Duck Breast and Port Wine-Sherry Vinegar Beurre Monte

Pairing sauces with proteins is an important thing to learn.  I'm still trying to get the hang of this, but I pulled the components of this dish from two different sources of inspiration.    Also here, I get to work on the proper use of heat to cook meat, seasoning and spicing proteins, as well as the making of a reduction sauce and a new technique for me: beurre monte.

Duck breast pan seared. I made a spice mix for the skin side: fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, all ground in a mortar & pestle, then seasoned with white pepper and salt. The other side was seasoned with just salt & white pepper. Seared in a pan w/o added fat.

Sauce is a beurre monte. 1:1 port wine and sherry vinegar, reduced to nearly a glaze, then butter melted into it without whisking to create the mirror like sheen.

Sauce and meat were made for each other. The duck is very rich and meaty, the sauce sweet and sour.  I really love the acidity in this. The sourness makes you salivate, which really elevates the duck flavor.  I had some carrots with a spiced glaze with this (not pictured, but the glaze was honey, cumin, and cayenne)