“The duck is the farmer’s bird, easily reared and fattened…The duck is the epicure’s bird also: one might say the gormandizer’s, but the phrase is hardly polite when they make a market for our fine, tender chicks and ducklings.” ~The Cultivator & Country Gentleman, Vol. 42, 1877.

For the fellow duck lovers out there, here’s a little recipe my wife, Melissa, loves. Hope you do too.

Ingredients – serves 4

4 duck breasts (6-8 ounces)

7 ounces of chanterelles or shitakes w/o stems, tom by hand, 3-4 pieces per mushroom cap

2 shallots julienned or chopped

½ tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 ½ cups veal or vegetable stock

¼ c of balsamic vinegar or port wine

1 tbsp honey

1 tbsp of heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Olive oil

Preparation

With a sharp knife, remove about US layer of fat from breast

Remove the duck tenderloin and discard tenderloin

Score the fat by making diagonal cuts along the fat

Salt & pepper both sides of each breast

In a skillet on the stove, pour approximately 3 tbsp olive oil

Place the duck, fat down, into the skillet

Turn flame to medium

Cook until the fat is light-brown in color (cooking only one side)

Then place the breast (still fat side down) in 400 degree oven

Cook for about 10-12 minutes

Remove pan from oven & place breast on plate to rest

In same sauté pan used to cook the breast, add chanterelles, shallots, and fresh th¡rme

Cook over medium fire for 1 minute

Deglaze with port wine or balsamic vinegar

Add veal or vegetable stock, cream, and honey

Add salt & pepper to taste

Cook over medium fire with 10 minutes

Slice duck breast on the bias-6-7 slices per breast

Place on plate, drizzle sauce and mushroom ragout over each breast

• This dish goes very well with polenta or mashed potatoes
• Also, any remaining duck fat can be saved and used later to add incredible flavor to breakfast eggs and/or potatoes!