Crisp-Skinned Duck Breast with Cherry & Port Jus

⏱ 45 min · Serves 2

Lacquered, shatteringly crisp duck skin over blushing pink meat, cut through by a glossy port jus studded with soft dark cherries. It looks like a bistro plate but it's really just a cold pan, patience, and a good reduction.

Per serving: 690 kcal · 45.0g protein · 26.0g carbs · 40.0g fat

Ingredients

• 2 duck breasts (about 200g each), skin on
• 1 tsp flaky sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 garlic clove, lightly crushed
• 1 sprig thyme
• 150ml ruby port
• 150ml good chicken or duck stock
• 150g dark cherries, halved and pitted (fresh or frozen)
• 1 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp runny honey
• 20g cold unsalted butter, diced
• Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Method

1. Take the duck out of the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Pat the skin bone dry with kitchen paper and score it in a close diamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not into the meat. Season the skin generously with flaky salt and the flesh with salt and pepper.
2. Lay the breasts skin-side down in a cold, dry heavy frying pan. Set over a medium-low heat and let them come up slowly — the fat should render steadily, not sizzle furiously. Cook for 12-15 minutes, pouring off the fat into a bowl every few minutes, until the skin is deep golden and crisp.
3. Flip and cook flesh-side down for 2-3 minutes for blushing pink (internal temperature 54-56C). Transfer to a warm plate, skin-side up, and rest for 10 minutes — this is not optional.
4. Pour off all but 1 tsp of duck fat. Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and soften over medium heat for 2 minutes without colouring.
5. Pour in the port, scraping the base of the pan, and let it bubble hard until reduced by two-thirds and syrupy, about 4 minutes.
6. Add the stock, cherries, vinegar and honey. Simmer for 6-8 minutes until the sauce coats the back of a spoon and the cherries have slumped slightly. Fish out the garlic and thyme.
7. Take off the heat and whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time until the jus is glossy. Season carefully — it should be sweet, sharp and savoury all at once. Stir in any duck resting juices.
8. Slice each breast on a slight angle into 6-7 pieces, fan onto warm plates and spoon the cherry jus over and around. Lovely with creamed potato and wilted greens.