Duck breast inred wine sauce & its squash puree

Duck breast in red wine sauce

6 servings

Step 1
Remove the tenderloins (the thin strips of meat on undersides of the duckbreast) and reserve for the sauce. With a sharp knife, trim away any gristlefrom the undersides of the breasts and trim any excess fat. Score the skin in adiamond pattern, cutting through the fat but not quite reaching the meat.Lightly sprinkle salt on both sides, then rub 1 teaspoon crushed blackpeppercorns all over. Sprinkle with the garlic and a few thyme sprigs, cover,and leave at room temperature for 1 hour. (For deeper flavor, refrigerate thebreasts for several hours or overnight, then return to room temperaturebefore cooking.)

Step 2
Heat 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add theshallot and the reserved duck tenderloins; let them brown well, stirringoccasionally, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and a small thyme sprigand let them fry for 1 minute.

Step 3
Add the broth and ¼ cup wine, raise the heat to a brisk simmer and let theliquid reduce to about 1¼ cups, about 10 minutes. Strain the sauce and returnto the heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons red wine and the Cognac orbrandy and cook for 1 minute more. Dissolve potato starch in 2 tablespoonscold water, then stir the mixture into the sauce. Whisk in the remaining 1tablespoon of butter. Season to taste with salt. (Sauce may be made in advanceand reheated, thinned with a little broth.)

Step 4
Remove and discard the garlic and thyme sprigs from the breasts. Heat a large,heavy skillet over medium-high. When the pan is hot, lay in the duck breasts,skin-side down, and let them sizzle. Lower the heat to medium and cook for atotal of 7 minutes, checking to make sure the skin isn’t browning too quickly.With tongs, turn the breasts over and let them cook another 3 minutes forrare, 4 to 5 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a warm platter and let restfor 10 minutes. Slice crosswise, not too thickly, at a slight angle and serve withthe sauce.

Squash puree

– Cut up the pumpkin. Peel it (be careful, the skin can be tough!),remove the seeds and cut them into large cubes.
– Peel and slice the carrots.
– Place the pumpkin and carrots in a steamer for 20-30 min (check fordoneness).
– Meanwhile, cook the peeled and chopped potato in boiling water.
– When all the vegetables are cooked, pass them through a food mill (donot use a blender).
– Add butter, crème fraiche, spices, salt and pepper. Soften the puréewith the potato cooking water.
– Serve immediately. (It can also be prepared in advance and reheated inthe microwave).