What I Ate For Dinner

Tonight: Duck. There are a few things to keep in mind when preparing this toothsome bird at home that will ensure a crispy bronze skin and moist meaty morsels. Most importantly, remember that duck has a substantial layer of fat between the skin and meat. If you don't render it out before roasting, the fatty layer can make some bites feel greasy (this ain't no Double Down, ya'll!). The solution is quite simple: you need only prick the skin several times and brown on medium heat on the stovetop to liquefy the duck fat, which will seep out into the skillet through the piercings. By the time you throw it in the oven, the duck will be substantially leaner, moist, and already quite crispy.

So to start, dust the leg and thigh piece with seasoned flour and brown in olive oil. Since the duck fat will soon begin to render out, you'll need only a minimal amount of oil in the pan--just enough to kickstart the rendering. You can prick the skin before putting the duck in the skillet, or allow it brown up a bit and then make your piercings. In any event, you want to render on medium heat so that the rendered fat won't start smoking and also so that you can get as much of the fat out as possible without overcooking the outside layer.

Once you've got a golden brown color on both sides, it's ready for the oven. I usually put a thin coating of white wine on the bottom of the oven vessel to add moisture and flavor to the roasting process. Drain the rendered duck fat out of the skillet and into a dish and reserve; it will add complexity to the sauce, as well as offer an interesting grounding for a salad vinaigrette. Once in the oven, two leg-thigh pieces take about 10-15 minutes at 325.

Now for the sauce. Start by sautéing shallots in the rendered duck fat. Once colored, deglaze with white wine and reduce by approximately half. Then add the blackberry purée. I find that the easiest way to purée blackberries is to force them through a metal sieve. This will yield a good mash, as well as automatically remove all those pesky seeds, which you certainly don't want in the sauce.

Once the purée is in the skillet, season with salt, pepper and balsamic, and allow to simmer and reduce for a few moments. To thicken, stir in a simple roux (equal parts flour and oil).

I've finished this one off with a salad dressed in the duck fat, almonds and goat cheese. In place of olive oil, the duck fat offers itself as the foundation of a tasty vinaigrette: simply emulsify the rendered fat with balsamic and a bit of whole grain mustard. To finish the plate, I've added parmesan-rosemary mashed potatoes.