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| Roasted Duck Breasts w. Licorice – Merlot Sauce |
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| Ingredients 3 tablespoons honey 2 tangerines, sliced, seeded 1 1/2 cups Merlot 1/3 cup stock 8 small licorice jelly beans, halved 6 large duck breast halves, about 1/2 lb each coarse salt freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Method Heat oven to 350° Simmer honey in medium saucepan over moderate heat 1 minute. Add tangerines, cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Strain honey into another sauce pan; reserving citrus. Add wine and stock to honey. Cook over moderate heat until reduce to about 1/2 cup, about 25 minutes. Add halved jelly beans. Remove from heat; let stand until sauce has developed licorice flavor, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the duck breasts. With a sharp knife score top of each duck breast in diamond pattern. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat skillet, add 3 duck breasts, skin side down. Cook over moderate heat until skin is deep brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Spoon off fat as needed. Turn duck, cook until browned on bottom about 3 minutes. Transfer duck to baking sheet covered with foil, skin side down. Discard remaining fat from skillet. Repeat with remaining breasts. Bake duck until medium rare, or when an instant read thermometer reads about 160°, about 12 minutes. Transfer to carving board, skin side up, cover with foil. Let rest 5 minutes. Remove licorice from sauce; heat to boil. Remove from heat, whisk in butter. Season with salt and pepper. Thinly slice duck breasts; arrange with honeyed tangerines on plates. Drizzle with sauce. |