Duck Breasts Provençale

Hollis Ball is back, this time covering the Decoy Jamboree, still smouldering over the light sentence Judge Fish gave a wife-murderer. Then someone bashes Fish on the head with an antique decoy and everyone agrees Hollis is the guilty party. Naturally she decides to solve the murder herself, with the help of her dead ex-husband, of course, the charming and ghostly Sam.

Duck Breasts Provençale

 

Serve this duck dish with green beans or wilted spinach.

Serving Size: Makes 4 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

4 Duck Breast Filets

1 Precooked Polenta Log (about 1 pound)

2 tsp. Herbes de Provence Blend

1/4 tsp. Olive Oil

1 cup Low-Sodium Chicken Broth

1/4 cup Pitted Kalamata Olives, chopped

1/4 cup Oil-Packed Sun-Dried Tomatoes, chopped

1 Tbsp. Capers, rinsed

1 Tbsp. Parsley, chopped

 

Directions:

 

1. Heat oven to 425°F. 

 

2. Bring large pot of water to boil; cook polenta log according to package directions while preparing duck and sauce. With small sharp knife, remove skin from duck breasts. Season breasts on both sides with herbes de Provence. 

 

3. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add breasts; brown on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. 

 

4. Transfer breasts in one layer to baking dish or another skillet and place in oven; cook about 6 minutes for rare, 8 minutes for medium-rare and 10 minutes for medium, turning breasts once after 4 minutes. 

 

5. While breasts are in the oven, make pan sauce. Pour off fat from skillet breasts were browned in. 

Add chicken broth, olives, tomatoes and capers; simmer until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.

 

6. Remove polenta log from water; open package and mound polenta on 4 plates, dividing it equally

 

7. Cut each breast crosswise on a slight angle into 4 to 5 slices about 1/2-inch thick; fan 1 breast over polenta on each plate and spoon sauce over duck and polenta. Sprinkle with parsley.