SERVES 4
Duck must be cooked to a perfect rare to medium rare to truly shine—a minute or two more and it goes from succulent to dry. To successfully prepare your duck, score the skin in a crosshatch fashion, season it, and cook it skin side down without moving it until most of the fat is rendered, then flip it and cook it briefly to desired doneness, keeping your eyes on the pan all the time. We take a shortcut using instant polenta, as it cooks in just five minutes but gives all the flavor of long-cooked polenta (chef’s secret!), and sweeten the dish with a walnut-grape compote that’s bursting with herby flavor.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 large shallots, peeled and minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large garlic cloves, minced
2 cups chicken stock (you can also use duck or veal stock if you have some)
1 cup dry red wine
6 ounces (1¼ cups) red seedless grapes, halved
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
4 ounces (1 cup) chopped and toasted walnut halves
Four 8-ounce boneless duck breasts, skin on
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 cup instant polenta
¼ cup mascarpone cheese
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
HEAT olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook one minute. Increase the heat to medium, add the stock and wine, and simmer until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and is reduced by almost two-thirds. Lower the heat, stir in the grapes, thyme, and rosemary, and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and stir in ½ cup of the chopped walnuts. Set aside.
WHILE the compote is reducing, prepare the duck. Using a small, sharp knife, score the duck skin in crosshatch pattern (do not pierce meat). Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper and place, skin side down, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, and cook until skin is browned and crisp and most of the fat is rendered, 10 minutes. Turn duck breasts over, reduce heat to medium, and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes longer for rare and 6–7 minutes longer for medium-rare. Transfer to a plate, tent with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.
WHILE the duck is resting, make the polenta. In a medium saucepan, combine the garlic clove, chicken stock, and the half-and-half over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Remove the garlic clove, season to taste with salt and pepper, and add the thyme and rosemary. Add the polenta in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth and thickened, about 4–5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the mascarpone, Parmesan, and butter. Taste for seasoning and serve.
MOUND the polenta in the middle of each plate. Slice and fan the duck over the polenta and drizzle with compote and pan juices. Garnish with the remaining ½ cup of walnuts for crunch.