Leftover Duck Breasts

Sometimes leftovers can be the best - especially when when we're talking about roast duck breasts. This fabulous meal was simply a shuffling of the exact ingredients from our Valentine's Day dinner, but magically, it seemed fresh and new.

The menu:  Breast of Duck with Chanterelles
                  in a Marsala Sauce
                  Wild Rice Cakes
                  Asparagus Spears
                  Salad Greens with Heriloom Oranges and Almonds

I began with the previous meal's wild rice pilaf.  I had not been entirely pleased with the texture of the pilaf.  The flavor was good but it was a little soft and sticky, not the firm, seperate rice kernel kind of pilaf I had hoped for.  It was a combination of wild rice, onions, white rice and, chopped chanterelles cooked in chicken stock.  For the rice cakes I simply added one egg and a dash of truffle oil, then shaped them into small cakes which I sauteed on medium heat in grapeseed oil with a little butter.  They held together well and browned beautifully.

Next came the duck.  We had feasted the night before on the legs and thighs, leaving the complete, nicely roasted breasts intact.  My main concern was determining how to prepare them so that they would not become dried out.  I sliced the breasts on a slight diaganol then set them aside. 

We happen to have a large supply of Chanterelle Mushrooms in the freezer from our forays last Fall.  Some I had chopped and sauteed with shallots before freezing, I made duexelles with some, and some I roasted whole before freezing.  For this meal I decided to use the large roasted mushrooms.

I sauteed chopped onion and a little garlic in butter (I would have used shallots, but had none), added the mushrooms and cooked to reduce some of the liquid.  I then poured in a little Marsala wine and simmered it for about 5 minutes.

The duck breasts received a very quick saute in a hot pan (plus a little duck fat) to heat them and crisp the skin.   I then tossed them in with the mushrooms and finished the sauce with a little more Marsala and a dab of butter.

The duck was moist, with a nice browned outer skin.  It paired perfectly with the chanterelles and Marsala sauce.  The meal was beautiful and delicious!