Duck Breasts with Pinot Noir and Cherry Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.1 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 0.5 cup cherries dried
• 24 ounce duck breast halves boneless
• 0.5 cup less-sodium chicken broth fat-free
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
• 1.5 cups pinot noir chocolate brownies dry red
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 0.3 teaspoon salt divided
• 0.3 cup shallots chopped
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 0.3 cup whipping cream 

Equipment

• frying pan
• sauce pan
• sieve

Directions

1. Combine sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; cook until sugar dissolves, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly (about 1 minute). Continue cooking 5 minutes or until golden (do not stir).
2. Remove from heat; carefully stir in cherries and vinegar (caramelized sugar will harden and stick to spoon).
3. Place pan over low heat until caramelized sugar melts.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon salt and pepper over duck.
6. Add duck to pan; cook 5 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 4 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.
7. Remove from pan; let stand 5 minutes.
8. Cut duck across the grain into thin slices.
9. Return skillet to medium heat.
10. Add remaining 1 teaspoon oil, shallots, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute or until tender, stirring frequently.
11. Add wine to pan; increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a boil; cook until reduced to 3/4 cup (about 6 minutes).
12. Add broth; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes).
13. Pour wine mixture through a fine sieve into cherry mixture; discard solids. Bring cherry mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in cream; simmer 3 minutes.
14. Remove from heat; stir in remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt.
15. Serve sauce over duck.