Scented with exotic spices and dappled in a sweet cherry sauce this multicultural showstopper can be a little tricky to pair – America’s own Zinfandel to the rescue. Zin’s sweet-smelling ripe black cherry and hints of baking spice are a natural pairing for this dish. Sophisticated, modern, and contemporary – serve this dish with a wild rice pilaf and haricot vert, paired with a bold zinfandel and you have one hell of a dinner party.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 cup Port
- ½ cup beef stock or chicken stock
- ¼ cup dried Montmorency cherries
- 1 tablespoon minced shallot
- ¼ cup currant jelly
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- prepared wild rice or roasted potatoes
- roasted pearl onions
- prepared haricot vert
Steps
1.
Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a rack over the top. Heat oven to 200 Degrees F.
2.
Combine the salt, pepper, five spice, sugar, orange zest and thyme.
3.
Prep duck breast by scoring the skin with a sharp knife about 1/8” deep being careful not to cut the flesh of the breast. Season the duck breasts liberally with salt rub. Let duck stand for 20 minutes to come to room temperature.
4.
Place the duck breast on the rack skin side up and roast in the oven for 1 ½ hours or more. (While the duck is roasting make sauce and sides.)
5.
When the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees remove the duck from the oven.
6.
Heat a cast iron pan to medium high heat, place the duck breast skin side down in pan and sear for 1 to 2 minutes (this will go quickly, keep an eye your duck) until skin is crispy and dark, then turnover and sear the flesh side for 1 minute.
7.
Slice the breast on an angle into ¼ inch thick slices. Serve with prepared wild rice or roasted potatoes, roasted pearl onions and prepared haricot vert.
About Chef, Lenny Redé
Restaurateur, Chef, Wine Steward, and Educator
Leonard Redé brings a unique blend of culinary and wine expertise to everything he does. An award-winning Pastry Chef, his desserts have graced the tables of Presidential State Dinners for Bill Clinton, he has presented High Tea to the late Princess Diana and created gilded birthday cakes for the Sultan of Brunei. He was nominated for educator of the year when he was a Chef Instructor at the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts. He loves to share his passion for all things gastronomic and he’ll gladly help you navigate the world of wine and is always quick with a wine pairing or recipe.