Black and Blue Duck Breast with Dried Cranberry Compote

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You won't fear cooking duck ever again. I find the flavors from all the ingredients in this recipe to be amazing together; the sweet with the blue cheese, the tart apples with the walnuts and duck.

Serves 4
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: (Duck 35 minutes) (Apples 20 minutes) (Compote 45 minutes)

Ingredients:

Duck:
  • 2 breasts cut into halves about 4-5 ounces each
  • Blackening seasoning
  • ½ cup white wine
  • ¼ cup chicken broth
  • 4-5 ounces blue cheese

    Cranberry Compote:

  • 2 cups dried cranberries
  • 16 ounces fresh cherries
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • ½ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil

    Apples:

  • 4 granny smith apples, peeled and sliced into 8 slices each
  • 1 stick butter
  • 1cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

    Walnuts:

  • 1 cup walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons syrup

    Instructions:

    Cranberry Compote: Heat oil in sauce pan and sauté onions until tender. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 45-50 minutes covered on medium heat until reduced and thickened.

    Apples: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place butter into oven proof 9 inch square pan and melt in oven until slightly brown. Add sugar, cinnamon and apples, toss until apples are covered. Cook for 10 minutes, toss apples and continue cooking until apples are slightly tender, about 5 more minutes.

    Walnuts: On a baking sheet toss walnuts with syrup. Cook on 325 degrees F for 15-20 minutes. Remove and cool. Break apart and break walnuts into pieces.

    Duck: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine wine and broth in a non reactive dish. Place duck meat side down into wine mixture and refrigerate for 8 hours. Remove and dry duck with paper towel. Generously rub seasoning spice onto both sides of duck breast. Heat grill pan on high heat. With skin side down sear duck breast until blackened. Turn and repeat with other side. Place duck skin side up into oven proof dish and cook for 10-15 minutes or until meat thermometer reads 130-145 degrees F. Remove from oven and allow to rest 10 minutes.
    Slice thin and top with blue cheese. Serve with cranberry compote, apples and walnuts.

    Terri's Tips:

  • The duck breast will come with a layer of fat, don't remove it. It sears really well for a crispy skin and adds a lot of flavor
  • Avoid overcooking the duck- it toughens it
  • Add a little additional salt to skin side to create a crispier skin
  • You can buy a commercial blackening seasoning but if you make your own you can control all the ingredients including the heat