Pink Duck Breast With Armagnac And Chocolate Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• One day in advance: Marinate the grapes in 4 tsp of Armagnac. Place on one side. Dry off the duck breast fillets. Use a sharp knife to cut the skin in a criss-cross pattern, without cutting into the flesh. Drizzle the rest of the Armagnac over the duck breasts. Place aside in a cool place.
• On the day of preparation: Chop up the shallots. Preheat the oven, and the tray to 80 °C. Season the duck breast fillets with salt and pepper.Without adding any fat, sear them first on the skin side for 3-4 minutes, and then on the flesh side for 1-2 minutes. Lay them flesh side down on the roasting tray, and cook gently for 50 minutes.
• Sauté the shallots in the meat juices in the searing pan until golden brown. Dust the corn flour over them and continue to simmer briefly. Add the red wine. Top up with stock. Simmer for ten minutes over a low heat.
• Sieve into another pan. Add the grapes in Armagnac and the green pepper corns. Break up the chocolate and add to the sauce. Dissolve into the sauce over a medium heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place on one side.
• Remove the duck from the oven. Slice and arrange on warmed plates. Pour the sauce around.
• HINT. Serve with fennel and wild rice mix.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a rack set in the lower third of the oven and another rack set 8 inches from the broiler.
• Place vinegar, amaretto, port, wine, and fennel in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue boiling rapidly until syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Season both sides of duck breasts with salt and pepper. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat; add duck, skin-side down. Transfer pan to lowest rack in oven. Cook until skin is dark golden brown and meat feels firm (for medium-rare), 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer duck, skin-side up, to a rimmed baking sheet. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Preheat broiler to the lowest setting possible.
• Using a heavy skillet, crush almonds; spread in a thin, even layer. Spoon 1/2 teaspoon honey on the skin side of each duck breast; press into almonds to adhere. Return to baking sheet, skin-side up and fill in any gaps with remaining almonds. The whole skin side should be evenly coated.
• Transfer baking sheet to broiler and broil until almonds are toasted and sugar starts to melt, about 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the almonds don't burn before the sugar begins to melt. Remove from broiler and let stand 5 minutes before slicing.
• Meanwhile, reheat vinegar mixture over low heat until hot. Whisk in butter, a tablespoon at a time, until emulsified; season with salt and pepper. Divide sauce among serving plates and top each with a duck breast. Serve.

Steps:

• Halve duck breasts and trim excess fat. Pat duck dry. Pierce skin of duck all over with a fork and score with a knife to allow fat to drain and help skin become crisp. Season duck with salt. Heat a large heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over high heat until very hot. Put duck, skin sides down, in skillet and immediately reduce heat to moderately low. Cook duck 20 minutes, or until skin is mahogany-colored and most of fat is rendered. Remove fat from skillet with a metal bulb baster or by very carefully pouring it off. (Reserve 1 tablespoon rendered fat for Sautéed Kohlrabi and Watercress) Turn duck over and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer duck to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. (Duck will continue to cook as it stands until it reaches medium.)
• While duck is standing, in a small saucepan boil demiglace until reduced to about 3/4 cup and add vinegar, sugar, and peppercorns. Remove pan from heat and keep sauce warm, covered.
• Diagonally cut duck breast halves and serve with sauce.

Steps:

• Trim excess fat from duck breasts. Heat a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until very hot. Pat breasts dry and season with salt. Put breasts, skin sides down, in skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Cook breasts 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp and mahogany-colored, removing fat from skillet as it is rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully pouring it off). Turn breasts and cook about 2 minutes for medium-rare or to desired doneness. Transfer breasts to a plate and keep warm, covered loosely.
• While duck breasts are cooking, peel pear and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and sauté pear until lightly browned, about 1 minute. In a measuring cup stir together apple juice and cornstarch. To pear add Calvados or Armagnac. Stir in cornstarch mixture, peppercorns, demiglace or bouillon cube, and thyme and simmer, stirring, 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
• Serve duck breasts, sliced, with sauce spooned over them and garnish with thyme sprigs.