STEVE'S FABULOUS DUCK BREASTS

Once again, I had the privilege of having been served a wonderful home-cooked meal prepared by our friend Steve in the cozy Silverlake cottage-style house he shares with his wife Danielle. Steve impressed me with the most amazing duck breast I had in a long time. Marinated in a herb-infused blood orange 'bath' and cooked to perfection, it was a very happy experience for my palate. And how refreshing to find, for once, something different than beef or chicken on my plate!


That's how he prepared the duck breasts (for 4 people):

Trim 4 breasts and place, skin side up, in a dish. Squeeze 
the juice of three or four blood oranges over them so the the meat underneath is immersed. Then zest the oranges over the  breasts, and sprinkle with a few fresh thyme leaves, and some chopped fresh rosemary. Let sit in the fridge for a few hours.

Spark up your grill. Drain the marinade. Season both sides with good-quality sea salt and fresh-cracked pepper (especially the skin). When the coals are red but not too hot, place the breasts, with the skin side down on the grill. Let the skin brown and crisp up, but try not to get them too close to the heat -- you don't want them to blacken. Don't be afraid to move the breasts around, since there's a lot of fat in the skin that will cause the flames to leap up.

Cook about 6-7 minutes on both sides. Remove and let rest for at least five minutes.

Steve served the duck breasts with vegetables braised in olive oil. 


Thanks for sharing, Steve!