DUCK BREAST

DUCK BREAST

Warning:  This takes two days to prepare!

Ingredients:

·         2 duck breasts

·         1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

·         1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

·         1 shallot, very finely chopped 

·         1/2 cup dry sherry

·         1/2 cup vinegar sherry

·         2 tablespoons honey

·         1 teaspoon thyme

·         1 tablespoon unsalted butter 

Directions:

STEP 1:  Dry the duck.

1. Muscovy duck provides a good breast to cook.  The breast will be large and boneless and have a thick layer of fat.  Score the fat with diagonal cuts, and then score again so that there is a nice pattern of squares.
2. Place the duck onto a wire baking pan, so that the duck is lifted up above the flat surface.
3. Add the salt and pepper and pour onto the duck, FAT SIDE UP.  Rub the spices into the duck’s fat side.
4. Put the duck into the refrigerator, UNCOVERED for a minimum of 24 hours, 2 days even better. 

STEP 2: Cook it slow.

1. Take the duck out of the refrigerator and leave it out for about an hour.
2. Put the duck onto a greased skillet or pan and cook on LOW to MEDIUM LOW heat, with the FAT SIDE DOWN! That may not feel right, but it is.  Cooking flesh side down dries out the duck.  It will look like it is not doing anything, but it is cooking at the right speed! Cook 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Flip the duck and cook flesh side for 3 minutes, basting with the fat juices frequently. Duck that is medium rare should be 135 degrees, while for medium well it should be 155 degrees.
4. Take the duck off the skillet and rest for ten minutes.

STEP 3: Prepare the sauce.

1. Drain some of the excess fat from the pan, leaving one or two tablespoons in the pan.
2. Set the stove to medium high heat and pour in the sherry and the vinegar sherry.
3. Scrap the skillet immediately to loosen any of the cooked in bits.
4. Boil the liquid until it has reduced to about 2 tablespoons, which should take about 3 minutes or so.
5. Add shallots, broth, thyme, honey and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
6. Boil until the liquid has reduced again, to about half, about 3 minutes.
7. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter, stirring continually.

STEP 4: Slice and Serve

1. Cut and remove the two long ends of the breasts.
2. Slice the duck in half, longways, so that it looks like a slice of beef roast from a London Broil, thinly and at an angle.
3. Place on plate and pour on top of the duck some sauce.