Duck Breast with Redcurrant and Port Sauce

Ingredients

• •20 g butter
• •300 ml chicken stock
• •200 g red currants
• •4 duck breasts
• •honey
• •port
• •salt and pepper
• •1 shallot
• •thyme leaves

Method

Adapted from foodista.com

1. 1Put the oven on to heat it to 200C/400F.
2. 2While the oven is heating, start the cooking process in a heavy bottomed frying pan/skillet.
3. 3Sprinkle the salt and pepper on the skin side of the duck and rub it in.
4. 4Place your pan on the hob/stove top.
5. 5Put the duck breasts in the cold pan, skin side down.
6. 6Turn on the heat to medium high.
7. 7Allow the duck to cook, leave it alone while this happens.
8. 8If it starts to smoke too much, turn down the heat a little.
9. 9Once you can see that the duck has cooked about a little more than half way by looking at the side of it to see the colour change, it should be transferred to the oven.
10. 10This should take about 10 to 15 minutes, but of course it depends on the thickness of your duck and the intensity of the heat you use to cook it.
11. 11You can do this in your pan if it has a metal handle, or you can transfer the duck to a roasting tray if your pan has a plastic or other unsuitable handle which won't withstand the heat of the oven. I do the latter.
12. 12If you are planning to do this too, heat the roasting tray in the oven beforehand.
13. 13The easiest way to do this is to place it in there whilst you wait for the oven to reach temperature.
14. 14The duck should be placed in the oven skin side down.
15. 15Once in the oven, cook it for a further 7 to 10 minutes.
16. 16Remove and allow to rest for a further 7 minutes before slicing it.
17. 17Place half the butter in a pan.
18. 18Allow it to melt.
19. 19Add the shallots.
20. 20Cook them until softened on a medium high heat.
21. 21Add the thyme, chicken stock, port, honey and a little salt and pepper.
22. 22Add about of the red currants, keeping the rest back to add at the end of cooking.
23. 23Turn up the heat to reduce the sauce until it is about ⅓ of its original volume.
24. 24Turn down the heat.
25. 25Add the rest of the butter.
26. 26Whisk through until it is melted.
27. 27Add the remaining berries, check for seasoning and serve poured over the duck.