Cooking With Wine: Duck With Cherries In Chianti

• 4 duck breasts, skin on
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 3 1/2 ounces cherries, halved, stones removed
• 2/3 cups orange juice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups red wine, such as Gabbiano Chianti

1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
2. To make the sauce, put the cherries into an ovenproof dish, pour in the orange juice, then sprinkle with half the sugar.
3. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the cherries have softened and browned a little.
4. Remove from the oven and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, pour the wine into a saucepan with the remaining sugar and bring to the boil.
6. Reduce the heat and leave to simmer for about 30 minutes to allow it to reduce to about a third of its volume (you want about 2/3 cup).
7. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper.
8. Heat a non-stick frying pan and, when hot, fry the breasts, skin-side down, for about 6 minutes, then turn them over and fry for a further 4 minutes.
9. This will give you medium-rare meat.
10. If you prefer it well cooked, transfer the duck breasts to a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 1015 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, pour the cherries and the wine into a large frying pan and bring to the boil over a high heat.
12. Reduce the heat to a simmer and leave for around 5 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
13. Slice the duck breasts and arrange them on warmed serving dishes.
14. Pour the sauce over and serve with plenty of creamy polenta or mashed potato.

duck breasts, salt, cherries, orange juice, sugar, red wine

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/cooking-with-wine-duck-with-cherries-in-chianti-recipe/ (may not work)