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Monthly Wine Spotlight - 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve

Monthly Wine Spotlight - Peju Cabernet Franc Reserve

Each month, we pick a featured wine and a celebrated Napa Valley guest Chef creates a perfect pairing recipe! This month the Peju Kitchen suggests a bottle of Peju 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve paired with this delicious Pear Brined Tea-Smoked Duck recipe as well as a vegetarian option to download - Enjoy!

Find our 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve here >
- Pear Brined Tea-Smoked Duck - Download here >
- Kale and Veggie Quinoa Stuffed Portabella - Download here >

Recipe courtesy of The Peju Kitchen

Pear Brined Tea-Smoked Duck
(Yield: 2-6 ppl)

Ingredients		Amount
Duck Breasts Water Ice Kosher salt Pears, quartered Cardamom pods, crushed Juniper berries, crushed Cloves, crushed Loose green tea		2 (Moulard, Muscovy or Pekin) 2 cups 2 cups ¼ cup 2 4 6 4 3 tbsp

Method

1. Heat the water, salt, pears, cardamom, juniper, and cloves in a medium saucepan until the salt has dissolved. Remove from heat, add the ice and stir until cool. Make a crosshatch pattern on the fat side of the duck breasts with a sharp knife to allow for permeation. Brine the duck breasts overnight in a shallow dish or Ziplock bag. Remove the breasts from the brine and pat dry.

2. Place a dutch oven with lid (or glass baking dish with foil to cover tightly), over medium high heat. Once heated, place the duck breasts, fat side down, in the pan. Fat will render quickly and fill the bottom of the dutch oven. As it collects, periodically pour it off. This process takes 5-10 minutes depending on how thick the layer of fat is. The fat has finished rendering when it begins to develop a crust and looks lightly-charred.

3. Remove the breasts from the dutch oven. Pour off most or all of the fat, and drop the tea into the oven. Cover for 30 seconds. Replace the breasts quickly, releasing as little smoke as possible flesh-side down. Cover. Sear for two minutes, flip, and sear for another two minutes for medium rare.

4. Remove the breasts to a cutting board and slice on the bias into thin strips.
Serve with cranberry compote, spring pea shoots and sweet potatoes roasted in duck fat.

Enjoy!

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