In this pan-roasted duck breast recipe from Plated, a red wine and mushroom risotto is the perfect accompaniment. Pecorino cheese finishes thing off beautifully.

  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Total: 1 hr 35 mins
  • Active: 35 mins

Ingredients (15)

  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 8 ounces wild mushrooms
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 shallot
  • 1 orange
  • 1 boneless, skin-on duck breast
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • Kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 packet unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup Arborio rice
  • 1/2 cup red wine
  • 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Place chicken broth in a medium pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cover to keep warm. Wipe mushrooms clean with damp paper towel and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Pick thyme leaves. Peel shallot and mince. Halve orange. Rinse duck and pat dry with paper towels. In a shallow dish, whisk together soy sauce, honey, and juice of 1/2 orange. Season with salt and pepper.
  2. Using a sharp knife, score duck skin in a criss-cross pattern. Rub duck on both sides with salt and pepper. Place skin-side down in a medium ovenproof pan over medium heat. Cook until fat has rendered and skin is beginning to crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove duck from pan and carefully pour off excess fat.
  3. While duck sears, toss mushrooms with thyme and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer. Place in oven and roast until tender, about 15 minutes.
  4. Return duck flesh-side down to pan over medium heat. Pour marinade over duck. Cook until bottom is golden, about 1 minute. Flip, then transfer pan to oven. Roast until medium-rare, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer duck to a plate, reserving marinade in pan. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then thinly slice crosswise.
  5. While mushrooms and duck roast, heat butter and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large high-sided pan over medium-high heat. When butter is foamy, add shallot and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add rice to pan with shallot and stir to coat grains in butter and oil and toast rice, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes. Add red wine and cook, stirring, until almost absorbed, 1 to 2 minutes.
  6. Add chicken broth to pan with rice, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil over high heat. Then reduce heat to medium high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Pecorino and mushrooms. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. Divide risotto evenly between 2 plates. Top with duck, drizzle over marinade, and serve.