It’s March 10th again, and it would be Mom’s birthday. Growing up, it was always a day to celebrate, but ever since she passed away, it’s a day to remember and honor her for the incredible woman that she was and the best mom a guy (or gal, if my sister is telling the story) could have. She was a steadfast advocate, a trusted advisor, and an unparalleled mentor to me…she was a mom and a best friend.
She was also deeply passionate about food (and knowledge) to the point where she built and maintained Food Timeline by herself for years to help people find ways to use primary sources to answer pretty much any food related questions they had. As a result of all of her research, my sister and I tried a LOT of unique foods growing up…but as adventurous as my mom’s soul was, she would always pick Duck over any other meal. It was her favourite…to the point where she’d wait until my dad was on a business trip to defrost it…and then she’d make my sister and I burgers or chicken nuggets…so she wouldn’t have to share. I’m still not sure whether her plan was ingenious or diabolical.
Anyway, reading back through some older blog posts, I’ve noticed that I’ve become predictable…I seem to instinctively pick duck to cook every March 10th in her honor. Two years ago, we cooked Rosemary Cabernet Glazed Roasted Duck Breast…and last year, we made Duck a L’Orange Pizza. This year, I decided to incorporate an ingredient that my ant (not a typo) gave us and feature that as well…Black Currant Spread!
Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:
- Duck Breast (We bought a whole duck and Broke it Down)
- Black Currant Jam
- Mint Leaves (Dried and crumbled or fresh and diced)
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 Tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- A Little Milk or Cream
- Salt
Method:
- About 30 minutes before you want to start cooking, give your duck a quick salt sprinkle on the top and bottom.
- Score your duck skin in a cross hatched pattern, being careful to only cut skin, and not flesh. This will allow for the fat to render and drip out.
- Preheat your grill, and when it’s hot, place your duck on, skin side facing down. Cook for about 7-8 minutes, and then flip.
- Cook for another 7-8 minutes until your duck reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
- As your duck finishes on the grill, turn your attention to your sauce:
- Melt your butter in a sauce pan, and then whisk in your flour.
- Allow to cook for a minute or so, and then add your black currant jam/spread and mint.
- Allow to cook for another minute, and then pour in some milk or cream while whisking.
- Allow your sauce to thicken to your desired consistency.
- When your duck is done cooking, remove from the grill, and transfer to a cutting board. Wait a few minutes, and then slice!
- Plate, top with your sauce, devour, and enjoy!
