- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups refrigerated pomegranate juice (such as Pom)
- 2 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 4 large dried California chiles, stemmed, seeded, torn into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce from canned chipotle chiles in adobo
- 1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cumin (not toasted)
- Coarse kosher salt
- 8 5-to 6-ounce boneless duck breast halves, skin and fat trimmed to size of breast
- Coarse kosher salt
- Ground coriander
- Fresh pomegranate seeds
- Stir sugar and 1/2 cup water in heavy large saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat; boil until syrup is deep amber color, swirling pan occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add juice, broth, and California chiles. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool. Puree in tightly covered blender until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl. Whisk in adobo sauce, vinegar, and cumin. Season to taste with generous amount of coarse salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat before using.
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Score skin of duck (don't cut into flesh) with 5 cuts in 1 direction; repeat in opposite direction, making diamond pattern. Sprinkle duck all over with coarse salt, pepper, and ground coriander. Place 2 large ovenproof skillets over medium-high heat. Add duck, skin side down, to skillets, dividing equally. Cook duck until skin is crisp and deep brown, about 7 minutes. Turn duck over; cook 1 minute. Pour off fat. Transfer skillets to oven. Roast duck until cooked to mediumrare, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer duck to cutting board. Let rest 5 minutes. Thinly slice each breast crosswise on slight diagonal. Arrange slices on plates. Spoon sauce over. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.
- Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.
- Dried, smoked jalapeños in a spicy tomato sauce called adobo; available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.