Seared Duck with Cherry-Onion Port Reduction

Man, I made a promise to myself that I would be better about blogging regularly once I got past the first couple of months of pregnancy, but alas, I dropped the ball. Apologies!


With that mea culpa taken care of, I have been meaning to post this recipe for WEEKS, as it was an absolute smashing success, and I can’t wait for the next excuse to whip it up again. My love affair with duck breast began back in college, when my dear friend Mona first took me to the Galway Bay pub in Annapolis on a random weeknight to hang out with her friend/bartender extraordinaire and sink my teeth into their incredible duck sandwich. From the first bite, I was completely hooked! Years later when Kyle and I moved back to Annapolis, I would find any excuse to sneak over to Galway for one of their perfectly cooked sliced duck sandwiches.

Fast forward to a few months ago when I attended the first ever Supper Club & Wine Pairing co-sponsored by Spark Restaurant and Newport Wine Cellars. I knew my friends & I would be in for an amazing night of food & wine (I did have small samples of each wine to appreciate the pairings, I know- I’m a huge badass) as Spark has always been on my top 10 list in Newport (you can read my review of Spark here), and I have always been intrigued by the offerings that Maria showcases at her lovely little wine shop across from the Viking Hotel. While I could dedicate and entire blog post to this amazing supper club marriage (and probably will), I will say that there was one dish out of the five (!!!) courses that really stuck out as the star to me: the third course Spiced Duck Breast.

I took home a copy of the menu and knew I wanted to work on a re-creation of Sue’s outstanding dish for when Kyle came home after a few weeks up in dry dock in South Carolina. There were certain flavors I was interested in pulling out, and others I wanted to subdue so I started off by scribbling down components and notes to organize my thoughts. By the time Kyle’s homecoming weekend rolled around, I had a plan in hand, and was eager to hit the kitchen!

The final result was a beautiful duck dish that hit all of the comforting flavor profiles I look for- rich, warm, a bit rustic, and well-rounded. I will admit that I have not had extensive experience working with duck in my own kitchen, but I really didn’t have any problems since it presents itself much like veal or beef. While this dish has a fair amount of steps and prep time, I think it is well worth the effort and makes for a wildly impressive meal for guests or for your special someone. I served a simple side of roasted asparagus dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon zest, which rounded out the meal perfectly. I’ve written out the recipe pretty much in the order that I cooked in, starting with the chive oil and finishing with the duck- this gives the chives plenty of time to flavor the oil, and ensures that the duck gets the proper time to rest without waiting for the other components to be ready. As grits are pretty resilient, they are happy to sit on a just warm burner for some time without losing their integrity.

Seared Duck Breast with Pearl Onion & Cherry Port Reduction over Creamy White Grits with Chive-Truffle Oil
(serves two with leftovers)

For the Chive-Truffle Oil:

-1 Large bunch of fresh chives, minced finely (think a good handful
-1 Small bunch of fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, minced finely
-1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
-1/4 Cup truffle oil.

Place minced chives and parsley in a ramekin or small dish large enough to hold all components. Add in olive & truffle oil. Using the back of a spoon or muddler, lightly crush herbs to release flavors into oil. Set aside on countertop.

For the Grits:

-2 Cups water
-1 Tblspn salted butter
-1/2 Cup white hominy grits
-2 Heaping tblspns part-skim ricotta
-1/2 Cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese
-Dash of nutmeg
-Sea salt
-White pepper

Bring water and butter to a boil, add in grits. Stirring occasionally, cook grits for approximately 25 minutes or until grits are soft and creamy. Once ready, stir in ricotta cheese until well incorportated over low heat. Add in parmesan cheese in small amounts, stirring well to mix (if added all at once, you risk having a cheese ball in the middle of your grits). Season well with a dash of nutmeg, sea salt & white pepper. If grits seem a bit too stiff, stir in a teaspoon or two of milk or cream to loosen. Once proper consistency is reached, cover & set on a very low burner.


For the Duck:

-2 Duck breast filets with skin on (I used wild Canadian duck, and would highly recommend)
-16-20 Pearl onions, blanched & peeled
-3/4ish Cup of dried cherries
-3/4 to 1 Cup good quality Port
-Extra virgin olive oil
-Sea salt
-Cracked black pepper

Remove duck breasts from packaging, rinse and pat dry. Using a sharp knife, remove any excess fat so you are left with a skin/fat layer that covers the top of the breast. Make 3-4 shallow cuts (through fat only, do not puncture meat) on the top of the skin on each breast. Slice fat trimmings into ribbons and slice again into ¾ inch pieces (for cracklings). Season fat side of duck with salt & pepper.

In a large sauté pan, heat 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until just smoking. Add duck fat pieces and stir frequently to avoid sticking and burning. Once pieces have crisped (think bacon), remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to paper towels. Season cracklings well with sea salt. Turn heat up a bit to medium-high, and place duck breasts in the center, fat side down. Do not fuss with the duck, as it will interrupt the searing. Season exposed sides well with salt & pepper. After 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness, flip duck breasts over and allow to sear on the bottom side. After a minute or two, tilt pan slightly, and baste the top of the duck breasts with the pan oil. Remove duck breasts from pan after another 2-3 minutes and transfer to an oven friendly dish and place in a just warm oven.

Reduce heat to medium, and add pearl onions to oil (you may need to add a little more olive oil), cooking for two or so minutes- give the pan a couple of good shakes to keep the onions from sticking. Add in dried cherries and cook for an additional two minutes, or until cherries begin to plump and soften. Turn heat back up to medium high, and add in your port (if working on a gas stove, please be CAREFUL!). Scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan and continue stirring over heat until sauce is reduced by about half, approximately 10-12 minutes. Once sauce has reduced and has a texture similar to maple syrup, turn heat to low and season with salt & pepper to taste.

Just before serving turn your oven’s broiler on to high, and briefly broil the fat side of your duck breasts (will help revive the crisp skin if sauce took a bit longer to reduce) for just a few minutes.

To Assemble:

In the center of each plate, spoon on a good sized serving of white grits. Top with chive oil. Slice duck breasts on the bias and fan out on top of grits. Spoon port reduction over duck slices and sprinkle cracklings over the whole lot. Serve immediately, and don’t feel guilty if you end up without leftovers.

Rustic Lamb Lasagne

Whenever Kyle comes home from sea, I try to make something really comforting and homey to welcome him back from his time out to sea, especially now that we are into November and the mercury has taken a significant nose dive. As I’ve said many times before, I really enjoy fall and winter, and all of the hearty cooking that comes along with it. On the whole, Kyle is a very much a “meat & potatoes” kind of fella, although he has a very adventurous palate. This past cruise, his ship was researching off of Georges Bank, and this time of year up North can be quite biting.

I have been traveling almost every weekend for the past couple of weeks, and as a result my cooking & blogging have been somewhat lacking. However, the stars aligned for this past weekend, and with Kyle coming home for more than a night or two, I was excited to make something truly “from scratch” that would be filled with rustic flavors and soul warming substance.

I stumbled across Nigella Lawson’s recipe for Venetian Lasagne, and immediately felt inspired. I loved the idea of replacing noodle layers with polenta, and from her initial recipe, I began building my own take on it in my head over the next two days. With the much appreciated help of my friend and colleague, Matt, I began bouncing ideas off of him on how to expand on the polenta lasagne concept, which he and his wife had made a take on before. Nigella’s original recipe called for ground beef, and after playing around with different textural concepts, I settled on substituting a combination of ground sausage and diced lamb to create a more interesting consistency. From there, I decided upon adding a layer of ricotta with fresh herbs- a component I have to add to any baked Italian pasta dish. I upped my vegetable measurements as well to add to the robust nature of my concept.

I took a lot of pleasure in the entire slow-cook process of this dish- I bought my lamb as a bone-in leg section, and butchered it down myself to ensure absolute freshness and flavor. As the sauce simmered away on low heat (the smell was incredible!), I enjoyed a glass of wine, mixed up the ricotta layer and prepared my assembly line and enjoyed the warmth of my tiny kitchen on a blustery night. I cooked & assembled the lasagne a day in advance, and I would not recommend attempting this from start to finish on for a weeknight meal. It is a perfect “do ahead” recipe, as it will survive perfectly covered in a dish in the refrigerator for up to two days in advance or could be made the day of a weekend dinner party. It is hearty enough to chase away any cold fall or winter day, and elegant enough to serve at a casual dinner party with good friends and a hearty red wine. My recipe ended up being enough to make a grand 9”x13” pan for Kyle and I, and as a thank you to Matt, I sent him home after work on Friday with a 9” round pan of the same to share with his wife over the weekend- it was only fitting after being my soundboard on it over two days!

I have never been so happy with the way a lasagne has turned out from start to finish, and I will be making this again and again in the future. The lamb was robust and full of flavor from its slow simmer in the sauce, and the polenta absorbed the all of the flavor while still maintaining its own integrity. I served it alongside a chopped style Mediterranean salad (recipe up soon!), and the huge flavors of the lasagne complimented it perfectly. At the end of the weekend, Kyle and I were left with two measly end pieces, which we plan on devouring after work today. I have to say, the best compliment came from Matt and his wife, who texted the following message to me on Satuday: “I must say that the lasagne is superb! Nice work. Natascha and I totally owned the whole pan. Can’t feel my face.” It doesn’t get any better than that, as far as I’m concerned!

Rustic Polenta Lasagne with Lamb, Mushroom & Sausage Ragu (inspiration taken from Nigella Lawson’s Venetian Lasagne)

Written out in order of preparation:

For the Polenta:
-2 Cups instant or quick cooking polenta (I used Pastene)
- Chicken stock (enough for whatever the polenta instructions require for cooking liquid)
- ¾ Cup shredded Parmesan
- 1Tblspn. butter
-Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

For the Ragu:
- ½ lb. loose Italian sausage
- 1½ lbs. Fresh lamb leg, diced into bite size pieces
- 16oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, roughly diced
- ½ Vidalia onion, diced
-3-4 Medium garlic cloves, minced
- 3 Celery stalks (with green tops), diced
- 3 Carrots, peeled & diced
- 16oz. Can crushed tomatoes (San Marzano or Pastene are perfect)
- 2-3 Tblspn. tomato paste
- ½ Cup hearty red wine, such as Chianti, Merlot or Bordeaux
- 2 Bay leaves
- Olive oil
- Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

For the Ricotta Layer:
- 16oz. Part skim Ricotta cheese, at room temperature
- 1 Large egg
- Handful of flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- Heavy pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
-Sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

Additional ingredient: 1+ Cup shredded Parmesan, for layering

For Polenta: In an adequately sized stock pot, heat chicken stock (amount determined by brand of polenta used) over medium high heat until boiling. Add in dry polenta and stir continually until stock is absorbed. Remove from heat & quickly stir in Parmesan cheese, butter and season with salt & pepper. Divide polenta between two cookie or baking sheets, using a spatula to spread out evenly (once polenta begins to cool slightly, it can be smoothed further by placing a layer of parchment paper on top and passing a rolling pin over the top). Set aside and allow to cool completely.

For Ragu: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 Tblspn of olive oil over medium heat, add in sausage meat and cook until browned, stirring to break up. Once browned, remove with a slotted spoon & reserve in a large dish. Add a little more olive oil & add in onions, celery and carrot. Season to taste with salt & pepper and sweat, stirring occasionally for 10-12 minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add in garlic & mushroom, cooking an additional 5 minutes until mushrooms have softened and garlic is fragrant, but not browned. Remove vegetables with a slotted spoon to same dish as sausage and reserve. Turn heat to medium-high, add a little more oil if needed, and sear off lamb pieces until well browned, approximately 7-10 minutes, seasoning with salt & pepper. After fully browning, add in sausage and vegetable mixture and stir well to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium-low, add in bay leaves, crushed tomatoes, tomato puree and wine and bring to low simmer. Stir well and cover partially with lid, dropping heat to low. Allow sauce to cook down over the 60-90 minutes, checking & stirring occasionally. If sauce becomes too thick, thin with a bit of stock or water, and if sauce does not reduce enough, add a bit more tomato paste. Once sauce has reached desired consistency, turn off heat, remove bay leaves and allow to cool slightly for assembly.

For Ricotta: Combine Ricotta, parsley, egg, nutmeg, salt & pepper in a bowl until well mixed.

To assemble Lasagne: Using your pan as a guide, cut cooled polenta to fit the bottom of pan (you should be able to get 3 full slices of polenta out of the pans for layering, and use the last ½ for a smaller [freezer?] lasagne), and place first layer into the bottom of pan. Spread a layer of ricotta on top using a spatula, and top with 1/3 of the Parmesan. Top with a layer of the ragu sauce. Repeat process for a second layer, topping with a final layer of polenta (3 layers of polenta total). Spread with remaining parmesan.

If serving immediately: cover lasagne with a layer of aluminum foil and bake off for 60 minutes in a 370 degree oven, or until bubbly and heated through. Remove foil and broil for 3-5 minutes, until cheese browns and becomes crunchy. Remove from oven & serve with simply dressed greens, lightly sautéed broccoli rabe or lemony haricot verts and a glass of your favorite red.

If making ahead of time: All assembly up to cooking can be done up to two days in advance, and lasagne can be stored in your refrigerator. Top tightly with a layer of plastic wrap, and cover with aluminum foil. Before baking, discard plastic wrap, and follow above directions, adding 20 minutes cooking time if going straight from refrigerator to oven.

Champagne, Sherry and Happy Anniversary!

This is not really a new recipe post, but more of a re-test of a sauce I already posted on, and I wanted to bring its deliciousness to the forefront again! As some may know, last Monday was our 2nd wedding anniversary, and I was under the impression that my husband was not going to be home until Tuesday, as he has been down in the Gulf working with the oil spill relief project. Low and behold that sneaky fella actually booked a flight home for the actual night of our anniversary! Needless to say, I was very surprised (and in the midst of painting my toenails in my pajamas) when he came through the door, but beyond thrilled to see him. We relaxed Monday night, and Tuesday I cooked him a big anniversary dinner and we relaxed all night with champagne, tasty food and each other.

 I first made this Garlic Sherry Brown Butter Sauce when I did pan seared lamb chops when my mother was visiting and absolutely loved it, as did she! I had purchased some fabulous filet mignons at the store and had a good feeling about the pairing. Not to toot my own horn, but it was wonderful! The delicate & buttery texture of the filet with the warm Brown Butter Sauce were a perfect pairing, and Sherry played beautifully off of both the champagne and the mushroom risotto served on the side (which also acted as a great vessel for sopping up any remaining sauce!). After making this sauce a few times, I am confident I will make it again and again- it is elegant, simple and comes together quickly for a lovely accompaniment to any good cut of meat, be it filet of beef, lamb, veal, buffalo or even a meaty fish such as swordfish or halibut!

Garlic Sherry Brown Butter Sauce
(follow same directions recommended for lamb for cooking any red meat)