Duck with juniper berries and Black Currant Sauce. Kadakane part mustsõstrakastmega

I love duck.
Duck fillet is quite expensive and duck legs take a lot of time, so this is a dish I always order in the restaurant.

But sometimes I prepare a duck at home, as well.
Today I suggest duck with the delicious combination: sour and sweet black currant sauce and amazing duck fillet flavoured with little gin and juniper berries. Crispy skin and juicy meat 🙂

Juniper berries (cones) are refreshing and power-giving Nordic treats.
The type of juniper most widely spread in Estonia is the common juniper (Juniperus communis). You can see it growing the most in the Western and Northern parts of Estonia. Juniper symbolizes rebirth, protection and humbleness. „There is no reason to wonder, why the juniper has become one of the symbols of our windy homeland and for all Estonian nation, showing the undying power of life, no matter what comes ahead. (Ants Viires, 2000)“

Picking juniper berries means success that can be achieved with hard work. People widely believe that if you eat one juniper berry in a day, they stay young forever. If children have three juniper berries in a day, they are more likely to stay healthy.
This and many other sayings created a belief that juniper can cure 9 different diseases, 99 diseases in some cases.
Since juniper berry carries a cross formation on it, it was believed that juniper can help against witchcraft, revenants and anything evil.

It is also believed that juniper cleans and strengthens one’s body energetically. For humans, it has the best effect by breathing in, but it can also affect objects around that person. Juniper branches burnt in the house may clean up bad aura.       

 Juniper berries contain essential oils, sugars, resins, colourants, fatty acids, organic acids, carbohydrates and trace elements (Manganese, Iron, Copper and Aluminum). Juniper berries have anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial effects during colds. Berries also stimulate urine and saphenia and promote digestion.

Duck with juniper berries and Black Currant Sauce. Kadakane part mustsõstrakastmega

• Servings: 4
• Time: 2hr 30mins
• Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients

• 2 to 4 duck fillet
• sea salt, pepper

for marinade:

• 4 garlic glove
• 6-8 juniper berries
• bunch of  rosemary
• 0,5 lemon juice
• 3 tablespoon gin

Sauce:

• 4,5 dl broth
• 30 g black currants
• 20 g flour
• 20 g butter
• 2 tablespoon gin
• juniper berries, rosemary

Directions

1. For marinade, chop or mash all dry ingredients. Mix together. Add gin and lemon juice. Taste. Pat fillets dry with paper towels and rub the meat with marinade and let stand for a few hours.

2.  Pat fillets dry with paper towels. Put in to cold pan and fry 8 minutes from one and 8 minutes from other side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Preheat oven. And bake fillets for  10-15 minutes at 200 C
3. Baked fillets turn in to the foil and let rest.
For Sauce:
4. bring broth with herbs and black currant berries to the boil. Cook until berries are soft.
5. Pureer and press through a sieve. Bring to boil and reduce.
6. (For thicker consistency mix flour in cold water and pour into the sauce). Season with gin and salt