Last month I entered a recipe challenge hosted by Hidden Valley Ranch. It was my first contest and I was excited to participate. I submitted a naan pizza (link removed) and recently discovered I placed runner-up. My prize was a Williams Sonoma gift certificate — I went shopping last night and quickly fell in love with the store.
Today I’m sharing a new recipe I’m entering in another contest, this time for Courvoisier Cognac. I wanted to pair cognac with pomegranate juice, reduce it to a glossy sauce, and serve it with duck breast. I’m a big fan of duck, especially when the breast skin is crackly and golden.
Part of the contest involves public voting on the Courvoisier site. Voting runs daily until August 24th, and you can vote once per day. If you’re able to cast a vote even once, I’d really appreciate the support.
I paired the duck with wonton-wrappers ravioli. Wonton wrappers are wonderfully versatile — they can be molded into cups, baked, boiled, steamed or fried. Using them for ravioli is a great shortcut for cooks who prefer not to make fresh pasta from scratch.
The ravioli are filled with a cognac duxelle — a savory mixture of finely diced mushrooms and shallots cooked in white wine, finished with a splash of cognac while it simmers. The cognac deepens the flavor and ties the filling to the sauce.
To accompany the duck and ravioli I prepared a fresh basil pesto and a concentrated pomegranate-cognac reduction. Both sauces work well with the richness of the duck and the earthy mushroom filling, and they complement each other on the plate.
Duck Breast and Cognac Duxelle Ravioli
Ingredients
- 4 duck breasts (boneless with skin on)
- 24 round wonton wrappers
- 2 egg yolks
- 3 tbsp butter
- 4 cups finely diced mushrooms (button, crimini and Portobello)
- 1 cup minced shallots
- 5 garlic cloves
- 1 cup white wine
- 8 tbsp Courvoisier VS cognac
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves , packed
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 4 tbsp white sugar
- 2 tsp salt
Instructions
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Make the duxelle stuffing: melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the diced mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in the minced shallots, 3 minced garlic cloves, and salt. Cook another 5 minutes. Add the white wine and 4 tbsp Courvoisier cognac, bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid evaporates, about 20–30 minutes. Cool completely.
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Make the pesto: add the basil, 2 garlic cloves and pine nuts to a food processor. Pulse while slowly pouring in the olive oil until the mixture is incorporated and fairly smooth.
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Make the pomegranate-cognac sauce: combine the pomegranate juice, 4 tbsp Courvoisier cognac and the white sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and reduce until the liquid measures about ½ cup, about 30 minutes.
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Make the ravioli: place one round wonton wrapper on a work surface. Spoon one portion of the cooled cognac duxelle into the center, leaving about ½ inch border. Brush egg yolk around the wrapper edge, top with a second wrapper, press to seal and remove any trapped air. Cook ravioli in boiling water for 3–4 minutes until tender, then drain.
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Cook the duck breast: lightly score the skin without cutting through. Season both sides with salt. Place breasts skin-side down in a cold skillet and set heat to medium. As the pan heats, the fat will render; cook about 4 minutes until the skin is crisp and browned. Flip and sear the underside about 1 minute. Return skin-side down, transfer the skillet to a 400°F (200°C) oven and roast 6–8 minutes. Remove, flip the breasts and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
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To plate: brush a streak of pesto on each plate and drizzle the pomegranate-cognac sauce. Arrange one sliced duck breast and three ravioli per serving.