Terra Americana

The first time I had duck was in a tiny hamlet outside of Exeter in Devon, England.  I think the village was called Tiverton, the name of the restaurant escapes me.  Two things I am sure of are that I was in the splendid company of David Palmer and the duck was to die for.  Rich and meaty, flavorful and filling.  Since then I have had duck prepared in a number of ways, none as special as Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.  The combination of garlic, herbs, port and honey play as the perfect backdrop for Duck and local peaches.  On the grill its even better.  This is my adaption.

• 2lb duck breast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 1tbsp Herbs de Provence
• 3 garlic cloves, lightly smashed, not peeled
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 cup ruby port
• 1 tsp Coconut Oil
• 4 ripe but still firm peaches, peeled, halved, and pits removed

Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.

More from this classic cookbook:

• Fresh Orange Pork Tenderloin
• St Germain des pres Onion Biscuits
• Swordfish with frilly carrot and herb salad
• Navarin Printanier

He loves steak.  In fact I would say he is passionate about his steak.  So when it's time to cook, that's his domain.  I am relegated to the vegetables. 

 

In warmer weather it's the grill, when the temps turn arctic it's the frying pan.  Before he became my Chef de Cuisine I would have turned my nose down at any steak to come out of a skillet.  Now I know better.  A couple weekends ago my salt and pepper, meat and potatoes man decided to spice things up.  He had been leafing through a cook book I had left on the coffee table.  For obvious reasons The Great Steak Book had caught his eye.  Adapted from Grady Spears', "Cowboy Coffee Pan Blend" this is what my favorite pardner came up with.

 

2, 6-8 oz filet mignon, lamb or skirt steaks

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/4 tsp Coarse ground black pepper

1 tbsp Worcester sauce

1/3 cup brown sugar

Rub each steak with salt and pepper.  Drizzle worcester sauce over steaks. Let sit refrigerated for at least 1 hour.  Mix coffee, brown sugar, Jamaican Jerk Seasoning  and Coffee & Chocolate Spice on a gallon freezer bag.  Add steaks and toss and turn to coat evenly.

In a large heavy skillet over medium heat, fry steaks for 2 min on each side.  Flip and fry steaks for a second time, 3 min on each side.  Remove pan from heat and cover with tin foil. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before serving. 

Best with beans, fabulous with fries, magical with malbec, beautiful with Belgian style wheat beer. Works well with a wrangler too.

If you are serious about steaks:

• My sister's steak sauce

• Juicy Grilled Rib Eye

• Grilled Sirloin finished with Black Pepper Chevre

• B.B.Q. Steak Marinade

Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini