Peppered duck breast with red wine sauce

By 2011-12-27 19:24:03

Evan Sung for The New York Times

Time: 11/2 hours

3 Muscovy duck breasts, about 1 pound each

Salt

1 tablespoon freshly crushed black peppercorns

4 garlic cloves, sliced

Thyme sprigs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 large shallot, sliced

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons medium-bodied red wine

2 cups unsalted chicken broth

1 tablespoon Cognac or brandy

2 teaspoons potato starch.

Evan Sung for The New York Times
Peppered duck breast with red wine sauce and celery root-potato purée.

1. Remove the tenderloins, thin strips of meat on undersides of the duck breast, and reserve for the sauce. With a sharp knife, trim away any gristle from the undersides and trim any excess fat from the edges of the breasts. Score the skin in a diamond-shaped pattern, without cutting to the meat. Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides, then rub 1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns all over. Sprinkle with the garlic and a few thyme sprigs, cover, and leave at room temperature for an hour. (For deeper flavor, refrigerate for several hours or overnight, then return to room temperature to cook.)

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallot and the reserved duck tenderloins; let them brown well, stirring occasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and a small thyme sprig and let them fry for a minute, then add

1/4 cup wine and the chicken broth. Raise the heat to a brisk simmer and let the liquid reduce to about 1 1/4 cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and return to the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and the Cognac or brandy and cook for 1 minute more. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoons cold water, then stir into sauce. Whisk in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Taste and add salt as necessary. (Sauce may be made in advance and reheated, thinned with a little broth.)

3. Remove and discard the garlic and thyme sprigs from the breasts. Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, lay in the duck breasts skin side down and let them sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook for a total of 7 minutes, checking to make sure the skin isn’t browning too quickly. With tongs, turn the breasts over and let them cook on the bottom side, 3 minutes for rare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm platter and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice crosswise, not too thickly, at a slight angle. Serve with the sauce.

From www.nytimes.com