Seared Duck Breast w/ Summer Blackberry Sauce
View my 30 sec Instagram post (no account required)
“I was walking along, minding my business, when love came and hit me in the eye…”
-Nat King Cole, Orange Colored Sky
A match made in heaven
Sometimes you go to the market with a plan in mind, but sometimes the market plans you. Then flash! bam! Alakazam! you just know “this is it, this is it, i-t IT!” (Can’t get that Nat King Cole out of my mind)
IT is a flash of culinary brilliance, and in this case, we have Marc to thank for it.
While I was at the Union Square Farmer’s Market gathering some veggies, Marc was off roaming the market for a protein to make for supper that night. We were there on a slower day, so our protein options were surprisingly limited, but he spotted our favorite farmers from Hudson Valley Duck Farm. Yay! So Marc bought two magret de canard and came back to ask if I was up for making duck (interesting how he asked after he bought them!). As it happens, just a few minutes earlier, I found myself with loads of fresh summer blackberries around me and bought a few pints. In a flash, I thought, why not put them together?! I’d never made a blackberry sauce before, but I know zie duck loves to be paired with zie fruit.
This dish is actually SUPER-simple & takes no time to make, so it can be served as a delicious casual weekday meal or Sunday supper, but because it tastes so special & looks very elegant, you could also serve it at your next dinner party & wow your guests.
mmmm…juicy!
What I love about duck, and particularly duck breast, is that it’s easier than a steak to sear & cook well. And the meat is so very juicy & tender & rich tasting. After seasoning both sides of your breast with sea salt, it’s important that you start your sear skin-side down in a COLD PAN. The cold pan will ensure that you get a crispy sear & render the fat because it will gradually warm up & release the fat.
As for the blackberry sauce, please make sure you use those delightful brown bits to help your sauce in this one-pan meal! The sauce is both sweet & savory and will take no time to make as you allow your duck to rest before carving.
If you are serving the dish & calling it “magret de canard” then perhaps you’d prefer to strain your sauce as the French do. But, no offense to the fabulous French, I really love this as a more rustic sauce & truly enjoyed the bits of berry with each bite of duck.
I like keeping the sauce “rustic,” but you can strain it, si vous préférez
I hope you give this one a whirl! I promise it will not disappoint, & you’ll feel like a fancy super-star who can do it all with ease.
Smooches, y'all - !
View my 30 sec Instagram post (no account required)
Seared Duck Breast w/ Summer Blackberry Sauce
ingredients:
2 duck breasts
1 c fresh blackberries
sea salt
2 t light brown sugar (i used maple sugar)
½ t cardamom
¼ c brandy
1 T apple cider vinegar
2 T butter
method:
pat duck breasts dry with paper towel & season skin (fat) side with sea salt. place skin-side down in a cold pan over medium to medium-high heat. sprinkle flesh side with sea salt.
let them cook for 5-7 minutes until the skin is brown & crisped. if you hit that sweet fat-render spot, you’ll find a lot of duck fat in your pan. briefly remove the breasts & pour off some of that fat in a heat-safe glass bowl. (save that duck fat for some potatoes, please!) then turn over the breasts back int the pan & let them cook for another 3-4 minutes.
let those breasts rest for 10 minutes while you make the blackberry sauce!
for the blackberry sauce:
toss in 1 cup fresh blackberries along with the brown sugar, cardamom & a pinch of sea salt. deglaze the pan with ¼ cup of brandy & cook down the blackberries over medium-low heat. smash down the berries as they start to soften & stir the sauce. add 1 T apple cider vinegar & TASTE your sauce! if you want more sweetness (always depends upon the berries), add some sugar to taste. then finish the sauce with 2T butter & stir.
slice duck breast at a diagonal & spoon over blackberry sauce to serve.
DEEE-LIGHTFUL!