Easy Peasy Pan-Seared Duck Breasts

I have always been scared to cook or even eat duck.  Last week I stepped out of my comfort zone and cooked pan seared duck breast with duck-fried potatoes, asparagus, and grape tomatoes.  (Thank you Hello Fresh)  Below are the ingredients and the recipe.  This was really easy, so don’t be scared of it.

Ingredients

12 oz of Fingerling Potatoes

1/4 oz Chives

4 oz Grape Tomatoes

6 oz Asparagus

12 oz Skin on Duck Breast

1 unit Chicken Demi- Glace

2 TBSP Butter

Salt & Pepper to taste

 

Instructions

To start, wash and dry all of the produce. Cut the woody ends from the asparagus and discard. Mince chives.  Cut the potatoes in half (length wise).  Add the potatoes to a medium pot.  Add salted water to cover potatoes by 1 inch.  Bring the water to a boil and cook until you can poke with a fork (takes about 20 minutes).  Drain the water and add the potatoes back to the pot.

Pat the duck dry with a paper towel.  Season the skin side of the duck generously with salt and pepper.  Place the skin-side down in a large pan.  Cook over medium heat until the skin is crisp, and most of the fat has rendered.  Pour off fat as needed.  This whole process takes about 12 minutes.  Flip duck over and cook to desired temperature.  For medium it will only need 2-3 minutes after being flipped.  Remove from pan and let rest.

Add enough reserved duck fat to the bottom of the potato pot and cook over medium heat.  Toss until the potato skins are crisp and browned (3-5 minutes).  Remove from pot and add salt and pepper.

While the potatoes cook, add asparagus, tomatoes and a drizzle or whats left of the duck fat to the pan used for the duck.  Cook over medium heat, tossing occasionally until tomatoes burst. (Took me 4-5 minutes).  Remove from pan.

Add demi-glace, 1/4 water and 2 TBSP butter to the same duck pan.  Bring to a boil, remove from heat and stir.  You may want to add some additional salt and pepper.  And let it sit off the heat to thicken.

To server slice the duck crosswise and split up veggies. Add sauce to everything and toss on some chives to finish.