Red Wine Jus
Cook the onions, carrots and celery in the canola oil in a medium saucepan over high heat for 10 minutes or until golden brown and caramelized. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and return to the saucepan. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until reduced to 1 1/2 cups.
Duck
Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper. Lightly brush them with oil and place on grill over a medium flame. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until cooked to the desired doneness. Let rest for 3 minutes before slicing.
Apples
Place the apple rings in an ovenproof pan with the raisins, 2 tablespoons butter, 3 sage leaves and the brown sugar. Cover and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Remove the cover from the pan and cook for 15 minutes, or until the apples are tender and light golden brown.
Endive
Sauté the endive with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Sprinkle with the sugar and add the remaining sage leaves and stock. Bring the liquid to a simmer; cover and place in the oven at 350°F for 20 minutes or until the endive is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To Assemble
Reheat the Red Wine Jus in a small saucepan. Arrange some of the apple rings in the center of each plate and spoon the remaining liquid from the pan around the apple rings. Lay 2 pieces of the endive over the apple rings and arrange some of the duck slices over the endive. Spoon the Red Wine Jus over the duck and around the plates and top with freshly ground black pepper.
Notes:
1. From The Kitchen Sessions with Charlie Trotter, Ten Speed Press, 1999
2. Nutrition facts do not include Red Wine Jus.
Ingredients
Red Wine Jus (Makes 1-1/2 cups)
- 11/2 Cups chopped onions
- 1 Cup chopped carrots
- 1 Cup chopped celery
- 2 Tablespoons canola oil
- 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
- 1 orange, peeled and chopped
- 6 Cups Burgundy wine
- 3 Cups port
Procedure
Duck
- 4 small duck breasts, cleaned
- Salt and pepper
- 1 Tablespoon canola oil
- 3 Granny Smith apples; peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch rings
- 1/3 Cup chopped California raisins
- 4 Tablespoons butter, divided
- 6 sage leaves, divided
- 3 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 heads Belgian endive, quartered
- 1 Tablespoon sugar
- 11/2 Cups chicken stock