Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups seedless red grapes
- 2 strips bacon, cut into lardons
- 1/2 cup port wine
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Directions
Using a sharp paring knife, score the fat in the duck breasts a couple times in two directions to create a crosshatch pattern. Cut through the fat but not into the meat of the breast. Salt the breasts and let sit outside the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to allow them to come to room temperature.
Add about 1 tablespoon olive oil to a large saute pan. Place the duck in the pan skin-side down. Bring the pan to a medium heat and cook the duck breasts low and slow to allow the fat to render and so the skin can get nice and crispy. As the fat renders out of the duck, pour or spoon it out of the pan and SAVE IT for another purpose. (It's yummy!) Cook the duck for 8 to 9 minutes on the skin side. Turn the duck over and cook the duck for 2 to 3 minutes on the flesh side. Remove the duck from the pan, cover with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
Add the grapes to the pan with the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. Cook the grapes until they split and let out their juices and the bacon is crisp.
Spoon half the grapes out of the pan and reserve. Add the port and vinegar to the pan, season with salt and reduce the port by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce it by half. Add in the reserved grapes. Taste and re-season if needed.
Slice the duck on a severe bias and serve garnished with the sauce.


















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By edhead35
NH
on February 24, 2012
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I couldn't find a fresh duck, only frozen.... but it came out great, the grapes are not too sweet as I feared they would be. The vinegar and bacon was key to complementing the grapes and port. Save that duck fat!!! Delicious! The wife and I enjoyed this on Valentines day with dinner at home. Wonderful
By FNancy
Richmond
on February 19, 2012
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Outrageous! It is as good or probably better than any we've had in a restaurant or cooked at home. The slow cooking created the most beautiful crispy skin and the grape sauce was just to die for!
By pilches
on February 15, 2012
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The sauce was delicious but the duck breast was so underdone. I'm not sure if it was because it was such a large breast, but I followed the recipe as far as temperature and timing. Next time I'll cook it 2 to 3 minutes longer. I think the sauce would be great on pork tenderloin, too.
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