Stuffed Duck Breast with Walnut, Dried Cherries and Goat Cheese

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 1 serving
  • Total: 1 hr 5 min (includes resting time)
  • Active: 35 min
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Ingredients

Duck Breast:

1 duck breast

1/4 cup goat cheese 

1/8 cup diced toasted walnuts 

1/4 cup diced dried cherries 

Half 750-milliliter bottle Champagne 

1/2 tablespoon turbinado sugar 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil 

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese, recipe follows

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese:

1/2 pound large sweet potatoes

Kosher salt 

1 tablespoon goat cheese 

1 teaspoon unsalted butter 

1/2 tablespoon honey 

Pinch ground cinnamon 

Pinch ground ginger 

Directions

  1. Carefully cut a pocket into the side of the duck breast horizontally, being careful not to cut all the way through. Combine the goat cheese and walnuts in a bowl, then gently spoon inside the pocket in the duck breast. Set aside.
  2. Macerate the dried cherries in 1 cup of the Champagne for 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the Champagne in a saucepan and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup. Stir in sugar, season to taste and set aside.
  3. Cut a crosshatch pattern into the skin of the duck breast being careful to not cut through to the flesh. Sprinkle the flesh side with salt.
  4. Place in the oil in a pan, skin-side down, over medium-low heat. Cook to render of some of the fat and crisp up the skin, 5 to 7 minutes.
  5. Flip the breast, reduce the heat to medium and cook on the flesh side, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
  6. Slice and serve topped with sauce and mashed sweet potatoes.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Goat Cheese:

  1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan, fill with water to cover and add some salt. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the potatoes until fork tender (a fork pierces a piece easily), about 13 minutes.
  2. Drain the potatoes well. Transfer them to a food processor and blend until smooth. Add the goat cheese, butter, honey, cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Blend again until everything is well combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool for 1 minute.
  3. Spoon the potatoes into a resealable plastic bag with its corner snipped or a pastry bag fitted with a tip, or spoon directly onto plates.

Let's Get Cooking!

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