Duck Breast à la Seabuckthorn

Preheat oven to 350° F (175° C). Prepare juice by simmering 1/2 c. (125 mL) seabuckthorn berries with 1/2 c. (125 mL) water. When the berries burst and are soft, strain through cheesecloth. Reserve juice for this recipe and set aside pulp for another use.

Boil sugar and water for several minutes, until the syrup caramelizes and turns golden brown. Add vinegar, shallots, and chicken stock and simmer until sauce is reduced by about half and slightly thickened. Stir in butter, juice and berries and simmer only until berries are soft. This can be made the day before and refrigerated until use.

With a sharp knife, score the skin on the duck breast in a crisscross pattern being careful not to cut through the meat. In a preheated ovenproof skillet, sear duck breasts, skin side down over medium low heat until browned and much of the fat has rendered out. Remove excess fat as necessary. Turn them and place pan in oven to cook until internal temperature reaches 145° F (62° C), approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cover with aluminum foil to rest for 10 minutes. The duck will continue to cook and reach an internal temperature of 160° F (70° C).