Fire Up the Flavor

By Kevin Gillespie

Ducks can have a lot of fat, but it’s all on the outside of the bird, and the key to great-tasting duck is rendering the fat. One of the advantages of cooking ducks on a grill is that it’s fairly easy to do this, because with an open surface, there’s somewhere for the fat to go. To get it moving quickly, score the skin and fat of the duck breast in a diamond-shaped pattern, and then put the duck, skin side down, on the grill. Just be careful not to put the duck over a raging-hot fire. Medium heat is perfect.

Grilled Duck Breast 

I like to serve grilled duck with skillet-roasted cabbage, but you could also serve it alongside farro with brussels sprouts. Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 4 duck breast fillets, skin on and tenderloin removed
• Salt
• Preparation

1. Heat a grill for direct medium heat.

2. Using a sharp boning knife, score the fillets by cutting 4 slits diagonally across the skin and fat layers and 4 more slits in the opposite direction to form a diamond pattern, cutting just down to but not through the meat. This helps the fat to easily render out and the skin to shrink as the duck cooks. It also allows the fillets to remain flat instead of curling up.

3. Pat the fillets dry with a paper towel and generously season the skin sides with salt. Scrape the grill clean and coat it with oil. Set the fillets on the grill, skin side down, at a 45-degree angle to the grates. Grill for 4 minutes. Use tongs to rotate the fillets 90 degrees and move them, still skin side down, to a new hot spot on the grill. (The cold fillets will have cooled the grill grate where they were sitting, so it helps to relocate them to a hotter spot.) The aim here is to crisp the skin and render the fat. Grill until the skin is brown and crispy, another 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and continue cooking to medium rare (130 degrees internal temperature) for approximately another 7 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

4. Slice the fillets at an angle across the grain. I usually don’t serve the two end pieces because they don’t cook evenly, but they make a delicious snack for the cook! Serve with
the cabbage.

Skillet-Roasted Cabbage

This dish takes on incredible flavor and a texture you wouldn’t expect with cooked cabbage—soft yet crisp and sweet. Be sure to use fresh cabbage, preferably from a farmers’ market. Yields: 4 servings as a side dish

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
• 4 cups shredded green cabbage
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• Salt
• A squeeze of lemon juice

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

2. Using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, grind the peppercorns, caraway seeds, and coriander seeds to a fine powder.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add the grapeseed oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the skillet. When the oil starts smoking, add the cabbage and spread evenly in the skillet; it will be very full. Place the skillet in the oven until the cabbage turns bright green on top, about 2 minutes.

4. Wearing an oven mitt (the handle will be very hot), pull the pan from the oven and use tongs to toss the spice blend into the cabbage, taking care to mix the browned, caramelized bottom layer into the middle and top layers. Carefully slide the pan back into the oven for another 5 minutes.

5. Pull the pan from the oven and add the butter, chicken stock, and a pinch of salt. Toss all of the ingredients until the butter is completely melted. Finish the dish with a squeeze of lemon juice and toss once more before serving.

About the Author

Award-winning chef Kevin Gillespie grew up in Locust Grove, Georgia, and developed his love of cooking through time in the kitchen with his grandmother. He owns acclaimed and MICHELIN Guide–recommended restaurants Gunshow and Nàdair and has published two cookbooks, Fire in My Belly and Pure Pork Awesomeness. He co-founded the Defend Southern Food Foundation to provide meals for hungry families near his restaurants.