Oh, this was really tasty! The duck breasts were seasoned with salt and French Kiss, one of our seasonings that we are considering putting on the market someday; Herbs de Provence with a kick! I cook the duck breasts with the fat and skin on, and there is some duck fat that remains after they are removed. Just a coating on the bottom. Then I place fresh sage leaves (Yes, we are still getting lots of nice sage) on the bottom of the pan and let them get crispy, turning once or twice. Then I remove them and add shallots, parsley and thyme to the pan, cook a bit, add some wine, cook a bit and them some cream or creme fraische. Plate the duck breast and pour sauce over, top with crispy sage leaves.
But the real hit was the chutney that Kathy made for Christmas giving from a Chris Schlesinger book with dried apples, peaches and raisins. What a perfect paring!
The crispy sage offers a need dimension of texture, a fun small crunch in an otherwise soft textured meal.
On the side there you see some fennel sauteed with peppers and onion.
David's Place Blog 