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Seared Pomegranate Duck Over Wilted Greens with Roquefort
Duck breast doesn't have to be daunting. You can create this elegant and mouthwatering fowl with simple ingredients in under 30 minutes! The duck breast is cooked to perfection, creating a crispy golden skin and tender medium-rare flesh. It is paired with sauteed onions and kale and accented by the pop of colorful and sweet pomegranate seeds and decadently creamy Roquefort. This dish is so rich and flavorful that you will not even need carbohydrates to make your dinner complete.
Equipment
- Large Sauté Pan
- Tongs
- Large Basting Spoon
- Wooden Spoon
- Meat Thermometer
Ingredients
- 1 duck breast
- 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 ½ cups Lacinato kale, chopped
- ¼ cup white wine
- 1 pomegranate, de-seeded
- 3 tablespoons Roquefort, crumbled
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Remove the duck breast from the packaging and dry on paper towels to remove all excess moisture.
- With a sharp knife, lightly score the skin in a crosshatch formation. (This will keep the breast from puckering up when seared).
- Season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large sauté pan over moderate heat and place the duck breast skin-side down into the pan. Do not touch the breast and allow it to cook until a golden brown color is achieved for about 4-6 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook the duck breast on the second side and add the butter. Gently spoon the browned butter over the breast and cook for 7-8 minutes, until the breast is firm when touching but still has some spring.
- Remove the duck from the pan and rest for 8-10 minutes while completing the other elements.
- Return the heat of the pan to moderate and add the sliced onions. Cook until translucent in the rendered duck fat, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the kale and white wine to the pan and continue cooking for around 2 minutes until the kale is wilted and the wine has been absorbed into the vegetables.
- Shut off the heat, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Slice the duck breast across the grain and serve on a bed of the wilted onions and spinach. Adorn each plate with pomegranate seeds and crumbled Roquefort.
Notes
Notes:
- Whenever you cook a protein, remember that the internal temperature will always go up around 9 degrees as it is resting.
- Thus, it is better to pull your duck breast out of the pan earlier rather than later and allow it to continue to cook as it is resting. A perfect medium-rare duck breast has an internal temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Resting allows for all the natural juices of the duck to settle inside. If you slice the duck too early and don't leave ample room for resting, all of these juices will exude out onto the cutting board.
Nutrition
Calories: 462kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 31gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 484mgPotassium: 849mgFiber: 6gSugar: 21gVitamin A: 3177IUVitamin C: 55mgCalcium: 215mgIron: 6mg