I have a new guy. You all are the first to know. We have a connection, sharing the same passions and interests. In fact, Friday, August 9th, is his 69th birthday. Since this week’s French Fridays with Dorie recipe choice is Duck Breasts with Fresh Peaches, I’ve decided it’s a perfect and festive entrée for a special birthday dinner.
Dazzling duck breasts with fresh roasted peaches, both doused in a balsamic, honey and port sauce
In America when we think about special home-cooked meals, duck breasts do not come to mind. As Dorie suggests, “For us, duck is often thought of as a fancy restaurant dish; for the French, it’s something that can be seared, sauced, and served in under 30 minutes on a weeknight.”
I’m skeptical. The one and only time I cooked duck, it was a two-day process. Since then my rule has been, if it quacks, don’t even think about cooking it.
Mise en Place
To find duck breasts in Aspen was a bit of a huff. I finally gulped three times and stopped at The Butcher Block. The Block has been a local landmark for more than 40 years. It is the high, high-end destination for aged beef, veal, pork, poultry, fish,cheeses, gourmet items, caviar, fresh sandwiches and delicious soups. To shop at the Block, it helps if you are a celebrity or gazillionaire. I am neither.
But, they had four duck breasts and I didn’t. Sold.
Fortunately, the purchase was the hardest part. This week’s recipe is simple. After scoring the fatty duck skin in a crosshatch pattern and seasoning with salt and pepper, I placed the duck breasts, skin side down, in a cast-iron casserole. Set the burner at medium high heat. I cooked the duck for eight minutes, skin side down, and, after turning, for four more minutes. The duck breasts were then transferred from the pot to a loosely folded tinfoil packet and stuck in a 250-degree oven.
Next, I put thyme, garlic and 4 fresh peaches, halved, in the same casserole for five minutes before removing to join the duck breasts in the oven. I made a flavorful and smooth sauce by adding honey, port, vinegars and butter to the pot. (In hindsight, I wish I’d doubled-down on the sauce.)
When the sauce was ready I placed the duck breasts on a platter, piled on the peaches and doused with sauce. This is, without a doubt, one of the best dinner entreés I’ve ever made. If your game, you can find the complete recipe, with all its nuances, here.
Now about my beau. He’s perfection. Tall, dark, handsome, a bit chubby in an adorable-sort-of-way. Full head of hair. He’s a good-natured guy, doesn’t say much, and never talks back. Oh, he growls every so often but his growl is worse than his bite. He doesn’t know a stranger and loves to hang out in the wilderness with me. When I mentioned that I wanted to spend the Winters in California, he was fine with that. Says he’ll just be sleeping anyway.
HAPPY 69th BIRTHDAY, SMOKEY BEAR
Not too surprising that Smokey Bear and I found each other, him being my sidekick-of-choice these days, is it? He’s been America’s wildfire-fighting icon, a friend of the forests and wilderness for the past 69-years, and now he’s mine!.
Smokey has recently become more social media-savvy also according to Ragan’s PR Daily. “A new campaign casts him as a warmer character.” Ragan writes. “In contrast to his role as an ominous forest watchman, the new Smokey is more personable and gives “bear hugs” to responsible campers.
Smokey’s message reaches his audience on social sites including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn , Tumblr, and Google+. The bear hugs, seen in the TV commercials, are tweeted as #SmokeyBearHug, along with a bear hug emoticon, to congratulate safe campers or reward someone who shares a helpful fire prevention tip.”
LOL.
Although Smokey would have been just as happy with his favorite menu of choice, peanut butter sandwiches, bluefish and trout, Duck Breasts with Fresh Peaches and a celebratory chocolate cake were his birthday fare.
If you want to wish Smokey Bear a Happy Birthday, go to any of his social media sites. If you wish to see what my colleagues cooked up this week, go here.
Looks like a perfect way to celebrate! I’m so jealous that you managed to find duck breasts! I can’t even find a whole duck to break down! Not even a frozen one… everyone is out this week and wont get any in til late next week… go figure… 🙂
Your cake is the perfect shout out to Smoky! He has been an icon of wildfire prevention for as long as I remember, and how neat is it that your hubby loves the wilderness as much as you?? 🙂 Have a good weekend Mary!
LMAO….sounds like you’ve found the perfect huggie bear.. Recipe looks great too. Never made this either…..I always ducked out…but I may be persuaded now…xoxo
I needed Smokey’s help this week 😉
Lovely celebration dinner – your peaches are so perfect and beautiful! Love the cake too!
Aw, you had me going with your new beau. LOL…he’s a cutie pie! And I have fond memories of buying brats and other German sausages at the Butcher Block…but my parents were buying, not me 🙂 I am always relieved to see Dorie’s detailed instructions when cooking things like duck…mine was slightly overcooked but both Bill and Nick thought it was terrific 🙂
What a beautiful dish! I’m jealous of Smoky, he got to eat that!
He’s also very lucky to have you 🙂
Ooooh, that’s one smokin’ dude. He must give the best hugs ever! Any idea when McGruff’s birthday is? 😉
I could not find any duck at the supermarket/specialty butcher/etc. this week. The only place I could have gotten some was the main restaurant supplier in the island. They do sell some items at the retail level, but placing orders and pickup is apparently a nightmare.
Ha ha! You really got me there Mary. 🙂
Lovely ducks and glad to hear that it was worth the purchase!
Oh and happy BDAY smoky!
Mary, thank you for the birthday wishes, Geez, even Smoky is younger than me. As for the duck, I will try again that’s for sure. Your dish looks perfect and so delicious. Have a great weekend.
Fantastic birthday celebration dinner! Love the cake, too!
Great post, Mary! This dish would make a wonderful celebratory dinner! Your dinner looks fabulous…this one was a big hit in my house. A definite keeper! Glad you enjoyed it!
Love the photo of you and Smokey! Wishing him a happy birthday! Have a great weekend!
You had me going there! Smokey Bear indeed! Seeing all those candles blazing kinda made me giggle too given the cake theme!
Love this post – I chuckled. Finding the ingredients was a bit of a pain, but it was well worth it – wasn’t it just the best duck ever.
Mary – I’ve not laughed so hard all week! First I thought I was a man, then I thought you adopted a four legged man (between us, they are much easier to deal with most of time) then there he was Smokey!
So fun! PS, the duck looks yummy!
You are so cute Mary! I could hardly read about your duck as I want wanting to hear more about your beau! Such a cute post and oh btw, the duck does look quite amazing!
Hi Mary! I hope you and Smokey are very happy together. You make a cute couple.
Your duck platter looks amazing. I love the thyme garnish. I really enjoyed this one. Fortunately for me, duck is often available at my regular grocery store at a reasonable price. When I see it, I buy two breasts and stash them in the freezer until I have a craving. Have a great week!
Mary, this looks like such an elegant meal – I love duck and the combination of sweet and savory in this recipe is very appealing – since we were “out of the country” for a bit (birthday celebration of another kind though), I did not get to make this dish, but there is “make-up” week this Friday, I am sure that I will get a chance to make this lovely recipe.
Have a nice Sunday!
Happy birthday Smokey! The two of you look very happy together and I’m sure that he enjoyed his birthday dinner. I used to think of duck as restaurant food too, but since meeting my husband, who absolutely adores duck, and then learning how easy it is to cook at home, I’ve learned to appreciate it as a home cooked meal. In fact, the weather around here has finally cooled down enough for me to consider turning on the oven and I’m about to head into the kitchen to make this recipe. Was just checking to see if my fellow Doristas had any tips.
haha, good one Mary! You did treat him with this recipe, such a sophisticated dish. But then he deserves it! Happy birthday Smokey!
You had me going there too… I love Smoky and he is definitely the guy to cuddle up with in the winter. I think in Colorado you are suppose to go out and catch your own duck… come on Mary where’s your shoot gun?
shot gun oops
What a fun post! Very clever! I have never had duck that I liked, so skipped this one. But, I have to say, if my plate looked like yours, I’d give it another shot!
I think you and Smokey make a divine couple! I didn’t find duck so I used chicken and haven’t written my post yet! I hope to find duck eventually and try it again.
This was perfection. Hilarious, sweet, educational and a plot twist. And that photo of you and your new beau is gorgeous. LOVE IT. And glad that the duck fared well also 🙂 You had me chuckling at your description of “The Block” and how you gulped three times before going in. I think I had the same physical reaction when buying the swordfish recently. So happy that the results were pleasing. I not only had a make-up week for the Dorie dishes, but am making up commenting on everyone’s duck and this week’s posts. So glad you are having a similar experience – well, you know what I mean 🙂 And your comment on how your rangering is going with irritated lost spouses and flip flop misadventures had me LOL. Also, last note about Smokey. Nana, my Dad and my two sons did a road trip across country in 2005. My hubby couldn’t get as much time off work so he flew to the west coast for a mini vacation while we hit there. En route we stopped at Capitan Mt in New Mexico and visited the Smokey Bear Historical Park. It was fabulous, as were the Mexican pastries we picked up for breakfast in a nearby town. Food and travel, always a hit. And we still have that Smokey Bear stuffed animal I got for my younger son !!!
Your post is too clever! You definitely had me going. I love the photo of the two of you. Smokey’s very lucky to get the duck and the birthday cake.
looks delicious….just mouthwatering!