French Duck Breast with Red Wine Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 duck breast fillets

• 200 g red grapes

• 2 shallots

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 200 ml red wine

• 4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

• 100 ml chicken stock

• ½ cinnamon stick

• 1 clove

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 tbsp lemon zest

• 5 sprigs thyme

• 70 g butter

• salt & pepper

Instructions

1. Halve grapes. Mince shallots. Carefully use a sharp knife to score the skin on the duck breast in a diagonal pattern to create a diamond shaped pattern on the breast, then season with salt.
2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Place the duck breast in a cold, dry pan skin-side down. Turn the heat to medium & let it slowly come up to temperature. Do not move the duck beast until the skin gets crispy, approx. 5 min. Reduce heat to low, turn the duck breast & fry on the other side for approx. 2 – 3 min. Remove the duck breast from the pan & transfer to a baking sheet.
3. Add shallot to the warm frying pan you seared the duck breast in. Sauté until translucent, then add sugar & let caramelize. Deglaze with red wine & balsamic vinegar & let simmer until reduced & the sugar has dissolved. Add chicken stock, cinnamon stick, clove, bay leaf, thyme, & lemon zest, & season with salt & pepper. Let simmer, until the liquid is reduced by about half.
4. In the meantime, transfer the duck breast to the oven & let roast approx. 4 – 5 min. to finish cooking through.
5. Add grapes & butter to the sauce & mix well to glaze. Remove the duck breast from the oven, let rest approx. 5 min., then slice & serve with the sauce and a side dish of potatoes.