PAN-ROASTED FRASER VALLEY DUCK BREAST WITH SPICED BACCHUS GASTRIQUE
Suggested wine pairing: Chaberton Reserve Merlot
Serves: two GASTRIQUE 1/2 cup (125 mL) sugar 1/2 cup (125 mL) white wine vinegar 1 cup (250 mL) Chaberton Estate Grown Bacchus wine 1 tbsp (15 mL) sliced ginger 1 Thai chili pepper, sliced
DUCK
1/2 tbsp (7.5 mL) vegetable oil 1 (9 oz) Fraser Valley duck breast Salt and pepper 3 tbsp (45 mL) chicken stock
BOK CHOY
3 heads baby Shanghai bok choy Vegetable oil 1 tbsp (15 mL) toasted sesame seeds
METHOD FOR GASTRIQUE
Place the sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-high. Continue boiling until the syrup turns a light blond colour, about 10 minutes.
Add the vinegar and lower the heat to medium. Be careful, as the caramel is very hot and the vinegar will immediately come to a violent boil. Don’t panic! Just lower the heat again and gently boil until all the caramel is dissolved.
Reduce by half, then add the Bacchus wine and reduce by half again.
Add the ginger and chilies and turn the heat to low. Allow to steep for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine strainer and discard the solids. Reserve the syrup while you prepare the duck breast.
METHOD FOR DUCK
Preheat a heavy-bottomed sauté pan over high heat and add the vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
Season the duck with salt and pepper, then gently place it skin side down in the pan and lower the heat to medium. For a medium-rare duck breast, cook for 3–4 minutes, then lower the heat and cook for another 3–4 minutes.
Carefully flip the breast and continue to cook over low heat for another 7 minutes.
When the desired doneness is achieved, remove the breast from the pan and set aside to rest and keep warm.
Pour out the fat from the pan and deglaze with the chicken stock. Return the pan to high heat and add 5 tbsp gastrique. Reduce by about half, or until a light syrupy consistency is achieved. Set aside for serving.
METHOD FOR BOK CHOY
Sauté the baby Shanghai bok choy in a little vegetable oil (or some of the rendered duck fat from the breast) until fork-tender but still slightly crisp. Toss in the sesame seeds at the end and remove from heat.
To serve, divide the bok choy between the serving plates. Slice the duck breast thinly on a slight angle, then place on top of the bok choy. Spoon the remaining gastrique over the duck, carefully coating the breast. Yum!
Excerpted from The BC Wine Lover’s Cookbook by Jennifer Schell. Copyright © 2020 Jennifer Schell. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.