Pan Seared Duck Breast with a POM Thyme Reduction Sauce

Ingredients:

• 450mls POM Wonderful 100% Pomegranate Juice
• Medium Spanish onion (approx. 120g)
• Medium carrot (approx. 60g)
• Stick of celery (approx. 50g)
• 1 clove garlic
• 500ml reasonable red wine
• 2 litres chicken stock
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme

• 4 duck breasts
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, very finely diced or minced
• 500g seasonal vegetables
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

In a small pot, reduce the pomegranate juice to 60ml (4 tablespoons) or until it coats the back of a spoon easily and set aside. Remove the pan from the heat, rough chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté in a large heavy-bottomed pan over a medium-low heat. Cook the vegetables, adding the red wine only when they are nicely golden in places and caramelised (but not too dark). Simmer the reduction over a medium-low heat, allowing it to reduce to a rich syrup. Strain out the vegetables and discard and add the 2 litres of chicken stock to the red wine reduction and reduce down to around 500ml, adding the fresh thyme sprigs and pomegranate juice reduction to finish.

Add the olive oil to a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat, until the oil shimmers but not smokes. Season each duck breast and with a sharp knife cut in parallel lines through the skin into the fat, but not so far as to expose the dark meat. Now do the same at a 45 degree angle to create a ‘harlequin’ effect. This will allow the skin to crisp and help render out the natural fat under the skin. Sear the breasts – skin side down - for 6 to 8 minutes on a medium flame so that the pan sizzles pleasingly and the skin on each develops a golden brown colour. The skin should shrink noticeably and be crisp on the surface. Finally, flip the duck breast over and cook for an additional 3 minutes for an ideal medium-rare finish, or 5 minutes if you prefer the meat to be well done. Remove the duck from the pan and allow it to rest on a warm (not hot) surface for at least 2 to 3 minutes before slicing.

Add the minced shallots to the pan with the duck fat that has rendered out and sweat off for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to brown them. Add the seasonal vegetables and cook gently until they are warmed thoroughly, adding the rosemary to finish. Cut each duck breast diagonally into roughly 1.5 cm slices and serve with the vegetables and spoon over the pomegranate thyme reduction.

* For 450-500ml of juice, cut 4-6 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates in half and juice them with a citrus reamer or juicer. Pour the mixture through a cheeseclothlined strainer or sieve. Set the juice aside.