Sous Vide Duck Breast Cooked in a Crock-Pot with Star Route Spinach and Hamada Farm Bing Cherries
from Bruce Hill of Picco and Bix Restaurants
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS:
2 Moulard duck breasts, 14 ounces each
Kosher salt and pepper
1/4 cup roasted almond oil
12 ounces Bing cherries
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Zinfandel vinegar
1 piece star anise
12 ounces spinach, washed
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 tablespoons butter
Sea salt
Special Equipment
Crock-Pot
FoodSaver (vacuum packing machine) with special vacuum bags
Wok with lid
Instant read thermometer
PREPARATION:
For the duck
1. Trim the duck of any excess fat and connective fibers, and score the skin with a sharp paring knife. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Place one duck breast skin-side down in a sauté pan over low heat and render the fat, about 10 minutes.
3. Place the duck breast in a FoodSaver bag, add 2 tablespoons of almond oil and seal.
4. Repeat with the remaining duck breast.
5. Chill the duck breasts in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
6. Fill a Crock-Pot with 130° water, set on low.
7. Place the duck breasts inside, using a weight to submerge them. Place the lid on the Crock-Pot, inserting the thermometer between the lid and the edge of the Crock-Pot so you can monitor the temperature of the water.
8. Cook the duck for 1 hour, keeping careful watch on the water temperature. If the water temperature goes above 140° unplug the Crock-Pot until the temp goes down below 130° then plug it in again.
9. Remove the duck from the water, chill the duck in ice water for at least 30 minutes. You can hold the duck this way for 5 days.
Duck breast ,after chilling
1. Open the bags, reserving the duck’s juices.
2. Place the duck breasts in a sauté pan skin-side down and cook till the skin browns. Turn the duck over and cook on the meat side until the meat is warmed. Remember, the duck is already fully cooked.
For the cherries
1. Stem and wash the cherries. Cut around the pits, so you get 2 halves per cherry, saving the pit and its meat.
2. Place the sugar in a sauté pan over medium heat, to caramelize.
3. Add the vinegar, cherry pit and meat, and star anise. Cook over medium-high heat until the sauce is syrupy
4. Strain, mashing the pits to get all the flavor. Add the cherry halves to the strained sauce and reserve in a small saucepan.
5. Hold over low heat.
For the spinach
1. Wash the spinach well and dry in a salad spinner.
2. In a wok over medium heat, cook the shallots and butter until translucent.
3. Add the spinach and cover. Continue to cook till the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Add the duck jus-almond oil, if desired.
Assembly
1. Place a mound of spinach in the middle of each plate.
2. Slice duck breasts and fan over the spinach.
3. Sprinkle cherries and sauce over and around the duck.
4. Finish with sea salt.