Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 large duck breast fillets (about 300 g each)
• Salt
• black pepper (freshly ground)
• 200 ml red wine
• 100 ml cherry juice
• 1 sprig basil
• 150 g pitted cherries
• 2 tbsp cold butter
• basil for garnish

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 100 °C fan.

2. 2.

   Wash, pat dry and score the skin of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern. Season with salt and pepper. In a hot pan, brown the skin side for about 5 minutes. Flip briefly and place on parchment-lined baking tray. Roast in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes until pink inside.

3. 3.

   Drain the fat from the pan and deglaze with red wine and cherry juice. Add the basil sprig and reduce to about half. Strain into a saucepan, bring to a boil, add cherries, and let it heat through. Remove from heat, stir in butter, and season with salt and pepper.

4. 4.

   Remove the duck breasts from the oven, let rest slightly, then slice and arrange on plates with the cherry sauce.

5. 5.

   Garnish with basil leaves and serve.