Recipe: Roasted Duck Breasts with Port Wine Cherry Sauce for Peter

Here is the traditional recipe for that elegant sauce. Of course, you can use chicken breasts instead of the duck breasts.

ROASTED DUCK BREASTS WITH PORT WINE CHERRY SAUCE
Source: The Family Table: Where Great Food, Friends, and Family Gather Together by Christy Rost

4 to 6 boneless duckling breasts
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE PORT WINE CHERRY SAUCE:
3 tablespoons port wine
1/4 cup beef consomme or stock
1 (15-ounce) can pitted Bing cherries
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/3 cup dried cherries
Juice of 1/2 orange

TO PREPARE THE DUCK:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rinse duckling breasts and dry on paper towels. With a sharp knife, trim skin to shape of meat. Score skin with knife to form a diamond pattern, being careful not to pierce meat. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place duck breasts skin side down into skillet. Cook 8-10 minutes until skin is brown and crispy, draining excess fat as needed. Turn meat with a spatula; cook 3-5 minutes until meat is seared. Transfer duck breasts to an oven-proof pan; drain fat from skillet. Cook remaining duckling in skillet, draining fat as needed. Transfer to roasting pan.

Roast meat in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes until meat is tender and interior is medium rare to medium.

TO PREPARE THE PORT WINE CHERRY SAUCE:
Meanwhile, drain all remaining fat from skillet. Deglaze pan with port wine and consomme, stirring to loosen brown bits from skillet.

Drain Bing cherries, reserving syrup; set aside.

Place cornstarch in a small bowl; whisk in a small amount of reserved cherry syrup until smooth.

Stir remaining cherry syrup and cornstarch mixture into skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes until sauce has thickened.

Stir in reserved Bing cherries, dried cherries, and orange juice. Heat until cherries are hot.

TO SERVE:
Remove duckling breasts from oven. Serve whole, or slice at an angle. Garnish with Port Wine Cherry Sauce.

Servings: 4-6