Pomegranate duck breasts

I cooked this for the family for Christmas 2012 and it was a hit!  The pomegranate really cuts back the richness of the duck and it was fantastic with a good red.  This year I added fresh pomegranate seeds and it gave that great texture and ‘crunch’ as my brother said!

I served it on my soft polenta recipe here and our traditional ‘Christmas salad’.  It was a perfect Christmas lunch, elaborate and special without being too large a portion or too heavy.  The only problem with this dish is there aren’t any left overs!

Ingredients:  Serves 4

4 duck breasts, scored across the skin a few times
1tbsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp 5 spice mix
¼ tsp black pepper

Seeds from 1/2 fresh pomegranate to serve

Sauce:

1 cup orange juice
½ cup soft brown sugar
1tbsp honey
3 star anise
1tbsp pomegranate molasses

Method:

1. For duck breasts – combine all the spices and seasoning and rub into breasts that have been scored through the skin across ways several times.  Set aside to reach room temperature.
2. Mix all the sauce ingredients together except pomegranate molasses
3. In a small saucepan cook for 10 minutes until reduced by half then add pomegranate molasses and set aside
4. Put duck into a cold frypan on medium heat with skin side down.  This enables the fat to be rendered off.
5. Turn after 5-10 minutes, the skin should be golden and crispy.
6. Place in a 160ºC oven on Fan Forced for 8 minutes until still pink in the middle.  OR, combi oven on Combination mode 190°C + 30% moisture for 6 minutes.  Don’t overcook.
7. Remove from oven and rest 10 minutes before slicing to serve.  You have to rest for this time otherwise it will be tough.
8. Slice to serve and pour over sauce.
9. Scatter with fresh pomegranate seeds to serve.