Duck With Cherry-Shallot-Balsamic Reduction
Serves 2
60 Minutes To Prepare

This recipe comes from Win’s parents’ restaurant Café Provençal in Evanston, IL (1977-1993)

Serve with Ballentine Pocai Cabernet Franc.

INSTRUCTIONS

INGREDIENTS

2 duck breasts (skin-on) 

Salt + black pepper 

2 large shallots, finely sliced 

½ cup dried cherries 

⅓ cup balsamic vinegar 

⅓ cup red wine (use Cab Franc if you can) 

¾ cup chicken or duck stock 

1–2 tsp honey 

1 tbsp butter 

1 tsp fresh thyme

DIRECTIONS

Soak cherries in balsamic vinegar ~20 min

Cook shallots slowly in a little duck fat until soft and lightly caramelized

Add cherries, red wine, stock and thyme

Simmer 20-25 minutes until thick, glossy, and slightly syrupy

Score duck skin and season well with salt and pepper

Start in a cold pan, render fat slowly 6–8 min

Flip and cook 2–4 min more (medium-rare ideal)

Rest before slicing diagonally



Put reduction under duck as a base, drizzle syrup lightly over the top