Magret à la D’Artagnan

A rich pan sauce of reduced red wine, armagnac, and black truffle butter adorns seared duck breasts for an impressive holiday dish that's also surprisingly simple to make.

What You Will Need

Magret à la D'Artagnan
  • Serves

    serves 2

Ingredients

  • 2 Magret duck breasts, skin scored in a cross-hatch pattern
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 cup duck and veal demi-glace
  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine
  • 14 cup armagnac
  • 3 tbsp. black truffle butter

Instructions

Step 1

Season duck generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place duck skin side down in a 12” skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, without flipping, until fat is rendered and skin is crisp, 5–6 minutes. Flip duck; cook until browned and to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the duck reads 130°. Transfer duck to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing on an angle.

Step 2

While duck is resting, make the sauce: Drain all but 1 tbsp. duck fat from pan; add shallot to skillet and cook, 2 minutes, until translucent. Add demi-glace and red wine and reduce by half, 20 minutes. Add armagnac and cook until alcohol is cooked off, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve over duck breast.
  1. Season duck generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place duck skin side down in a 12” skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, without flipping, until fat is rendered and skin is crisp, 5–6 minutes. Flip duck; cook until browned and to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the duck reads 130°. Transfer duck to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing on an angle.
  2. While duck is resting, make the sauce: Drain all but 1 tbsp. duck fat from pan; add shallot to skillet and cook, 2 minutes, until translucent. Add demi-glace and red wine and reduce by half, 20 minutes. Add armagnac and cook until alcohol is cooked off, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve over duck breast.
Recipes

Magret à la D’Artagnan

  • Serves

    serves 2

A rich pan sauce of reduced red wine, armagnac, and black truffle butter adorns seared duck breasts for an impressive holiday dish that's also surprisingly simple to make.

What You Will Need

Ingredients

  • 2 Magret duck breasts, skin scored in a cross-hatch pattern
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 shallot, finely chopped
  • 1 cup duck and veal demi-glace
  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine
  • 14 cup armagnac
  • 3 tbsp. black truffle butter

Instructions

Step 1

Season duck generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place duck skin side down in a 12” skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, without flipping, until fat is rendered and skin is crisp, 5–6 minutes. Flip duck; cook until browned and to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the duck reads 130°. Transfer duck to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing on an angle.

Step 2

While duck is resting, make the sauce: Drain all but 1 tbsp. duck fat from pan; add shallot to skillet and cook, 2 minutes, until translucent. Add demi-glace and red wine and reduce by half, 20 minutes. Add armagnac and cook until alcohol is cooked off, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve over duck breast.
  1. Season duck generously on both sides with salt and pepper. Place duck skin side down in a 12” skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Cook, without flipping, until fat is rendered and skin is crisp, 5–6 minutes. Flip duck; cook until browned and to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium rare or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the duck reads 130°. Transfer duck to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before thinly slicing on an angle.
  2. While duck is resting, make the sauce: Drain all but 1 tbsp. duck fat from pan; add shallot to skillet and cook, 2 minutes, until translucent. Add demi-glace and red wine and reduce by half, 20 minutes. Add armagnac and cook until alcohol is cooked off, about 3 minutes. Whisk in butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve over duck breast.
Magret à la D'Artagnan

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