Duck With Blackberry Sauce

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/3 cup dry wine
• 1/3 cup orange juice
• 2 tablespoons raspberry vinegar
• 1 1/4 cups blackberries, frozen, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cognac
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 4 duck breasts, with skin

Recipe

• 1 melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• 2 add sugar; stir until sugar dissolves and mixture turns deep amber color, about 5 minutes.
• 3 add wine, orange juice and vinegar (mixture will bubble vigorously) and bring to boil, stirring to dissolve caramel.
• 4 add 1 1/4 cups berries and both broths and boil until sauce thickens and is reduced to about 1 cup, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
• 5 strain sauce through sieve into heavy small saucepan, pressing on berries with back of spoon.
• 6 mix in cognac and maple syrup.
• 7 set sauce aside. (can be prepared 1 day ahead. cover and chill).
• 8 preheat oven to 400.
• 9 trim any excess fat from duck breasts.
• 10 cut three 4-inch long by 1/16-inch deep lengthwise slits in skin (not meat) of duck.
• 11 season duck with salt and pepper.
• 12 heat heavy large ovenproof skillet over high heat until hot.
• 13 add duck, skin side down, and sear until brown, about 5 minutes.
• 14 turn over; cook 3 minutes.
• 15 transfer skillet to oven; continue cooking to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium.
• 16 meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer over low heat.
• 17 add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and whisk just until melted.
• 18 season to taste with salt and pepper.
• 19 spoon sauce onto plates.
• 20 slice duck and place atop sauce.
• 21 garnish with additional berries, if desired, and serve.