Duck Breasts with Port Reduction Sauce Great tips & recipes delivered to your inbox. 1 large Muscovy duck breast, about 1 pound Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons minced shallots 3/4 cup ruby port wine 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 sprigs fresh thyme 2 tablespoons unsalted butter Using a sharp knife, trim away excess skin from the duck (leaving enough to amply cover the breast). Using a sharp knife, score the skin, first cutting diagonally in one direction, and then the other, in a crosshatch manner. Cut all the way through the skin and most of the fat, but avoid the flesh. Alternatively, you can use a Jaccard tool to pierce the skin. On a small rimmed baking sheet or a plate, place a 1/4 inch layer of salt rough the size of the duck breast. Place duck breast skin-side down on bed of salt. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. Remove and brush off salt with a stiff brush. Line a small rimmed baking sheet or shallow dish with ice cubes and cover with plastic wrap.

Place duck breast skin-side down on plastic wrap and weight it with a cheesecloth bundle filled with pie weights or dried beans for 25 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove cheesecloth bundle and season flesh side with pepper, and place skin side down, in an unheated 10-inch skillet. Top again with cheesecloth bundle and cook over medium-low heat until a small pool of fat forms in the pan. As fat accumulates, spoon off into a heatproof bowl and reserve for another use; allowing it to cool before storing in an airtight container at room temperature. Continue to cook duck until the skin is nicely browned and crisp, about 25 minutes. Use tongs to turn breast over and top with cheesecloth bundle for 1 minute. Remove bundle and transfer skillet to oven and cook until duck is medium rare, 8 to 12 minutes. It should register 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part. Transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet to rest for 5 to 7 minutes.

The duck will continue to cook slightly during this time. Drain all of fat from the pan and place over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium high and add the port, chicken stock, and thyme, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. where can i buy ginger wineBring to a simmer and cook until sauce is syrupy and reduced to 1/3 cup. best wine bar soho londonRemove from heat and whisk in butter until fully incorporated. buy new zealand wine online ukSeason to taste with salt and pepper and serve.good books for wine lovers Slice duck crosswise on a slight angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices, fan out on serving plates, and drizzle with sauce before serving.pictures of wine carts

2 fresh parsley sprigs2 fresh thyme sprigs2 Turkish bay leaves1 fresh rosemary sprig1 whole star aniseLeaves from 2 celery stalks8 3 1/2- to 4-inch beef short ribs (about 3 1/2 pounds), tough membranes removed2 tablespoons grapeseed oil or canola oil2 cups chopped onions2 carrots, trimmed, peeled, thinly sliced into rounds2 celery stalks, trimmed, thinly sliced5 large garlic clovesbest wine with french dip, chopped1 tablespoon coarsely chopped peeled fresh ginger2 tablespoons tomato paste2 cups fruity red wine (such as Syrah)1 cup ruby Port3 cups low-salt beef broth1 tablespoon all purpose flour3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley1 tablespoon finely grated tangerine peel2 garlic cloves, mincedCheeseclothKitchen stringRibsPosition rack in top third of oven (about 6 inches from heat source); Line large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly dampen large piece of cheesecloth and place on work surface.

Place parsley, thyme, bay leaves, rosemary, star anise, and celery leaves in center of cheesecloth; gather cloth around herbs and tie bundle at top with kitchen string, enclosing herbs completely.Arrange short ribs, bone side up, on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil ribs 5 minutes. Turn ribs over and broil on meat side until browned and sizzling, about 10 minutes. Transfer ribs to large bowl. Position rack in center of oven and reduce oven temperature to 350°F.Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, sliced celery, garlic, and ginger; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté until vegetables are softened and browned in spots, about 10 minutes. reduce heat to medium and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Add wine, Port, and herb bundle. Increase heat to high; Add ribs, bone side up and in single layer, to pot; add broth and bring to boil. Cover pot with foil, then lid; Braise until meat is very tender and falls off bones, about 2 hours.Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices and reserve 1 tablespoon fat (discard remaining fat).

Pour pan juices through strainer set over medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract liquid. Return juices to pot; boil until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Whisk reserved 1 tablespoon fat with 1 tablespoon flour in small bowl; whisk flour mixture into juices and boil until sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Return ribs to pot. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Before continuing, rewarm ribs in sauce until heated through, 5 to 10 minutes.GremolataMix parsley, tangerine peel, and garlic in small bowl.Divide ribs and sauce among 4 plates. Sprinkle each serving with gremolata.WHAT TO DRINKBeefCarrotCeleryCitrusPartyFrenchGarlicGingerDinnerMeatOnionParlseyPortRed WineRibsSpiceTangerineWinter...Read MoreSubmitWill be used in accordance with our Privacy PolicyCombine all of the ingredients in a small shallow baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for about 30 minutes longer, or until the shallots are tender and the liquid has almost completely evaporated.

Let cool to room temperature. Discard the thyme sprig. Raise the oven temperature to 400°. Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, sage, rosemary and thyme and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to brown, about 12 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the wine and port and boil until reduced to 1/4 cup, about 10 minutes. Add the beef stock to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until reduced to 2 cups, about 30 minutes. Strain the sauce into a saucepan, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Season the tenderloins with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large ovenproof skillet. Set the roasts in the skillet, smooth side down, and brown them on all sides, about 12 minutes. Turn the roasts smooth side up and spread the shallot confit on top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the tenderloins for about 30 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 125° for rare.