Seared Duck Breast with Sweet Potato Risotto

Chef Paul’s Featured Recipe of the Month!

serves 4

· 4 duck breasts, 6-8 oz each

· 3 tablespoons reserved duck fat

· 3 tablespoons sliced shallots

· 4 cups rough cut baby bok choy

· salt and pepper to taste

SWEET POTATO RISOTTO INGREDIENTS

· 2 Tbsp butter

· 1 diced onion

· 1½ cups Arborio rice

· ½ cup white wine

· 5 cups heated chicken stock

· 2 Tbsp diced roasted sweet potato

· 2 Tbsp puréed roasted sweet potato

· ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

· 2 Tbsp butter

· 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

BLUEBERRY GASTRIQUE INGREDIENTS

· 1 pint blueberries

· ¼ cup balsamic vinegar

· 1 cup sugar

· ½ cinnamon stick

· ½ star anise

· salt and pepper to taste

Clean and score the duck breasts. Pat both sides completely dry then salt and pepper both sides. Place the breasts in a large sauté pan, skin side down, and place over medium heat. Slowly render out the fat for 10 to 15 minutes, occasionally pouring off and reserving some of the fat for later use. Drain completely then transfer to a 350ºF oven, skin side down, for 8 to 10 minutes or to a temperature of 130ºF for medium.Heat the reserved duck fat over medium heat and sauté the shallots until just tender. Add the bok choy, season to taste and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes. Place on top of the duck breasts and serve with Sweet Potato Risotto. Drizzle plates with Blueberry Gastrique, sweet soy sauce and basil oil.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir for one minute. Add the wine and stir until almost all of it is absorbed, about one minute. Add one cup of hot stock and simmer for 4 minutes until the stock is almost absorbed, stirring often. Repeat this process, adding one cup of stock each time, being sure the stock is absorbed each time and stirring until the rice mixture is tender and creamy, for about a total of 20 minutes. Stir in the diced and puréed sweet potatoes, cheese, butter and thyme. Season to taste.

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and the star anise and purée in a blender.  Strain through a chinois or a very fine sieve.