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Duck Breast in Sherry Cream Sauce is a special dish for a special occasion. Furthermore, duck always seems to be a special holiday dish. Maybe that’s just me. Growing up, duck was always made on holidays in our house. Never, just because.
The best part about this recipe is in about an hour you can have this elegant dish on the table. I nominate this dish regularly for an elegant touch to any New Year’s Eve celebration.
At times, it’s wonderful to make familiar comfort foods for holiday meals. Consequently pleasing your friends and family with old favorites. However, I am always searching for special recipes to brighten up my holiday table. This luscious recipe definitely fits the bill.
Preparing duck can intimidate a lot of home cooks. Never fear. This recipe is so easy to make, that you’ll be high-fiving yourself after plating it. Furthermore, cooking duck breast is much faster and less complicated than cooking a whole duck.
In this Duck Breast in Sherry Cream Sauce version, duck breast is cooked in its own fat in a skillet. The onions and leeks are caramelized in the duck fat. Sherry, heavy cream, and broth are added to the pan to create a silky, flavorful sauce. The dish is garnished with fragrant toasted blanched almond leaves.
To reduce the calories and fat content, substitute a light version of the cream or Half and Half Also, hazelnuts or pistachios would be a great substitution for the almonds to garnish the dish.
In conclusion, this is the perfect recipe to play a starring role at your Christmas or New Year’s Eve dinner party.
Duck Breast in Sherry Cream Sauce
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4
Ingredients
- 1+1/4 lbs duck breast 2 large pieces
- 1/2 cup blanched almond leaves
- 1 medium-sized sweet onion
- 1 leek
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 5 tablespoons sherry
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
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Rinse the duck breast and pat dry with paper towels. Cut each great in half then score a few cuts into the fat side of each piece.
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Season the duck breast with salt and freshly ground pepper on both sides and set aside.
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Place the blanched almond leaves in a small naked frying pan (no oil) over medium heat. Stir the almonds occasionally until they become golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
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Peel and dice the sweet onion.
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Cut the end off the leek and wash carefully in cold water, making sure all dirt is removed. Cut the leek into thin rings.
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Place the duck, skin side down in a cold skillet. Heat the duck pieces over medium heat
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and sear the duck breast. When the fat side is golden and crispy, turn the pieces over
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and continue cooking until the duck is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes each side,
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depending upon the thickness of the breast pieces.
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Remove the cooked duck from the pan. Transfer to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil and stow in a warm place.
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Pour 2/3 of the duck fat out of the pan. You can transfer the fat to a glass jar for later use or discard.
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Add the diced onion and chopped leeks to the pan and fry, stirring occasionally until they start to soften, then caramelize.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream, chicken stock, and sherry. Pour the liquid into the skillet. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 -15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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Retrieve the platter of cooked duck breast.
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If you like, slice the breasts into pieces. Pour the warm sauce over the top.
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Scatter the toasted blanched almond leaves over the top and serve.
Like this Duck Breast in Sherry Cream Sauce? Looking for more easy, last-minute holiday dinner recipe ideas?
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CREAMY QUINCE HORSERADISH TURKEY BREAST
