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Roast duck is one of my favorite dishes. I grew up eating it in restaurants, which always served half a bird on the bone. It was a struggle to enjoy it because of the whole knife and fork hassle.
I don’t recall when restaurants began to serve boneless breast of duck. It could have been 20 years ago.
The boneless breast is meaty and tastes like steak. It cooks up crispy and always looks pretty when fanned out on a plate. The meat is juicy, tender and can be easily cut with a knife.
For the past year, I have been buying duck from Godshall’s in the Reading Terminal Market. I also purchase two large, fresh duck legs with thighs as well because Edward is a leg man.
I have prepared boneless duck breast several times and will never go back to roasting the whole bird. It is easier and quicker to prepare and there is more meat.
Begin dinner with a salad of strong winter greens. I usually saute potatoes and turnips in the rendered fat and serve them with the bird.
Roast duck calls for a rich Cabernet Sauvignon or Cotes du Rhone.
Winter Salad
Ingredients:
1 head of escarole, torn into bite-size pieces
3 heads of Belgian endive, sliced
1 small head of radicchio, shredded
1 small English cucumber, peeled and diced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
About 3 ounces of crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup of olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
Directions:
Toss the salad ingredients in a large bowl. Season with the salt and pepper. Add the cheese.
In a small bowl, whisk the oil and lemon juice together. Pour over the salad.
Serves four.
Roast Boneless Breast of Duck
Ingredients:
2 boneless breasts of duck
2 legs with thighs, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Thoroughly dry the breasts and legs with paper towels. Season with the salt and pepper.
Heat a large non-stick skillet over high. Place the breasts, fat side down, and legs in the skillet. Sear for eight to 10 minutes on each side, depending upon the thickness.
Roast the meat in a baking dish for about 10 minutes.
Allow the duck to rest for five minutes before slicing.
Serves four to six.
Note from Phyllis: Pour off any excess fat from the skillet into a small container. Cover and place in the refrigerator for future use.
Sauteed Potatoes and Turnips
Ingredients:
4 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into small cubes
2 large white turnips, peeled and cut into small cubes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high. Saute the potatoes and turnips for eight to 10 minutes or until the potatoes are crispy and brown. Season to taste with the salt and pepper.
Drain the potatoes on paper towels.
Serves four to six.
