Magret de canard aux cerises

Magret de canard aux cerises

Description

Magret de canard aux cerises aka duck breast with cherries is a nice compliment of flavours.

Ingredients

• 2 fat magrets de canard, around 1 pound each (or 4 ordinary duck breasts)
• sea salt
• 1 pound fresh red cherries
• 2 tsp clear honey, for preference thyme- or herb-scented
• juice of 1 orange, plus 4 slivers of zest
• 3/4 cup red wine
• a spring of thyme
• freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

1. Over medium heat warm a ridged grill pan.
2. At 1/2" intervals score the fat of the magret, down to the pink flesh.
3. Salt well and let stand for ~10 min.
4. Put meat on the warmed grill, fat side down.
5. Keep the runoff of fat into a bowl, set aside 1 tbsp.
6. Keep magrets on heat with the 1 tbsp of fat, cooking for ~12 min.
7. Have the pan with hot duck fat on over gentle heat.
8. Include the cherries with the duck fat.
9. Coat the cherries and cook for a few min.
10. Include honey, orange juice, zest slivers, red wine, sprig of thyme and a few grinds of pepper.
11. Boil, then reduce to simmer for ~10 min.
12. Turn magrets over, flesh side down.
13. Drain off any fat.
14. Cook for ~5 min.
15. Flip back over to brown and crisp up the fat.
16. Remove from heat.
17. Let stand for ~5 min.
18. Heat the cherry sauce and remove the springs.
19. Slice magrets across the scores of fat, spoon the cherris and sauce on the side of the meat.
20. Garnish each plate with a sliver of orange peel.