cherry confit (to go with duck) WaPost

Dried Cherry Confit

The Washington Post, March 14, 2007

• Cuisine: American
• Course: Condiment
• Features: Fast

Summary:

There are nice and easy sauces to be made from the drippings and flavor stuck to the bottom of a skillet just used to cook duck breasts.

4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon rendered duck fat (rendered from the pan-fried duch breast preparation)
• 1 medium medium shallot, finely minced
• 8 ounces dried cherries
• 2 cups Marsala or Madeira wine
• 1/4 finely chopped thyme leaves
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt (optional)
• lemon juice (optional)

Directions:

Heat the duck fat in a skillet over medium heat. When the duck breasts have finished cooking and have been transferred to a plate to rest, drain all but 1 teaspoon of fat in the pan and add the shallot, cook for 2 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring until translucent. Add the dried cherries and Marsala or Madeira and increase the heat to medium to bring to a low boil. Cook for about 20 minutes, or until the cherries are soft and glazed and the liquid has almost evaporated. Add the thyme, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat; add salt to taste and a squeeze of lemon juice, if desired.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from “The Improvisational Cook,” by Sally Schneider’s Morrow 2006, $34.95)