Valentines Dinner #2: Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce and

For my Valentines day dinner, I am planning to make Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce, Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes with Truffle Butter, Sauteed Fresh Spinach with Garlic, and Molten Chocolate Cakes for dessert. As I am making the dinner fresh tomorrow, I will provide the pictures then. Meanwhile here are the recipes:

Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Cherry Port Wine Sauce

You can also substitute fillet mignon rounds or chicken breast instead of the duck. The sauce would be delicious on all three proteins.

Cherry Port Wine Sauce 

  

8- 10 oz jar of good quality all natural whole cherry jam (you can also change the flavor of the sauce by using blackberry or black raspberry jam)

1/2 cup pitted cherries and juice (optional - I like jarred morello cherries. Trader Joes also carries pitted cherries in a glass jar)
1/4 cup port wine (you can also use red wine, triple sec, brandy or fruit juice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Earth Balance spread, butter or garlic-herb butter
1/2-1 tsp salt or to taste
fresh ground pepper to taste

In a sauce pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the garlic. Saute just until tender, about 30-40 seconds. Add in the jar of jam, the port or wine, and the cherries. Season with salt and pepper. Stir frequently and cook the sauce until reduced and slightly thickened. Pour over cooked duck breast.

This sauce is also fantastic over steak or chicken breast - and if you omitted the garlic and reduced the sauce a little more more it would be delicious over ice cream as well.

Seared duck breast

You can cook your duck according to the directions on the package you're using. I will be using Maplewoods Farms duck breast fillets. Remember to season the duck breasts generously with salt and fresh ground pepper before cooking.  I am going to saute the duck in a skillet with a small amount of olive oil, skin side down, until browned. Add some of the cherry sauce to the pan, then finish them off in the oven until cooked through, but still tender. Top with the remaining sauce before serving.

Truffled Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

3-5 medium-large organic potatoes (Russet or Yukon Gold are best) OR you can cheat by using Alexia brand frozen organic Yukon Gold mashed potatoes. Prepare according to directions, then add the remaining ingredients.)

2-3 tbs. Earth Balance spread

1-2 tbs. black truffle butter (I used D'artagnan brand) OR 1 tsp. or a drizzle black truffle oil*

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (more if you like it really cheesy)

3/4 - 1 cup Silk brand soy creamer OR milk

1 tsp. salt or to taste

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Peel the potatoes if you wish (I generally don't when I use Yukon gold), then cut them into chunks. Place into a large pot of boiling water and cook until tender. Drain. With a potato masher, smash them down a little bit. Add salt, pepper, soy creamer, cheese, truffle butter/oil, and Earth Balance. Continue to mash until they reach desired smoothness. Adjust seasonings if necessary and add more soy creamer if they need to be thinned out.

Serve duck and mashed potatoes with a side of spinach lightly sauteed with garlic and olive oil.

Individual Molten Chocolate Cakes with Raspberry Sauce

These are to die for! Delicious, ultra rich, gooey in the center, baked in a muffin tin and served warm with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream if desired. The batter can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator until baking time or made ahead and frozen. Makes 6-8 cakes.

6 oz bittersweet or semi sweet chocolate chopped or Ghiradelli 60% chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tbs or 3/4 stick unsalted organic butter
1/2 cup unsweetened chocolate (chips or chunks)
4 large egg whites beaten with 1/8 tsp cream of tarter to form soft peaks
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 small grind of fresh ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 grease muffin tins with butter or all natural cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, heat the chocolate and butter in the microwave for 1-2 minutes checking and stirring with a wooden spoon every 30 seconds. Stir until smooth. This can also be done on the stove top over medium heat in  using a double boiler stirring often until melted.

Remove chocolate butter mixture from heat and sift in the cocoa powder. Stir until smooth, then add the vanilla, salt and pepper. Fold in 1/4 of the beaten egg whites mixture until well combined, Then fold in the remaining egg whites.  Fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full with batter. Bake until the cakes are slightly cracked on top but still gooey in the center about 7-8 minutes (a little longer if batter has been refrigerated first). Let cool slightly and serve with raspberry sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.

Raspberry Sauce 

1 pint or 1/2 bag defrosted organic raspberries
1/4 cup framboise (raspberry liquor) OR substitute another fruity liquor such as triple sec or crème de cassis OR use 2 tbs defrosted frozen orange juice for a non-alcoholic version
2 tbs sugar or agave syrup

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and let stand 5-10 minutes or over night. Serve with chocolate cakes.