WEEK 5: YOUR BEST CHERRY RECIPE

Roasted Duck Breast with Sour Cherries

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Photography by Sarah Shatz

    BY SWEET ENOUGH | SERVES 4

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)

  1. Heat the oven to 450°F. Rinse and pat dry the duck breasts and score the fat in a crosshatch pattern with a sharp knife. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place them, fat side down, in a heavy pan over medium-high heat for about 7 minutes, or until the fat is golden brown.
  2. Turn the breasts over and place a sprig of thyme under each. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 7 to 10 minutes, depending on how you like your duck cooked. Remove the breasts from the pan, place on a serving dish, and tent with aluminum foil.
  3. Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the duck fat. Add the shallots to the pan and cook over medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cherries and apricots and cook for about 1 minute; then add the stock, apricot nectar, and wine. Cook over medium heat until the sauce is reduced by about half. Discard the thyme sprigs and correct the seasoning.
  4. Slice each breast and fan the meat on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve.

    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.)”