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Don't Forget To Duck At Dinner

Tribune photo by JEFF HOUCK

A celebratory dinner in an Austin, Texas, restaurant is a meal the Sherpas will remember when they are 110.

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By GREG and MICHELLE BAKER

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 23, 2008

As intelligent beings, we remember. We remember to tie our shoes, wear pants and pick up the kids. Sometimes we forget to walk the dog or pick up the dry cleaning, but we always make amends.

There are, however, some things we will never forget. When we are 110 years old, rocking away on our front porches, yelling at the kids across the street, we will remember a few things from our younger years. With the slightest of breeze, a memory will creep into our minds and make us smile.

Such an instance happened to us over the weekend. We're not exactly 110 yet, but good memories fade from the youngest minds (OK, we're not really young, either) and are reborn with the smallest reminder.

Pan-seared duck breast happened to be the push.

Michelle: I remember the first time I ate duck breast.

Greg: Siena in Austin, Texas.

Michelle: Yes! You remember?

Greg: That was our celebratory dinner for buying our first home together.

Michelle: What an amazing dinner.

Greg: I had wild boar, and you had seared duck breast with duck confit.

Michelle: It was heavenly. I became instantly addicted. I had white truffle for the first time that night, too.

Greg: And you haven't put truffles down since. I've been meaning to talk with you about this truffle addiction.

Michelle: The duck was so tender and juicy. Ya know, every time I see duck I think of that evening.

Greg: Great food ... great company.

Michelle: What a wonderful evening. Thank you.

Greg: Thank you.

Despite our love and loyalty to all things Tuscan, it's mid-September and still stiflingly hot, so we decided to take a more warm-weather-friendly approach to the duck than what we had that night.

Join us for the "All That Glitters" wine tasting and silent auction Saturday. We'll be guest judges at the benefit for MacDonald Training Center. For details, go to www.macdonaldcenter.org.

(Aioli is the predecessor to what we now know as mayonnaise.)

SEARED GINGER DUCK BREAST WITH PEACH-CHILI AOILI

4 duck breasts, trimmed of excess skin
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 peach, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon grape seed oil (or another, neutral oil, like canola)
1/2 teaspoon fresh tarragon, chopped
1 tablespoon Sriracha (chili sauce available in most supermarkets - more or less to taste)
Sea or kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the aioli:

Caramelize the sliced peaches by adding them to a hot saute pan over medium-high heat with 1/2 tablespoon of the grape seed oil and sauteing for 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove the peaches, place in a blender or food processor, and let them cool thoroughly.

Puree the peaches, and then reserve 1/2 for another day.

Add the egg yolk to the remaining 1/2 of the peaches and blend well.

With the food processor running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the grape seed oil.

Add the chopped tarragon, Sriracha, and salt and pepper to taste.

For the duck:

Combine the ginger and soy sauce in a bowl and toss the duck breasts well to coat. Let marinate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of grape seed oil in a saute pan over medium heat.

Dry and season the duck breasts well with salt and pepper and place skin-side down in the saute pan.

This is about as far from cooking boneless, skinless chicken breast as you can get; we need to render the fat from the duck skin to get it nice and crispy. Cook the duck, skin-side down for 8 to 10 minutes, lowering the heat if the skin starts to scorch.

When the skin is nice and crisp, turn the breasts over and cook for 2 minutes longer. This should result in a beautiful medium-rare breast. (Yup, it's safe to eat like that AND delicious.)

Use the aioli as a topping, or as a dressing for some baby greens to complete the dish.

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