Crispy Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce
Did you know Indiana is the number one duck producing state in the United States? Duck is closer to red meat than chicken but is leaner (even with all of that luscious duck fat) and low in saturated fat. These little-known facts are precisely why I knew I had to create a recipe celebrating a local protein when I agreed to partner with the local distillery, Hotel Tango.
Liquor is often forgotten about when it comes to cooking, especially savory cooking. The cherry liquor that Hotel Tango produces is the perfect partnership for duck. While the duck is leaner than beef and low in saturated fat, it creates the most delicious fat to work with. Duck tastes decadent and gamey, and it needs to be paired with something sweet, tart, and vibrant. Cherry liquor from Hotel Tango helps cut that fattiness and balances the decadence.
People are often afraid to cook duck. I have to be honest, before my time on MasterChef, I was scared to cook duck as well. Although the challenge that eventually put me in the pressure test to be sent home was preparing a duck dish for several food critics, I learned a lot about cooking duck during that challenge. During the competition, we prepared a duck with a pomegranate molasses reduction. The cherry sauce in this recipe gives the same deep tart sweetness that the pomegranate molasses did. Thank goodness you don't have to make this recipe, a timed competition!
No matter how much time you have to prepare this recipe, there are a few things you don't want to leave out of the cooking process. Duck needs a good sear and my favorite, cast iron, is always ideal for that. The unique part about cooking duck is that it is one of the only times I recommend searing with a cold pan. The cold pan allows the duck to slowly render its fat (excellent for other uses like Duck Fast Grilled Sweet Potatoes) and the skin to become golden and crispy.
Having a meat thermometer on hand is what will keep you from overcooking the duck. It's also just as crucial for the duck to rest after cooking as it is for any other protein.
This recipe falls in line with cooking with what you have without going out to buy a ton of ingredients you don't often have. In addition to working with a locally owned, veteran-owned, small business, Hotel Tango, I also got a chance to support another locally owned, women-owned business, Goose the Market, providing the duck breast. Sometimes I can find duck in chain grocery stores, but I know I can always find it at Goose the Market.
I've kept the ingredients simple in this recipe to allow you to master the cooking process and enable the cherry sauce made with Hotel Tango cherry liquor to shine. You will be confident preparing duck as a date night meal or fancy celebration dinner with this recipe. Serve this along with some red potatoes roasted in garlic and duck fat and garlicky green beans from my cookbook, Staples +5, and you're sure to impress anyone you invite to your table.
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