Main Dish: Duck Breast with Port Reduction

And now for the main attraction! (Sorry to my readers who don’t eat meat, I don’t have any alternative suggestions for you today)

I’ve made duck a handful of times, using the same recipe time-after-time. Why? Because it’s delicious, savory, and not too complicated. I’ll admit, it’s not exactly pretty. But it tastes wonderful.

The first time I was going to make duck at home (about 4 years ago when I was still living with roommates), I went through hundreds of recipes online, looking for just the right one. My Nana had suggested duck l’orange, immediately afterwards reminiscing on how the duck was oily and she only made it the one time, never revisiting the recipe. I was determined not to make the duck using this recipe for fear of a similar lackluster experience.

Instead, the recipe I’m sharing today came about by researching like crazy then making something entirely different. I wish I could recall which recipes are mashed-up to create this dish, but it’s changed so often over the years that the recipe has since become my own.

Have you recently made a dish that started as a found recipe but has, over time, become your own?

Duck Breast

Ingredients

• 3 duck breasts – approximate cost $30.00
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt – approximate cost $0.15
• 1 teaspoon black pepper – approximate cost $0.10
• 3 teaspoons grapeseed oil – approximate cost $0.30

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Score the skin on each duck breast.
3. Season each piece with sea salt and black pepper.
4. Heat 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil in a frying pan on medium-low heat.
5. Place the duck breast, skin side down, in the frying pan.
6. Cook until the layer of fat under the skin begins to reduce and the skin is browned.
7. Turn and cook until the flesh is browned.
8. Remove to a baking dish.
9. Pour any remaining oil/fat into a separate pot.
10. Repeat for the remaining duck breasts.
11. Move baking dish with duck breasts to the oven.
12. Bake until the juices run clear (about 15-20 minutes).
13. Allow duck breasts to rest at room teamperature for 5 minutes before serving.

Port Reduction

Ingredients

• Leftover duck fat/grapeseed oil from cooking
• 2 cups chicken stock – approximate cost $2.00
• 3/4 cup port wine – approximate cost $2.00
• 1 sprig fresh thyme – approximate cost $0.25

Method

1. Combine chicken stock, fat/oil, port, and thyme in a pot.
2. Bring to a boil then reduce to medium heat.
3. Cook for about 30-45 minutes (or until reduced by about half), there should be about 1 1/4 cups of liquid
4. Strain thyme from mixture.
5. Drizzle over duck breasts and pour remaining sauce into a bowl for serving.

Makes 3 servings (approximate cost: $11.60 per serving).

Monday Link Parties

• Marvelous Mondays (hosted by Julie from This Gal Cooks, Ang from Juggling Act, Pamela from It’s Me Again…Pamela, and Deb from Cooking on the Front Burner)

• Manic Monday (hosted by Melissa from Serendipity and Spice)

• Mop It Up Mondays (hosted by Kristi from I Should Be Mopping the Floor)

• Mouthwatering Monday (hosted by Rachel from A Southern Fairytale)

• Hunk of Meat Monday (hosted by Beyer Beware)
• The Bulletin Board (hosted by Mrs. Happy Homemaker)
• Made by you Monday (hosted by Skip to my Lou)
• Melt in Your Mouth Monday (hosted by Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms)
• On the Menu Monday (hosted by Stone Gable)

Posted by Amber on January 21, 2013

https://thecookssister.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/main-dish-duck-breast-with-port-reduction/