Ingredients

  • 4 duck breasts
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large red onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup dry red wine
  • 8 cups homemade chicken stock
  • 2 whole New Mexican Red chiles
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 star anise
  • 3 pears, peeled, seeded and halved
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Season the duck with salt and pepper on both sides and cook, skin-side down, until golden brown, drain the fat, turn the breast over and continue cooking in the oven to medium-rare doneness, about 4 to 5 minutes.
  3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft.
  4. Add the wine and cook until reduced. Add the stock, chiles, cinnamon, anise, and pears, and cook until reduced by 1/2.
  5. Strain the sauce into a clean saucepan and cook to a sauce consistency, and can coat the back of a spoon thickly.
  6. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and season with salt and pepper, to taste. (Sauce can be gently re-heated, but cannot boil, or the sauce will break.)