I know from my Top Chef addiction that I didn't want to overcook the duck breast (a mortal sin in Tom Colicchio's world) and that sauteing the breast was probably a good idea. With a little more research, I found that a red wine sauce would be a good match. Now, this I know how to do.
What I created was probably the most elegant week night meal I've ever made and all in 20 minutes. I honestly couldn't believe how good it was. If you want to impress the heck out of someone, next time reach for the duck.
Sauteed Duck Breast with Red Wine Mushroom Sauce
2 servings
olive oil
1 duck breast (if y
our breast still has a wing attached like mine did, you can cut it off and freeze it for later use - like a gumbo)
salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound mushrooms, chopped
1 cup red wine
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Score the skin of the duck. Salt and pepper both sides.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Saute the duck, skin side down for 7-8 minutes. Turn the duck over and saute for another 3-4 minutes for medium rare. You can cook another couple of minutes for medium, but be careful not to overcook the duck. Ideally, you want the duck to be pink in the middle. It's not like chicken - it's ok for it to be pink.
Place the duck in an ovenproof dish and place it in the oven to keep it warm.
In the skillet, drain off any excess fat if necessary. You want to have about a tablespoon of fat/oil in the pan. Heat the oil and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the mushrooms are just tender. Season with salt and pepper then add the red wine. Cook until the wine reduces by about a third, a little more if you'd prefer a thicker sauce.
Slice the duck and spoon the mushroom sauce over it. I served the duck over some quinoa and with sauteed Swiss chard.
