Duck Magret with Red Wine Sauce

Tips for magret

Preparation: Fresh breasts are rarely available; they are mostly sold frozen. Once thawed, marinate them as follows. Never remove the skin!!! Very carefully, with a sharp knife, make rhomboid cuts across the skin, being careful not to cut into the meat. The cuts should look like sliced Turkish baklava. Sprinkle the breasts with freshly ground black pepper and salt. Add a sprig of rosemary — it gives an incredible aroma and light flavor without being overpowering. Wrap the breasts in kitchen plastic wrap and place in the fridge for about one to two hours. Take the meat out at least 30 minutes before cooking so it relaxes to room temperature. If you put it in the pan while still cold, it will tighten and stay tough.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Before putting the breasts in the oven, we first work them in the pan. I used a ceramic pan. I did not add any fat, because the skin itself is rich in fat. The burner should not be too high. The breasts are cooked skin-side down for about 10 minutes. During this time, once the fat renders, you can add the rosemary to flavor the meat further with its aroma. After 10 minutes, pour off part of the fat and turn the breasts skin-side up, and fry another 2 minutes. After those two minutes, transfer the pan to the oven for another 8 to 10 minutes. I kept them 8 minutes. When you take the breasts out of the oven, let them rest in the pan for 3-4 minutes.

The sauce is made as follows: put the wine in a pan and let it boil over moderate heat. When the wine has reduced by half, add the honey, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and let it simmer a little more. My advice is not to pour the sauce over the breasts, because they get discolored. It is best served in a separate dish. For a side I used classic mashed potatoes.