Weeknight Elegance - Duck Breasts with Fresh Fig Sauce
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Easy weeknight entrée, simple and elegant, great for entertaining
Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: French
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 4 small duck breasts or 2 large duck breasts - preferably Moulard
  • 1 thyme spring
  • 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
  • 8 green figs, quartered
  • 2 teaspoons of honey
  • 2 tablespoons ruby port
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
  • Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.
  2. Using the point of a sharp knife, score the duck skin in a cross hatch pattern, cutting deeply into the layer of fat without cutting the meat. Season both sides of the duck breasts with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When a few drops of water sprinkled into the pot dance and evaporate quickly, put the breasts in the Dutch oven skin side down. (you want to have a little distance from Dutch oven to avoid splatters) Cook for 8 minutes, or until the skin is brown and crisp. Turn the pieces over and cook for 3 more minutes for very rare breasts.
  4. Lift the breasts out of the pot and onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Seal the breasts loosely in the foil and put in the oven on a baking sheet for 5 minutes to rest and finish cooking.
  5. Pour off all but a scant tablespoon of the rendered duck fat from the Dutch oven and put the pot back on the burner over medium heat. Toss in the thyme sprigs and garlic. Stir to coat with the fat and then add the figs. Lower the heat and cook the figs gently for about 5 minutes. Transfer figs to a bowl and keep warm. Discard thyme and garlic.
  6. Pour any remaining fat out of the pot, and return to burner over low heat. Add honey, and cook just until melted. Pour in port and vinegar and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper. Lower heat and using a whisk stir in butter piece by piece until you have a smooth sauce.
  7. Open foil packet and pour any juice from duck into the sauce. Whisk to incorporate the juices. Place duck breasts back into the sauce, turning to coat thoroughly. Leave in sauce 30-60 seconds to warm and fully coat.
  8. Serve duck breasts sliced and topped with sauce and figs, and a garnish of fresh thyme.
Recipe by Tout va bien! (tm) at https://christymajors.com/weeknight-elegance-duck-breasts-with-fresh-fig-sauce/