Duck Breasts With Balsamic Cherry Glaze

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey (orange blossom)
• 1/4 cup dried tart cherry
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 (6 ounce) boneless duck breasts
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 8 fresh sage leaves

Recipe

• 1 for the glaze, combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, cherries and cayenne pepper in a small saucepan.
• 2 bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the mixture has reduced by half to form a thick, syrupy glaze; keep warm until ready to serve.
• 3 with the point of a knife, score the skin side of the duck breasts in a crosshatch pattern, being careful not to pierce the flesh.
• 4 season the duck breasts with the salt and pepper.
• 5 preheat a dry (oil-less) saute pan over medium/high heat before adding the breasts, skin-side down.
• 6 cook the duck over medium/high heat approximately 6 to 8 minutes (rendering out the fat).
• 7 momentarily remove the duck from the pan and set the duck aside.
• 8 fry the sage leaves in the rendered duck fat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the leaves are crisp and dark green.
• 9 transfer the sage to paper towels to drain.
• 10 remove the excess fat from the saute pan, then add the duck (opposite side) back into the hot pan.
• 11 saute the opposite side of the breasts for another 3 to 4 minutes (the meat should be medium-rare).
• 12 remove the duck from the pan and slice the breasts crosswise or diagonally.
• 13 for serving, arrange the slices on each plate, drizzle the duck with the warm balsamic cherry glaze and garnish each serving with two fried sage leaves.