Duck breasts with a port and berry sauce

Ingredients

  • 4 duck breasts to serve 4 persons
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • Salt and ground black pepper
  • 200ml port
  • 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
  • 2 tsp concentrated liquid beef stock
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 200g seasonal mixed berries
  • 1 tsp arrowroot
 

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C/gas mark 7. Coast the duck breasts in the oil and season with salt and pepper. Place a large frying pan over a high heat and lay the duck breasts skin-side down in the hot pan. Fry for two minutes, then turn over and fry for a further two minutes. Transfer the duck to a roasting tin and bake for 10 minutes.
  2. Bring half the port to the boil in a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half. Add the remaining port, return to the boil, then simmer until reduced by half again. Add the redcurrant jelly and stock and stir until the jelly has melted.
  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually whisk in the butter a little at a time. Blend the arrowroot with one tablespoon of cold water and add to the saucepan with the berries. Return to the heat and simmer for two minutes until the sauce has thickened and is glossy.
  4. Allow the duck breasts to rest for 10 minutes before slicing. potatoes, green beans and the berries.

This was served at the wine tasting on 10th December 2013.