Crispy Duck Breasts with Balsamic-Cherry Sauce, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Parsnip-Carrot Puree
 
 
by:
Serves: 8 as part of The Five-Course Duck Dinner or 4 as a main course
Ingredients
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Parsnip-Carrot Puree
  • 1½ pounds each: parsnips and carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into large bite-size chunks
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 cup evaporated milk
  • 24 Brussels sprouts, (a generous pound) trimmed and halved
Crispy Duck Breast with Balsamic-Cherry Sauce
  • 4 whole boneless skin-on duck breast halves
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 1 generous cup frozen dark sweet cherries, halved
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Instructions
  1. For the vegetables: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Toss parsnips and carrots with 2 tablespoons olive oil and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast until caramel brown and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a blender and process, adding milk with blender running, until pureed. (Can be cooled, covered and refrigerated several days in advance. Reheat before serving
  2. Place ½ cup water, remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and a sprinkling of salt in a large skillet. Place Brussels sprouts, cut side down, in a single layer. Turn burner on high, cover and cook until vegetables are almost tender and water has almost evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove lid, and reduce heat to medium-low, continue to cook, uncovered, until the cut sides of the Brussels sprouts are golden brown, about 5 minutes longer (Can be cool, covered, and refrigerated for a couple of days.) Reheat before serving.
  3. For the duck: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add duck breast, skin side down, and cook until most of the fat has rendered and skin is crispy brown. Transfer duck breasts to a wire rack set over a small, rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add cherries, chicken broth, and vinegar and cook until thin sauce consistency. (Can be set aside at room temperature up to 2 hours ahead.)
  4. About 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 250 degrees. Cook duck, skin side up, until desired doneness, 25 to 30 minutes for medium pale pink. Cut each duck breast into thin slices. Warm sauce; if it has thickened, add water to desired consistency. Spoon a portion of puree and scatter a portion of Brussels sprouts on each plate. Top with duck slices and a little sauce. Serve.
Recipe by Three Many Cooks at https://threemanycooks.com/recipes/meaty-mains/crispy-duck-breasts-with-balsamic-cherry-sauce-roasted-brussels-sprouts-parsnip-carrot-puree/