Duck breast à la Normande

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 pieces of duck breast with skin
• 6 apples (not floury, but not Granny Smith either…)
• 1 tbsp crème fraîche
• ¼ liter cider
• 3 tbsp vinegar (apple cider vinegar)
• 100 g sugar
• 50 g butter
• Salt
• Pepper, from the mill
• Rice (wild rice or basmati)

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 15 minutes

Wash and dry the duck breast, then sear it skin-side up without any fat until golden brown. Turn it over briefly and after about 3 minutes place it in an ovenproof dish (skin-side up). Season with salt and pepper, cover with aluminum foil and place in an oven preheated to 130°C for about 20 minutes. Deglaze the gravy in the pan with the apple cider vinegar, adding salt and pepper at the same time. As soon as bubbles appear, add the cider and reduce the liquid by half. Peel and quarter the apples, heat the butter in a non-stick saucepan, and add the apples and sugar. Caramelize the apples, stirring regularly. Finally, season with salt and keep warm. When the meat and apples are done, season the sauce with a little crème fraîche, adding more salt if necessary. Cut the duck breast (preferably pink on the inside!) into thin slices and arrange on plates with the apples and the sauce. This dish goes well with wild rice or basmati rice. The typical cider comes from Normandy, and the delicate caramelized apples harmonize perfectly with the tender duck breast, which tastes best when it’s still rosé on the inside.