From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I did some experimenting with duck breast during the holidays. I found two recipes that have real promise and I want to share the first of them with you tonight. Duck breast is nearly effortless to prepare but it's hard to find a recipe that functions well for everyone who tries it. I think the variable size of duck breasts is the problem. Duck is best served rare or medium-rare, and often recipes omit the size of the breasts that are being used. An 8 ounce breast will be tough and dry if it is cooked as long as those that are larger. While I can purchase large fillets online, I'm not organized enough to place my order in a timely fashion, so I end up using breasts that are locally available. They weigh just 8 ounces and would be overcooked if I followed the instructions below. I don't like to tinker with the recipes of established chefs, so I'm posting Robert Irvin's terrific recipe as it was published. My changes, necessitated by the use smaller breasts, appear in red directly below his. I've learned to use the cooking instructions provided by the supplier of the breasts I use, but I still follow the developer's sauce instructions, and I must say Irvin's sauce is outstanding. It is simple to make and wonderful with duck or pork tenderloin. If you don't care for duck, I hope you will try the sauce with pork. I served the breasts with rosti potatoes and a citrus salad that balanced nicely with the fatty duck. It made for a great company meal that was stressless to make and enjoyed by all. Here is how the duck and berry sauce are made.
