Duck Breast & Wild Rice

 

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Pan Seared Roast Duck Breasts with Green Peppercorn Sauce
Wild Rice with Pine Nuts
Crisp Steamed French Cut Green Beans

Wine
2006 Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet
This dark ruby/purple tinged cabernet exhibits aromas of sweet black cherry & cassis fruit, chocolate, earth and subtle smoky oak.  It’s medium to full body has a seductive round silky texture and pairs well with the duck and wild rice dish.

One of our favorite Cabernet choices for under $25.00

 

Desert
Almond Praline Shell
Ice cream
Fruit Slices
Drizzled Chocolate Sauce

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Duck Breasts are much easier to cook than a whole duck.  In fact they are as easy as chicken breasts.  The sea-and-roast method gives them crisp golden brown skin and juicy meat.  Season the breast well since they will loose lots of salt and pepper with the fat in the sering process. The peppery pan sauce is a quick reduction of the duck juices with stock, port and wine.

 

Pre heat oven to 400′ F.
With sharp knife, cut the flesh side of the duck breas
in a shallow cross hatch pattern.
Season with salt and pepper.

 

Place in large skillet over medium high heat until the pan begins to smoke and sear the duck, fat side down, 2 minutes.

Pour off the grease and place the pan in the ovenuntil the duck is medium-rare, 10 – 12 minutes.

Turn and cook the other side 1 minute.
Remove from the pan and pour off the grease.

The duck breasts will retain their heat while you prepare the sauce.

Green Peppercorn Sauce

1/4 cup port
1/4 cup red wine
1 T green peppercorns
1 cup veal stock
1 T butter
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Place the pan the duck was roasted in
over high heat and add the port and wine
to the duck juices (be careful – they may ignite.)

 

Add the peppercorns and any juices that have accumulated around
the cooked duck breasts and scrape the bottom of the pan, bringing up the browned bits,
incorporating them into the juices.

 

Boil for 2 minutes,
then add the veal stock and boil gently 5 to 6 minutes.Swirl in the butter and season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:Cut each duck breast on the bias into 8 to 10 slices and arrange on individual plates.  Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the sauce, or to taste, over the duck and serve immediately.(To keep your meal hot for presentation
put plates in the oven after the duck has been
removed and heat has been turned off.)

Wild Rice with Pine Nuts
serves 4

Wild rice has a nut-like flavor; the sauted pine nuts emphasize this and add a bit more crunch.  the combination is especially delicious with any chicken or duck dish.

Order of preparation:
Cook wild rice. While rice is cooking saute the pine
nuts, leeks and scallions.

For the rice:
1/2 cup wild rice; 1/4 t salt 2 1/2 cups water.
Place the rice, water and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the rice is tender, 45 -55 minutes. Drain

To serve:
1 Tablespoon butter                                     1 to 2 tablespoons Chicken stock
2 heaping tablespoons pine nuts                         1/4 cup finely diced leeks (white parts only)
1/4 cup finely diced scallions (white part only)        Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper

In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt butter and saute the pine nuts 1 minute.  Add the leeks and scallions and saute 1 minute, until slightly softened.Add the rice and heat through.  Add stock, if needed, to moisten.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Almond Praline Cup
with Fruit & Ice CreamFor Recipe click here

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