Silly me, I got married on Valentine's Day, therefore condemning myself to a lifetime of anniversaries with over-booked, over-crowded restaurant dinners. Fortunately, the husband and I are resourceful. Instead of fighting those dinner crowds, we opt instead for eating out for lunch; {knock on wood} we've never once had to brave a crowded restaurant.
It was late morning when we said our vows, and afterwards, all the friends and family who were there (which were not many) headed over to a local Mexican restaurant for a celebratory lunch. It's sort of become a tradition for us to eat at that same restaurant for lunch every year on our anniversary. It's unspoken, but that's where we always end up.
Since lunch is our time to dine out, that means that we eat Valentine's dinner at home. That doesn't mean it's something boring. As a matter of fact, we try to mix it up every year. My husband tells me all the time that he can't believe he didn't eat {insert name of food here} before he met me. I tend to agree that I'm a good influence. No wonder we get along!
The number one thing we marvel over is the fact that he didn't eat garlic (on purpose) before we started dating. It's a good thing he came around, because garlic was my other boyfriend. Now we're on the same page, the one that reads "the more garlic the better". Another food he didn't eat before I made (it for) him was duck. That's a little more understandable. I know plenty of people who don't eat duck.
Most of the people I've known who don't eat duck say they just don't know what to do with it. They either aren't familiar with it, don't know how to cook it properly, or think it's just a special occasion kind of meat. All of that makes sense, but believe me when I say that although duck is great for special occasions, it's just as great on a random Tuesday. It's also fairly simple to cook.
While everybody in my house prefers duck legs and thighs, I think that the breast can be the easiest place to start. Duck is actually a red meat, so when you cook the breast, if you like your steak rare, you'll probably like your breast rare, as well. I do; my husband does not. He does not like pink meat in any capacity. So, while the breasts I'm sharing today are only lightly tinged with pink to make him happy, you can remove them from the heat sooner if you prefer rare or medium-rare.
To dress them up a bit in the spirit of Valentine's Day, I combined raspberries, a fruity whiskey, and some honey to glaze them with. The whole process takes approximately 20 minutes. I served these over a bed of wild rice blend with spinach, but I think this roasted radishes recipe would also make a perfect accompaniment (pssst...switch out the olive oil for duck fat to perfectly marry these dishes). Once you sit down to eat, you'll be feeling sorry for those lovebirds waiting for a table in a crowded restaurant.
If the thought of cooking duck still makes you nervous, you could always ease yourself in by using some pre-cooked duck confit, like I did for this duck and lentil ragù with spaghetti squash. Or, if you're feeling more adventurous, you could try making these Char Siu duck legs on the grill! This recipe won't yield enough of it, but if you really want to know what heaven tastes like, your rendered duck fat (aka liquid gold) and make this Iron Chef duck fat fries recipe.
Whiskey Raspberry Glazed Duck Breasts Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 duck breasts, 7.5 ounces each
- 1/4 cup raspberries, plus more to garnish, if desired (fresh or frozen)
- 3 tablespoons whiskey, something fruity, not peated
- 2 tablespoons raspberry honey, or wildflower honey
- sea salt
- ground black pepper
Directions
- Combine raspberries, whiskey, and honey in a small saucepot with a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer until thick, 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
- Using a very sharp knife, score the duck fat, taking care not to cut into the meat. Season them with salt and pepper. Set a plate to the side of the stove, you'll need it later.
- Set the breasts, skin side down, in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet and set over medium heat. Let the breasts cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until most of the fat is rendered and the skin is golden and crisp. Working quickly, remove the breasts to the plate you got ready earlier, then carefully drain the rendered duck fat into a jar and save it; it's liquid gold for cooking potatoes in later.
- Return skillet to heat immediately, then set the breasts back in, skin side up and brush them with a thick layer of the Whiskey-Raspberry glaze. Allow to cook to your liking; this will take about 3-5 minutes. If you like them rare, they should register 125°F in the center on an instant ready thermometer (130° for med-rare, 135°F for medium, and so on).
- Brush another layer of glaze on, then let remove to a plate or cutting board and let sit for 5 minutes before slicing.
- Serve with any extra glaze, or tumble a couple of fresh raspberries on each plate, if you wish. I served mine with a wild rice blend cooked in duck stock, with fresh spinach stirred in.
Recommended Equipment
- -inspired by The Fresh Honey Cookbook by Laurey Masterton
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