Duck Breasts, Demi-Glace Sauce and Apples

Ingredients

• 4 duck breast halves (about 225 g / 8 oz each)
• Black pepper to taste
• 2 French shallots, finely chopped
• 2 mL (1/2 teaspoon) crushed fennel seeds
• 2 red apples, cored and sliced
• 1 envelope commercial demi-glace sauce
• 250 mL (1 cup) water
• 80 mL (1/3 cup) apple juice
• 15 mL (1 tablespoon) honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 150?C (300?F). Using a sharp knife, score duck skin in a diamond pattern. Season both sides of breast halves with pepper. Cook breast halves, skin-side down, in an oven-proof skillet for 4 minutes over medium-high heat. Turn over breasts and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Finish cooking in the oven for about 10 minutes, or until internal temperature has reached 63?C (145?F) and meat is rosy. Remove duck from skillet and cover with aluminium foil. Allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Drain all but 15 mL (1 tablespoon) fat from skillet.
3. Heat remaining duck fat over medium heat, and sauté shallots and crushed fennel seeds for about 1 minute, or until shallot is soft. Add apples, salt and pepper. Sauté for 1 more minute or until apples are hot but still crisp. Keep warm. In a saucepan, mix demi-glace sauce, water, apple juice and honey. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Allow sauce to reduce for about 10 minutes.
4. Slice duck breast halves and serve with cooked apples and demi-glace sauce. Accompany with a mix of white and wild rice and vegetables