Seared Duck Breast with Ginger-Rhubarb Sauce

The sweet, spicy heat from the ginger preserves is balanced by tart rhubarb and wine. The flavor of ginger preserves is close to that of crystallized ginger. Serve this dish over creamy polenta with steamed baby bok choy. Use frozen rhubarb if you can't find fresh, and boneless chicken breast halves for the duck, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 duck breast half and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

Ingredients

• 2  cups  dry red wine
• 1  cup  finely chopped rhubarb
• 2  tablespoons  finely chopped shallots
• 1  bay leaf
• 1  star anise
• 1/2  cup  ginger preserves
• 1/2  teaspoon  kosher salt, divided
• 2  (12-ounce) packages boneless whole duck breast, thawed, skinned, and cut in half
• 1/2  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 2  teaspoons  olive oil

Preparation

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced to 1 cup (about 18 minutes). Stir in preserves and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute. Strain wine mixture through a sieve over a bowl. Discard solids.

Sprinkle duck with 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add duck; cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut duck diagonally across the grain into thin slices; serve with sauce.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

380 (23% from fat)

Fat:

9.5g (sat 2.6g,mono 3.7g,poly 1.2g)

Protein:

34.2g

Carbohydrate:

23.1g

Fiber:

0.6g

Cholesterol:

131mg

Iron:

8.3mg

Sodium:

347mg

Calcium:

29mg