Preheat oven (electric cooker: 100 °C/circulating air: 75 °C/gas: see manufacturer). Wash the meat, dab dry and cut the skin diagonally at a distance of approx. 1 cm. Heat a pan without fat. Place the duck breasts with the skin side down in the pan and fry for 4-5 minutes.
Turn and fry for 1-2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Roast in a hot oven for about 50 minutes.
Meanwhile peel the onion and shallots. Dice onion finely, quarter shallots. Pour the cherries into a sieve and collect the juice.
Heat 2 tablespoons of duck fat in a saucepan. Sauté the onion in it. Add red cabbage and bay leaf. Season with cinnamon, aniseed and cloves. Stir in jelly, bring to the boil, cover and stew for about 25 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and possibly sugar.
Pour frying fat out of the pan, up to approx. 2 tablespoons, and heat up again. Brown the shallots in it. Sprinkle with brown sugar and caramelise briefly. Deglaze with Madeira, cherry juice and 100 ml water, bring to the boil and stir in stock.
Simmer open for about 15 minutes. Stir starch with 2 tbsp. water until smooth. Stir into the boiling Madeira sauce, simmer for 1 minute. Add the cherries and heat up briefly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Take meat out of the oven and cut open. Serve with sauce and red cabbage. Serve with hearty mini brioches or croquettes.