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1
The Marinade.
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2
Wash and dry duck breasts, score fat side of breasts, diagonally into diamonds, barely through to the meat.
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3
Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.
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4
Place in a ziplock plastic bag, add buttermilk, sage and balsamic vinegar.
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5
Squeeze air out of bag and seal.
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6
Massage bag to distribute marinade around duck breasts.
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7
Refrigerate overnight.
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8
The Stuffing:
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9
The stuffing can be made ahead and reheated when needed.
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10
I reheated it in the microwave.
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11
Remove duck breasts from marinade and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup marinade, discard the rest.
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12
Heat olive oil in large nonstick frypan.
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13
Add shallots, red pepper and garlic, saute for 2 minutes.
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14
Add brown basmati rice and salt; stir to coat, cook for 2 minutes.
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15
Add wine and deglaze pan, add chicken stock and reserved marinade.
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16
Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 45 minutes, no peeking or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed; set aside.
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17
The Breasts:
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18
Heat butter and olive oil in a large nonstick frypan.
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19
Dry excess marinade off breasts.
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20
Place marinated duck breasts skin/fat side down; on medium high heat, brown until skin/fat is well browned, about 20 minutes, turn and cook to rare or medium rare, about 10 minutes.
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21
Remove to a platter and keep warm.
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22
Drain fat from frypan, add the wine and deglaze the pan, slowly add the buttermilk, while stirring, add the balsamic vinegar.
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23
Add the sour cherries, bring to boil, on medium high heat simmer until reduced and thickened by about half, about 15 minutes.
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24
To Plate & Garnish:
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25
Reheat stuffing if necessary.
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26
Place 1/2 cup stuffing in the centre of each of two plates.
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27
Slice duck breasts into about 4 slices and place attractively against stuffing, skin side up, on each plate.
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28
Drizzle the sour cherry reduction over and around the stuffing and duck breasts, including some of the cherries.
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29
Sprinkle half of the toasted almonds over all on each plate and garnish each plate with half the sage leaf strips.
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30
Serve at once.
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31
(To reconstitute dried cherries if using, place in 2 cups water and bring to boil, simmer until cherries plump up, drain and use as fresh).
