A&M: Like sweet enough, we had never cooked with sour cherries before. The raw cherries were pristine, nearly translucent, and, well, sour! Simmering the cherries with the shallots, apricots, thyme, stock, and wine mellows their tartness and gives rise to a bright, fragrant sauce that complements the duck, an often gamy bird.
4 duck breasts, with skin on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh thyme sprigs
2 medium shallots, finely chopped
1 cup fresh or jarred sour cherries, pitted, stems removed
4 fresh apricots, pitted and quartered
½ cup chicken stock
1/3 cup apricot nectar
1/3 cup red wine (I used a Pinot Noir)
TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
If you want a crisper layer of skin, keep the heat under the pan at a slow, steady burn, and (carefully) pour off the fat every once in a while so that the breasts don’t start to deep-fry!
ABOUT THE COOK
Sweet enough is a literary agent living in New York City.
Her favorite recipe from a cookbook: “Linguine with pancetta, olive oil, chile, clams, and white wine from Jamie Oliver’s The Naked Chef Takes Off. It’s simple, perfect for one person or a crowd, and it’s totally delicious.”
WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID
Naked Beet: “Love love the combination! (I’m a sour cherry fanatic.)”