PAN SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH APPLE CIDER REDUCTION OVER WILD MUSHROOM RAGU WITH GOUDA JALAPENO CORN CAKES

Chicken|Duck

Ingredients

Duck:

4 boneless duck breasts, skin on, about 1 ½-2 pounds

2 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1-2 teaspoon salt

1-2 teaspoon pepper

Reduction:

2 cups apple cider (reduced to ½ cup)

1 tablespoon demi glaze

¼ cup orange juice

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Ragu:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 cups fresh wild mushrooms

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

salt and pepper to taste

Gouda corn cakes:

3 tablespoons butter

1 jalapeño, chopped

1, 7-ounce package Martha White Sweet Yellow Cornbread & Muffin Mix

1 egg

¼ cup milk

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 ½ cups smoked gouda cheese, shredded

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 cups carrots, sliced into bite size pieces on the diagonal

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Score the skin of the duck breast in 1” increments. Rub the sage on the skin and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat until a drop of water dances in the pan. Add the duck breasts skin-side down and sear to render fat, until skin is crisp and golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Begin reducing heat after 4-5 minutes to let fat render. Turn and cook on the other side for 2-3 minutes. Place in the oven to finish cooking about 5 minutes, until internal temperature reaches 125-130 degrees (meat will be light pink in the center). Let rest for 10-20 minutes.

While you are searing the duck breast, place apple cider in a large sauce pan and cook to reduce to ½ cup.

Add the demi glaze to the pan drippings along with the reduced cider, orange juice, and red wine vinegar. Bring to a boil and cooked until reduced to a syrupy glaze about 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste as needed.

To make the wild mushroom ragu, heat olive oil and butter in another large skillet. Add mushrooms, sage, and rosemary. Sauté until mushrooms are soft and begin to lightly brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the corn cakes. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small frying pan and sauté the jalapeño until soft and fragrant. In a large bowl, combine the Martha White Cornbread Mix, sautéed jalapeño, egg, milk, corn, and cheese to form a batter. Heat a large Lodge cast iron skillet over medium heat with the olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter. Working in 2 batches of 3, make 6” pancakes (I use an ice cream scoop to get consistent size). Let cook until you can see the bottoms starting to brown, about 1-2 minutes, and flip to brown the other side. Cakes should be fluffy and golden brown. Place on a cookie sheet, covered with foil, and place in a 200-degree oven to keep warm.

Sauté carrots in olive oil a small skillet under tender and lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, slice the duck breast on the diagonal and fan over corn cakes. Drizzle with the cider reduction and serve mushroom ragu and carrots on the side.