Duck breast with grape and cassis sauce, dumplings and walnut brittle

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 duck breasts (350 g each), 1 potato dumpling
• Salt and pepper, ad mill
• 150 g white grapes, seedless
• 250 ml grape juice, red
• 250 ml chicken broth
• 3 tbsp cassis (alternatively currant juice)
• 1 tbsp jelly (currant jelly, red)
• possibly lemon juice
• 80 g walnuts, kernels
• 3 tbsp sugar
• oil
• Sauce thickener or cornstarch

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 40 minutes

Pepper the duck breasts and score the skin with a sharp knife. Fry skin-side down in a pan, perhaps with a little oil, for 2-3 minutes. Turn and fry again. Meanwhile, add the dumplings to hot water and cook for about 20 minutes. Place the duck breasts in an ovenproof dish and fry in an oven preheated to 200°C (gas mark 3, fan oven 175°C, without preheating) for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on thickness, until crispy. Drain the duck fat from the pan. Pour the grape juice and chicken stock into the pan, bring to a boil, and reduce slightly. Stir in the washed grapes, blackcurrant, and blackcurrant jelly and bring back to a boil briefly. Thicken the sauce with a sauce thickener or Mondamin and season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if desired. Roughly chop the walnuts. Melt the sugar in a small saucepan. Once the sugar turns golden brown, add the nuts while stirring. Remove the duck breasts from the oven and let them rest for 2-3 minutes before slicing. Carve the duck breasts and serve with the sauce. Place the dumplings on the plate and scatter the walnut brittle on top.