PAN SEARED DUCK BREAST WITH KUMQUAT CHUTNEY

This chutney is very versatile. At the club, we currently serve the chutney with our Lobster Tempura and Crab Spring Roll, but the acidity really goes well with a nice crispy duck breast. Try it with a nice Pinot Noir if you like red or a German Riesling for nice crisp white.

Chutney

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 pint kumquats, rinsed, seeded and pureed
¼ cup champagne vinegar
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 cup orange juice
3 tbsp dried cranberries

Sauté the garlic, onions and ginger in the vegetable oil over medium heat, until softened, about 4 minutes.

Add the rest of the ingredients, stir and bring to a simmer. Let cook until kumquats are softened, about 15-20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

Duck Breast

4 (6-ounce) boneless duck breasts (The best ducks are Moscovy or Pekin ducks, available from specialty butchers, but any duck will work.)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the duck skin side up. Using a sharp knife, score 4 (1/4-inch-deep) cuts across the skin at a 45 degree angle. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper over the meat side of each duck breast.

Heat a well-seasoned skillet or nonstick pan over high heat. When pan is hot, add duck breasts, skin side down, and cook for 5 minutes, or until skin is brown and crispy. Flip and cook for 2 more minutes.

Remove pan from heat and transfer duck breasts, skin side up, to a cooking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake on the top rack of the oven for 6 minutes.

Remove duck from the oven and slice each breast at a 45 degree angle into 1/4-inch-thick strips (properly cooked duck should resemble medium-rare steak). Arrange in a fanlike pattern on a warmed plates and spoon chutney overtop. Serve immediately.