Duck Breasts With Cherry Port Sauce

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2 cup port wine
• 1/2 cup dried tart cherry
• 4 duck breasts (boneless-about 8 ounces each)
• salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste (for the duck)
• 1/4 cup chopped shallot
• 1/2 lb fresh rhubarb, trimmed and sliced
• 1/2 lb fresh sugar snap pea
• 2 cups chicken broth or 2 cups stock
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper
• salt, to taste

Recipe

• 1 in a small saucepan heat the port over moderate heat until it is hot; add the cherries, cover the pot and let the mixture stand for 15 minutes.
• 2 score the skin of the duck in a crosshatch pattern and season both sides of the duck with salt and pepper.
• 3 heat a medium saute pan over high heat until it is very hot.
• 4 add the duck, skin-side down and reduce the heat to moderately-low.
• 5 cook the duck for 6 to 8 minutes, pouring off the accumulated fat.
• 6 transfer the duck to a small roasting pan and roast it for 10 minutes at 400°f (for medium-rare); let the duck stand for 10 minutes before slicing.
• 7 while the duck is roasting, pour off all but 2 tablespoons of duck fat from the saute pan.
• 8 add the shallots and saute over moderately-high heat until softened.
• 9 add the rhubarb and saute for 4 minutes; add the sugar snap peas and saute for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
• 10 transfer the rhubarb/pea mixture to a bowl and stir in one tablespoon of honey.
• 11 add the cherry/port mixture to the saute pan and let it simmer for 1 minute.
• 12 add the chicken broth/stock and simmer until reduced by one third.
• 13 whisk together the arrowroot with the orange juice, add the mixture to the sauce and then let it come to a boil; add the remaining 1 tablespoon honey, 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, and salt to taste.
• 14 divide the rhubarb/snap pea mixture among 4 plates.
• 15 slice the duck at an angle and divide it among the 4 plates (arrange on top of the rhubarb/peas), then drizzle all with the sauce.