Duckling Breast With Apples, Onions And Plum-Orange Sauce

• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3 tablespoons finely minced shallots
• cup fresh basil, minced, or 1 tablespoon dried
• 1/4 cup beef broth
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 16-ounce can undrained purple plums, pitted and pureed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 onions, 3 inches in diameter, sliced vertically and thinly, about 8 cups
• 2 to 3 cups dry red wine
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup seedless raisins
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 6 firm, tart, medium apples, unpeeled, cored and sliced thin
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 whole duckling breasts, skinned and halved

1. Prepare the plum-orange sauce a day before serving.
2. In a deep saucepan, combine all of the sauce ingredients and simmer, uncovered, over low heat, for 45 minutes to an hour, reducing the sauce by half.
3. Stir and skim occasionally.
4. Refrigerate until needed, and reheat just before serving.
5. Combine the onions, red wine, sugar and vinegar.
6. The wine should cover the onions.
7. Cover and simmer until al dente, about 15 minutes.
8. Remove the cover and continue cooking until the liquid is almost gone; the onions will be almost purple and caramelized.
9. Add the raisins, salt and pepper.
10. Reserve.
11. In a saute pan, cook the butter and apples together until the apples are barely done; they should still be firm.
12. Reserve.
13. In another saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
14. Add the duckling breasts and saute on both sides until medium-rare.
15. Remove to a cutting board and slice thinly.
16. To serve, place a scoop of the onions in the middle of each of eight heated plates.
17. Arrange apple wedges around the outside of the onions.
18. Fan the slices of duckling breasts on top of the onion mixture.
19. Top with hot plum-orange sauce and serve.

garlic, shallots, fresh basil, beef broth, chicken broth, red wine, orange juice, purple, salt, freshly ground black pepper, onions, red wine, sugar, cider vinegar, raisins, salt, freshly ground pepper, butter, firm, vegetable oil, duckling breasts

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2968 (may not work)