Seared Duck Breasts with Cherry Cognac Sauce, Potato Gratin, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Ok, so I got a little bit fancy for the French Fall Finale! I love duck. If I see duck on a menu at a restaurant, that’s almost always what I will order. And as if you weren’t impressed enough, I didn’t use a recipe for the duck. Nope, I was winging it! (Haha, get it?) Duck skin has a pretty thick fat layer. Score it with a knife in a crosshatch pattern, but don’t cut into the meat. You want to render the fat out when you sear it, then the skin will crisp up and be delicious, and not greasy. I used an iron skillet and a meat thermometer and seared it until browned on both sides and it reached 140 degrees. Don’t overcook duck! It’s not like chicken, you can have medium rare and it’s so juicy and flavorful! For the sauce, we had about half a jar of cherry jam leftover from making some Christmas cookies. I put the jam in a saucepan and added a couple of tablespoons of cognac, and just let it cook down and thin out to a sauce. It was SO good on the duck! I did use a Dorie Greenspan recipe for the potatoes, they were so creamy, almost decadent. I did substitute shallots in the cream sauce. The brussels sprouts just got halved, olive oil and salt, and roasted on a sheet pan. This meal was so good, and while the duck itself wasn’t necessarily “French” I always think of one of my first meals in Paris when I have it. Hmm, maybe THAT’S why I always order it!
So, fall is over, now what are we doing? Well, I decided since we’re still in pandemic land, it’s cold and dreary, we needed some comfort food. So we are going to be having Winter Warmers! Soups, stews, and anything that is comforting, warming, delicious food. Next post will be for our first Winter Warmers dish, shrimp and grits, so stay tuned!
Bon Appetit! ~ Jen
