...and for those who need the whole dinner (madmax
) here's all the recipes -
Pan-Seared Duck Breast & Risotto with Wild Rice, Sweet Potatoes, and Sage
(Cuisine at home, October 2005, Issue 53, p. 47)
Makes: 4 Breasts + 2 Cups Risotto
For the Risotto—
Bring to a Boil; Cook:
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup wild rice, rinsed
Warm:
2 cups chicken broth
Saute in 1 T. Unsalted Butter; Add:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1/2 cup arborio rice
Deglaze with; Add and Simmer:
1/4 cup dry white wine
Warm chicken broth
Stir in:
Remaining chicken broth
1/2 cup sweet potato or butternut squash, peeled, cubed
1/2 cup cooked wild rice
Finish with:
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 t. chopped fresh sage or thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
For the Pan-Seared Duck Breast—
Score, Season, and Cook:
4 boneless duck breasts, thawed if frozen (6–8 oz. each)
Salt and pepper
Bring water and wild rice to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 45 minutes, or just until tender. Drain rice if necessary and set aside.
Warm broth in a saucepan until steaming; keep warm over low heat.
Saute onion in butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add arborio rice and cook until slightly translucent, about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Deglaze with wine; cook until nearly evaporated. Add 1 cup warm broth; simmer over medium-low heat 10 minutes.
Stir in remaining broth, sweet potato, and wild rice. Cook until arborio is creamy and tender, and sweet potato is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir risotto occasionally to prevent sticking.
Finish with Parmesan, herbs, and seasonings. Serve immediately.
Score skin on each duck breast with three or four shallow incisions, taking care not to cut the flesh; season with salt and pepper. Heat a saute pan over high. Add duck, skin side down, to the hot, dry pan; reduce heat to low, cover with a splatter screen, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove breasts, pour off accumulated fat, then return them to the pan, skin side down. Saute until skin is crisp, about 10 minutes more. Turn breasts over, cook 2 minutes, then transfer to a cutting board. Allow duck to rest 5 minutes before slicing.
Pear-Ginger Chutney
(Cuisine at home, October 2005, Issue 53, p. 46)
Makes: 1 Cup
Saute in 1 T. Olive Oil:
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 T. fresh ginger, minced
1/2 t. fennel seed
1/4 t. red pepper flakes
1 cinnamon stick, halved
Deglaze with; Add and Simmer:
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups Bosc pears, peeled, cored, diced (1 large pear)
Stir in:
1/4 cup dried tart cherries
Salt to taste
Saute onion, ginger, fennel seed, pepper flakes, and cinnamon in oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook until onion is soft, stirring often to prevent scorching.
Deglaze with vinegar and sugar. Simmer until sugar dissolves, then add pears. Cook until pears are soft and juices are evaporated, 15–20 minutes.
Stir in cherries and salt; serve room temperature or cold. (Chutney may be made up to 1 week ahead and chilled.)