Written by Jenny and Rick Wheatley Visit :
Visit authors websiteIngredients
Braised Duck
4 Wild Duck Breasts
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp olive oil
Half an onion, finely diced
3 shallots, finely diced
1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
1/4 cup(s) whiskey
1 cup(s) dry red wine
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
1/3 cup(s) apricot or peach preserves
2 cup(s) beef broth, plus extra
2 sprig(s) fresh thyme
Goat Cheese Polenta
1 cup(s) yellow cornmeal
4 cup(s) water
2 tbsp butter
4 oz goat cheese
Salt, to taste
Sautéed Chard
2 large bunches of Swiss chard
2 clove(s) garlic, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt, to taste
Instructions
Step #1 - Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Cut duck breasts into 1-inch pieces. Dab dry with a paper towel, and then season with salt and pepper. Lightly coat each piece with flour. In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tbs. of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook duck in batches until browned. Remove meat and set aside. Reduce heat to medium, and add diced onion, shallots, carrot and a pinch of salt to the pot. Sauté until onion turns translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Stir frequently.
Step #2 - Turn off heat and carefully pour in ¼ cup of whiskey. Turn heat back on to medium and allow whiskey to evaporate almost completely. Return duck to pot. Add 1 cup of red wine, 1 chipotle pepper, 2 sprigs of thyme, 2 cups of beef broth and 1/3 cup of apricot preserves. All ingredients should be submerged – add more broth if needed. Bring to a boil, cover and bake in a 350° oven for 2 hours and 30 minutes, or until tender. Season to taste.
Step #3 - To make the polenta: Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Slowly whisk in cornmeal to avoid lumps. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until polenta turns creamy and soft. Add more water if polenta is too thick. When polenta is cooked, stir in butter and goat cheese. Take off heat and season to taste.
Step #4 - Rinse swiss chard thoroughly. Cut and discard the toughest third of the stalk, and roughly chop the remaining chard. In a saucepan, heat 1 tbs. of olive oil over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped swiss chard leaves, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Then, flip the leaves, cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes until tender. Season to taste. Serve duck stew and sautéed Swiss chard over polenta.
