Duck Breast with Bourbon Cherry Plum Sauce

I just had a feeling this would be great, and it was! 

Special thanks to a bottle of good Bourbon and the Jurgielewicz Sons’ pre-packed duck breast at http://www.tastyduck.com, this was so delicious and easy.  And I had a great wine pairing too! 

The duck comes vacuum-packed in the freezer bag for the perfect ready-to-cook portion. I had fresh cherries and plums, and the sauce practically made itself. Here’s what you need to make the duck and sauce. 

The duck comes with instructions, which I actually do follow and it works every time.  I started the cherries and plums in just a little red wine and thyme.  The thyme came right from my herb garden!

The plums I have are a bit on the tart side, so this would put them to great use. 

Cut up the plums, pitted and chopped the cherries and got them in a sauce pan with wine and thyme. 

 Let them cook a little in the thyme and wine, then I added a hefty pour of smoked maple Bourbon by Knob Creek. Probably about almost a cup. Too much? Nah. 

Let that bubble while prepping the duck.  Bubble and reduce, it will.  Score the fat, then salt and pepper it. I used a smoked salt. 

And here’s that instruction card that came with the duck:

Only plugging cause it works and is delicious and the perfect two-person serving (though you’ll want to – and easily could – eat the whole thing yourself!). You know I’m always honest with you about this stuff. I got it at a food show and hopefully I can order more of this duck online. I’ve never ordered meat online before, but this duck is worth trying to!  Starting with a cool pan in order to best render the fat, I placed the breast fat side down and then turned it to a mid high heat to sear.  This gets a great rendering of duck fat.  

Flip once to the meat side for a minute. 

Then transfer to a baking sheet to cook in the oven for about 8 minutes. Check on the sauce reduction – lookin good!! I added a little pecan wood smoked maple syrup by Runamok Maple to sweeten it a little. This stuff is delicious. I love smokey flavors these days. And it set off the Bourbon just perfectly. 

As the sauce reduces, it thickens up and really comes together beautifully. 

I sautéed some asparagus, fresh peas, and portobellos in the duck fat because you just can’t waste that goodness. 

The duck breast needs to rest for a few minutes when it comes out of the oven before you slice it up in order to lock in the juices. 

While it was resting, I selected a great red wine to pair with this fabulous dish. A Markham Zinfandel. 

This is a great bottle.  I had a good feeling about it being paired with this dish. Now for plating!  Once the duck had rested, I was happy to see it cooked to a perfect mid-rare, which is good for duck. It’s weird to have poultry even the least bit rare, but duck is like steak. Apparently. And I haven’t died yet, so it’s cool. I sliced it for two portions. 

Then placed it along side the duck fat sautéed veggies and generously spooned on the amazing Bourbon sauce.  Sprinkled on some pistachio nuts for good luck. 

The wine paired so well with the duck because it wasn’t overpowering, just soft and smooth. The light peppery notes in the Zin played off the smokey and sweet flavors in the sauce and danced ever so delicately across my tongue.  

I licked the plate. No joke. It was that good. Hopefully I can replicate this sauce – and hopefully you can too!! It was pretty easy!! And I had the perfect bite for dessert. A little square of a cherry chocolate from Gharadelli!