly to even thickness (about 1/2 to 3/4 inch). Discard plastic wrap. Using sharp knife, score skin in 3/4-inch diamond pattern (do not cut into flesh). DO AHEAD: Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle duck with salt and pepper. Add duck, skin side down, to skillet and cook until skin is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook until browned and cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for small breasts and 8 minutes longer for large breast for medium-rare. Transfer to work surface, tent with foil to keep warm, and let rest 10 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, pour off all but 2 tablespoons drippings from skillet. Add shallot to skillet and stir over medium heat 30 seconds. Add broth, cherries, Port, and honey. Increase heat to high and boil until sauce is reduced to glaze, stirring often, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 tablespoon cold butter. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
  4. Thinly slice duck. Fan slices out on plates. Spoon sauce over and serve.

Enjoy with a nice glass of red!

(Epicurious, 2012)