Duck Breasts with Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce

This recipe starts with a gastrique, a classic combination of caramelized sugar, vinegar, and fruit. Whipping cream finishes the sauce, adding velvety richness that underscores the robust flavor of duck. Serve with green and wax beans.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 duck breast half and 1/4 cup sauce)

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  sugar
• 2  tablespoons  water
• 1/2  cup  dried tart cherries
• 3  tablespoons  red wine vinegar
• 1  tablespoon  olive oil, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt, divided
• 1/8  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 4  (6-ounce) boneless duck breast halves, skinned
• 1/4  cup  chopped shallots
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2  cups  pinot noir or other spicy dry red wine
• 1/2  cup  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4  cup  whipping cream

Preparation

1. Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 1 minute). Continue cooking 5 minutes or until golden (do not stir). Remove from heat; carefully stir in cherries and vinegar (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon). Place pan over low heat until caramelized sugar melts.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper over duck. Add duck to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes. Cut duck across the grain into thin slices.

3. Return skillet to medium heat. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, shallots, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute or until tender, stirring frequently. Add wine to pan; increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 6 minutes). Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes). Pour wine mixture through a fine sieve into cherry mixture; discard solids. Bring cherry mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cream; simmer 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Serve sauce over duck.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

416 (29% from fat)

Fat:

13.2g (sat 4.9g,mono 5.6g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

48.1g

Carbohydrate:

23.7g

Fiber:

4.3g

Cholesterol:

264mg

Iron:

8.5mg

Sodium:

387mg

Calcium:

42mg