9 January 2011Marinade Duck Breast with Red Wine and Cherries

This can be done with a whole duck as long as you don’t mind carving the duck! Just double the marinade recipe and leave for about 10 hours to soak up the flavor.

Ingredients

2 duck breasts

3 tablespoons cherry jam-preferably non sweetened

300mls good red wine

100 mls stock

Marinade

½ cup brown sugar

½ salt

½ ltr apple juice

2 bay leaves

3 dried chillies

½ onion finely chopped

5 garlic cloves lightly crushed with the back of a knife

4 cloves

4 allspice berries- crushed

Method

Heat the apple juice with the salt and sugar, allow to cool. Add the bay leaves, chillies, cloves, garlic, onion and allspice to the marinade and pour over duck breasts or duck, cover and place

In fridge for up to 6 hours, the longer you leave it the stronger the flavor.

Remove from marinade and pat dry with paper towel, throw out the marinade.

For Duck Breasts

Heat oil in frying pan and sear the duck breasts on both sides, cook a further 3-4 minutes on both sides depending on how rare you like your duck.
Remove from pan and allow to rest in a warm place, remove excess oil from pan, add wine and allow reducing slightly, adding stock and the jam and removing from the heat.

Carve the duck breasts, arrange on plates and pour over sauce.

For Whole Duck

For a whole duck bake in the oven at 200deg for about 1 hour 10mins depending on the weight of the duck.

When cooked, rest covered for about 5 minutes, then carve and serve as for duck breasts.