If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, why not make dinner at home to avoid the crowds and noise you might encounter at a restaurant? Each year I ask my husband what he would like, and it is often duck breast with a fruit sauce.

I can’t think of a better dish to serve than crispy duck breasts. Easy to prepare for a beginner cook, duck breasts are the best combination of a crispy duckling and the meatiness of a good steak. Duck breasts are quick to put together and much less messy than roasting a whole duck.

As I tested this recipe, I found it difficult to find fresh large duck breasts. I went with air-chilled 10-ounce breasts that were just right for individual servings. Whatever size you can buy, make sure they are fresh duck breasts; the frozen variety tends to become rubbery. Muscovy or Hudson Valley ducks are preferred.

This recipe will serve 4 to 6 depending upon how large the duck breasts are and how big your guest’s appetites are. If you only want dinner for two, you can halve the amount of duck breasts, but I would make the whole amount of sauce. For me, there can never be enough sauce!

The pomegranate orange sauce is a beautiful contrast to the crispy brown skin. Sweet orange juice is tempered by the slightly tart pomegranate juice. The sauteed shallots offer some texture. Orange liqueur, like Grand Marnier or Cointreau, brings an orange flavor layer. Look for sweetened pomegranate juice and a rich chicken or duck stock for great flavor. This sauce is also delicious on crispy chicken breasts.

Pair the duck with farro and braised spinach. An Oregon, California Santa Lucia or Russian River pinot noir is my choice to pair with the duck. For dessert, chocolate mousse or chocolate molten cake would be a lovely ending.

Duck Breast with Pomegranate Orange Sauce

Serves 4 to 6

Note: The secret to crisp skin is letting the skin dry out overnight in the refrigerator.

4 (10 ounce to-1 pound) boned duck breast halves with the skin left on

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the sauce:

3 medium shallots, minced

1 cup veal or duck stock

2 tablespoons orange liqueur plus 1 tablespoon

3 tablespoons pomegranate juice like POM

Zest of 1 orange

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Pound the duck halves between two pieces of wax paper with a heavy pan or a mallet to even out the thickness. Score the duck breasts with a very sharp knife by cutting crisscross lines on the skin, making sure not to cut into the duck meat. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover loosely with wax paper. Refrigerate overnight to allow the skin to dry out for a crispy end result.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, large enough to fit the four halves, on medium-high. Sauté the duck breasts, skin side down for about 5 to 7 minutes or until the skin is very crisp and nicely browned. Turn over and sauté for another 6 to 7 minutes or until the duck breasts are medium rare. Remove and place on a wood carving platter and loosely cover. (If you prefer medium, cook another 2 minutes on the second side). Let rest for 10 minutes.

3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the drippings and sauté the shallots for a minute or until softened, stirring the brown bits up. Add the stock, 2 tablespoons orange liqueur, the pomegranate juice, orange zest and juice, and increase the heat to high. Reduce the mixture to a light glaze, about 3 to 5 minutes.

4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon orange liqueur and cook for another minute. Whisk in the 1 1/2 tablespoons butter to thicken and add sheen to the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Slice the duck breasts thinly on the diagonal and arrange on serving plates. Spoon the sauce over the slices and serve immediately.

Advance preparation: This dish may be prepared through Step 1 up to one day ahead and refrigerated.

(Diane Rossen Worthington is an authority on new American cooking. She is the author of 18 cookbooks, including “Seriously Simple Parties,” and a James Beard Award-winning radio show host. You can contact her at www.seriouslysimple.com.)

©2024 Diane Rossen Worthington. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.