Duck With Raspberry Sauce

Duck might technically be a bird, but it’s a lot more like red meat than it is like chicken or turkey, which makes it perfect for this sweet raspberry sauce cut with a bite of balsamic vinegar. The thick cap of fat in a skin-on duck breast might otherwise be a little overwhelming, but the sauce gives you enough of a flavor contrast that it just ends up being rich and delicious: if you’re trying to get a little more healthy fat into your diet, this is a recipe to save.

In terms of fat quality, duck really does beat out chicken: it’s mostly monounsaturated fat, with some saturated and fairly little PUFA. And if you don’t quite want all the fat on the breasts (it can really end up being a lot of fat), you could always trim some of it off and save it to render for roasting vegetables or cooking other things.

This would be a great recipe to serve with some roasted (or grilled) asparagus, or anything else quick and light. There’s already a lot going on with the duck breasts, so think of it as a bonus: no need to spend a lot of time and effort cooking a fancy side.

Duck With Raspberry Sauce Recipe

SERVES: 2 PREP: 15 min. COOK: 25 min.

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Ingredients

• 2 boneless duck breasts;
• 1 shallot, minced;
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped;
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar;
• 1 cup chicken or duck stock;
• 2 cups raspberries;
• 2 tbsp. ghee;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 325 F.
2. Melt some cooking fat in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Season the duck breasts to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Place the duck breasts in the skillet, skin side down, and brown for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the entire skillet from the stove and place in the preheated oven.
5. Roast the duck in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes for medium rare (or to your desired degree of doneness).
6. Remove the duck from the skillet, and let rest for 5 to 6 minutes.
7. While the duck is resting, put the same skillet back over medium heat, and add the garlic and shallot to the rendered fat.
8. Cook the garlic and shallot until soft and fragrant, about 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and cook until reduced, scraping up the brown bits from the pan.
10. Add the stock and raspberries to the skillet, and cook until raspberries are soft and warm.
11. Slice the duck breasts and serve with the raspberry sauce.