Duck Breast with Clementines and Tuscan Kale
- 2 large duck breasts
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup clementine juice or orange juice
- 5 clementines, 2 cut into supremes for garnish, 3 sectioned and sections cut in 1/2
- 2 cups rich (hopefully homemade) chicken stock, divided
- 1 small bundle thyme
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch Lacinato or Tuscan kale, cut into 1-inch strips, washed and spun dry
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
- With a sharp knife, score the fat of the duck breasts in a cross-hatch pattern through the fat, down to the meat but not into the meat.
- Season generously with salt.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Put about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan over low heat and schmear it around to coat the bottom of the pan.
- Arrange the duck breasts, skin side down, in the pan.
- Be sure that the duck fits in the pan comfortably and is not crowded.
- Slowly render the fat from the duck breasts.
- This needs to be done s-l-o-w-l-y, otherwise the fat with be sealed into the skin and will not render out.
- The idea is to make crispy duck skin.
- This process will take about 30 minutes or so.
- As the fat builds up in the pan, remove it, but SAVE IT!
- It will be used to saute the kale later.
- When the fat has rendered from the duck breast, turn the heat to medium-high and brown both sides of the duck breast.
- When the duck is browned on both sides, move it to a sheet pan and put it in the preheated oven to cook it to medium rare, about 7 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the duck from the oven to a cutting board and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.
- Add the clementine juice and segments to the saute pan and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan.
- When the juice has reduced by a little more than half, add half of the chicken stock, the thyme and season the whole shootin' match with salt.
- Continue to cook until the stock has reduced by half, then add a little more of the chicken stock.
- Continue to reduce the stock and turn the heat off when it gets to a sauce-like consistency.
- Taste for seasoning and add salt, if needed.
- While the sauce is reducing and the duck is resting, add some of the reserved duck fat to a large saute pan.
- Add the garlic cloves and bring to a medium-high heat.
- When the garlic is golden brown and aromatic, remove it from the saute pan and discard it.
- Toss in the prepared kale and season with salt, to taste.
- Add some of the reserved chicken stock to help steam the greens.
- Saute the greens until they are wilted but still vibrant looking.
- Taste for seasoning.
- Divide the greens among 4 serving plates.
- Slice each duck breast and fan the slices over the kale.
- Spoon some of the sauce on and around the duck.
- Garnish with the supremed clementines and the pomegranate seeds.
- It's just ducky!
duck breasts, kosher salt, extravirgin olive oil, clementine juice, clementines, chicken, thyme, garlic, lacinato, pomegranate seeds
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/duck-breast-with-clementines-and-tuscan-kale-recipe.html (may not work)