In the interest of full disclosure, this dinner was a re-do. When I first served up this delicious duck, we were all licking our fingers till the last bite. But there were technical difficulties. Somehow my pictures came out blurry–perhaps a bit too much wine?–so, in order to present this meal in its best light, I had to make it again. Fortunately, it was so yummy, we didn’t mind having it twice!
Wow them at dinner tonight. This is is an incredibly delicious, incredibly elegant meal to make on a weeknight. It’s not that tricky–you can make this in an hour with the proper prep. And think of how impressed everyone will be…you too will be licking your chops!
Pistachio Honey Roasted Duck Breasts with Farro Risotto
I love chicken, but I can get chickened out–can’t you? Duck is such a nice poultry alternative. The meat is tender and rich, and the breasts are really so simple to cook. On my first attempt, I bought duck breasts from a local butcher–one I don’t usually frequent. I was not impressed. Second go round, I was able to get D’Artagnan Magret duck breasts from my local market. What a difference! The meat was much more dense and flavorful. To serve 4 people, 2 breasts will do, totaling around 2 pounds.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim any excess fat from the edges of the duck breasts and, using the point of a sharp knife, score the skin by making cross hatch marks. This will allow the fat to render when you saute it. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
Heat a heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably cast iron, over a medium flame. I do not add any oil–the duck will render plenty of fat on its own. When the pan is nice and hot, add the breasts skin side down to the pan and lower the heat slightly. Let them saute until most of the fat has cooked off and the skin is nicely golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. Turn the breasts over and cook another minute. Remove the breasts from the pan and carefully pour off the fat.
In a small saucepan, bring honey to a boil over medium-high heat. Add star anise and chopped pistachios and cook until reduced by half, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Place the duck back into the skillet and spoon the honey and pistachios over the breasts. Place pan in the oven and roast for 5 minutes. Remove duck breasts to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Be sure to take the star anise out of the dish–no one would appreciate biting into that!
This Farro Risotto is a revelation to me. Farro is an ancient grain that is wonderful nutty and, because it is a whole grain, has more fiber than typical carbs. Prepared in the same fashion as a traditional risotto using arborio rice, this version has great texture and creaminess, and is the perfect complement to the duck. I love this Italian brand of farro, but any pearled farro will do.
In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped red onion and saute until just translucent. Add farro and cook, stirring to coat in the oil. Pour the wine over the farro and cook, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Slowly add the water, 1 cup at a time, and cook, stirring until each cup is fully absorbed by the grain. This should take about 25 minutes. The farro should be creamy and al dente. To finish, add the butter and grated Parmesan cheese and stir until the risotto has thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Taste and season with kosher salt and black pepper.
Carve the breasts diagonally into slices. Serve the sliced duck, topped with the honey pistachio sauce, alongside the farro risotto, garnished with chopped chives. For this dinner, I dished up fresh broccolini as a side: first blanched, and then sauteed with sliced garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh lemon zest and seasoned with salt and pepper. It added a little bitterness and the perfect crunch. Another nice accompaniment would also be this roasted pear salad.
Serves 4:
2 to 3 duck breasts, preferably Magret, 2 pounds total
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup honey
1 star anise
3/4 cup roasted salted shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Farro Risotto:
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups farro
1/4 cup white wine
3 cups water
1 tablespoon good quality butter
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Love duck and adding Farro is a nice twist on a french classic – wild rice.
It’s a lot less expensive and has a nicer texture.