Sumptuously wrapped in a rich cherry sauce, making these roasted duck breasts, or magnet de canard in French, is like snapping your fingers and instantly being dropped into a bustling sidewalk cafe in Montmartre. Serve with sautéed brussel sprouts and creamy dauphonise potatoes.
Ingredients
- 2 Duck Breasts
- Sauce
- ½ 425 g can black cherries in syrup drained and halved, syrup reserved
Herby Stuffing
- 50 g butter
- 1 onion finely diced
- 100 g breadcrumbs
- 2 heaped tsp rosemary & thyme
- 1 tsp sage
- 3 tbsp parsley
Brussel sprouts
- 200 g brussel sprouts
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 clove garlic
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to gas mark 6, 200°C or for a fan oven 180°C.
- Prepare the stuffing. Finely dice the onion, gently soften the onion in the butter over a low to medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Chop all the herbs. When the onion is golden and soft stir in the breadcrumbs and herbs. Wrap in a tin foil parcel and bake for 20mins.
- Heat a frying pan until hot, score the fat on the duck and then place the duck breasts fat side down. Allow to cook for three or four minutes until the fat is crisp and golden.
- Turn the duck breasts over and cook for a further three or four minutes on the underside.
- Place the duck breasts in a roasting tin and put in the oven to continue roasting for 20 minutes.
- Shred the Brussel sprouts. Sauté them in the warmed oil and butter for 5-7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- To make the sauce, open the tin, drain half the juice into a small saucepan. Turn on to a high heat to reduce for 15minutes until it becomes thick and syrupy. ( Add a splash of balsamic vinegar at the end.) As it cooks, use half the tin of cherries and cut them in half. Pop them back in to the sauce as it is cooked.
- Remove the duck breasts from the oven, place on a warm plate, wrap in tinfoil and allow to rest for five minutes.
- To serve up, place some stuffing on the base of the warm plate, slice the duck diagonally and lay this on top in a fan like shape.
- Pour the cherry side around the sides of the duck breast.
- Serve with the shredded Brussels sprouts and dauphinoise potatoes. Enjoy.
