Duck Breast with Chocolate Gravy

Here’s the lowdown on cooking duck. It’s not difficult at all. Ok? Once you finish cooking your first duck you’ll think to yourself, “Dang, I’m an amazing chef.” And you know what? You are an amazing! Its not impossible. You can try this and be super successful:)

Here are a few tips to help you in cooking duck:

First, when it’s time to actually cook the duck, get the oven fans going! You’ll be cooking the duck with the fatty part on the pan down first and fat gets greasy and extremely smoky.

You might want to crack a window as well.

Second, always have your tongs close by your stovetop. If its your first time cooking a duck you will want to check on it, taking quick peeks to make sure the pan isn’t too hot and burning the duck fat.

Lastly, take a taste of your gravy. If the dark chocolate is too over powering or too bitter don’t freak out. Add a teaspoon of white sugar to the pot, stir and taste it again. Keep slowly adding sugar one teaspoon at a time until the flavor works for you.

Ingredinets

Gravy:

• 1 red onion; chopped

• 1 cup celery; chopped

• 2-3 carrots; peel and slice into rounds

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 1/2 cups red wine

• 1 1/2 cups beef broth

• 1 tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 tablespoon molasses

• 2 oz 85% dark chocolate; chopped

• Kosher salt

Duck

• 1 duck breast

• 1 1/2 cups chopped leeks

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• kosher salt

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For brussel sprouts recipe: https://exercisetoeat.squarespace.com/config/pages/553643a9e4b050914fac7542

Directions:

Gravy

1. In a pot or large skillet drizzle oil and warm over high heat. Add onion, celery and carrot in oil until browned. Approximately 3-5 minutes

2. Add wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Then add beef broth, tomato paste and molasses. Generously season with pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce reduces by half, about 15 minutes.

3. Strain through a sieve set over a pot. Discard the carrot, onions and celery. Next, add chocolate to the pot and stir until melted. Keep warm on stovetop at a low simmer heat.

Duck

1. Score the fat in a criss-cross pattern without cutting into the meat. Generosity season with salt.

2. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the duck breasts, fat side down, for 10 minutes or until the fat is golden. Check every few minutes to ensure it’s not burning. Flip the duck breast and cook for 2 minutes

3. Remove from skillet and rest the duck on a separate plate for 10 minutes.

4. Pour the duck fat from the skillet into a separate bowl.

5. In the same skillet you used for the duck, add leeks and cranberries and 1 TBSP of the duck fat over medium heat. Cook until leeks and cranberries soften, about 3-5 minutes.

6. Thinly slice the duck and serve with the onion-cranberry mixture. Drizzle with gravy.