Canada, Canadian wines, Niagara, Pinot Noir, Queenston, Red wines, Wines from Canada
Duck breast with strawberry-balsamic reduction & thyme
Jun
June has two weeks when everything is just right—this is one of them
Strawberries in June aren’t just a dessert. They’re a choice. Reduce them with balsamic vinegar, deglaze with a splash of red wine, and add fresh thyme, and you’ll get a sauce that no chef would have to invent—it just comes together. Serve with duck breast: skin scored in a crisscross pattern, placed cold in the pan, and cooked slowly on the skin until it glistens like lacquer and cracks like caramel. Pink on the inside. The Queenston Mile Pinot Noir from St. David’s Bench—only 273 cases produced, from a single hillside vineyard above the Niagara River—smells of cherry, beetroot, and wild mushrooms, and tastes of roasted strawberry and warm spices. It didn’t accompany this dish. It was waiting for it.
Ideal wine pairing: Queenston Mile Vineyard Pinot Noir (St. David’s Bench, Niagara, Canada)
Queenston Mile Vineyard is located on St. David’s Bench—one of the most distinguished terroirs in the Niagara Peninsula, a sloping plateau directly above the Niagara River. Its well-drained loamy soils and unique microclimate lend the Pinot Noir a precision and depth found only in this cool climate in Canada. The 2018 vintage is a true rarity: just 273 cases, 100% estate-grown grapes, clones #115 and #667. Three days of cold maceration on the skins with about 10% whole clusters—a decision that imparts both structure and aromatic depth. This is followed by fermentation in tanks and one-ton containers, using a mixture of cultured and wild yeasts. Twelve months in older French oak barrels, followed by an unusually long period of bottle aging before release, until the tannins had fully mellowed. A winemaker who waits until the wine is ready—not until the calendar permits it.
In the glass, it is a clear, bright ruby red. The bouquet is delicate and multi-layered: light cherry, beetroot, wild mushrooms, and potpourri—complex, yet never heavy. On the palate, cherry and baked strawberry with an earthy, rustic note that sets it apart from smoother Pinot Noirs. A big, lush mid-palate, followed by warm spices and fine-grained tannins. 12.7% alcohol, dry, with a lively acidity that makes every bite fresher. This wine is a natural pairing for duck breast: the baked strawberry on the palate responds to the strawberry-balsamic reduction, the cherry aroma extends the sauce, and the mushroom notes echo the browned duck skin. The tasting sheet itself recommends “Roasted duck with cherry jus”—here is the answer.
The recipe:
Duck breast with strawberry-balsamic reduction & thyme
Equipment
- Schwere Gusseisenpfanne oder Edelstahlpfanne
- Kleiner Topf für die Reduktion
- Scharfes Messer
- Fleischthermometer (optional, aber empfohlen)
- Schneidebrett
Ingredients
FOR THE DUCK BREAST:
- 2 Duck breast about 300–350 g each, with skin
- sea salt freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- FOR THE STRAWBERRY-BALSAMIC REDUCTION:
- 300 g fresh strawberries stemmed and halved
- 3 tablespoon of good-quality balsamic vinegar from Modena mature, not too young
- 2 a tablespoon of red wine e.g., the Queenston Mile Pinot Noir
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 2 Sprigs of fresh thyme
- sea salt black pepper
FOR SERVING:
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Fleur de Sel
- 2 –3 fresh strawberry halves
Instructions
PREPARING DUCK BREASTS:
- Use a sharp knife to score the skin of the duck breast in a crisscross pattern—only through the skin, not into the meat.
- Season generously with salt and pepper, then rub in the thyme leaves.
- Let it rest for 30 minutes at room temperature.
STRAWBERRY-BALSAMIC REDUCTION:
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Sauté the shallot in it for 2 minutes until translucent.
- Add the strawberries and thyme, and cook briefly until the strawberries soften.
- Add the balsamic vinegar, red wine, and honey.
- Simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, until the sauce thickens to a syrupy consistency.
- Remove the thyme sprigs and season with salt and pepper.
- Keep warm.
ROASTING DUCK BREASTS:
- Place the pan on the stove without any fat.
- Place the duck breast skin-side down in the cold.
- Turn the heat up to medium—the skin will slowly render the fat.
- Cook for 10–12 minutes on the skin side until it is golden brown, crispy, and has a glossy sheen.
- Drain the duck fat periodically and set it aside.
- Turn the heat up high and flip the meat.
- Cook for another 3–4 minutes—the internal temperature should be about 58–60 °C for medium-rare, pink.
- Remove from the heat and let rest for 5 minutes—don’t cover it, so the skin stays crispy.
SERVE:
- Slice the duck breast against the grain.
- Spoon the strawberry-balsamic reduction onto two preheated plates or serve it on the side.
- Place the duck slices on top of the sauce, overlapping them slightly, with the skin facing up.
- Sprinkle with fresh strawberry halves, thyme leaves, and fleur de sel.
- Serve the Queenston Mile Pinot Noir at 16–17 °C.
SIDE DISHES:
- Sautéed new potatoes with butter and thyme
- Or: Potato gratin with crème fraîche
Nutrition
