Photo by María Helena Carey
One of the best things of living so close to Eastern Market is spending some leisure time talking to the wonderful people who run the shops. Today during a morning walk, I stopped by the Market Poultry to admire their impressive array of chicken, turkey, sausage, and other poultry products, and I walked away with a great dinner idea!
I remembered Eastern Market’s Facebook fan page mentioning something about Moulard duck breasts for a fancy Oscar dinner at home; and there they were, lovingly wrapped and brimming with that good duck fat, staring at me (as much as duck breasts can stare) through the cooler window. In case you’ve never heard of Moulard ducks — I certainly had not, until recently — they are hybrid ducks, usually bred from Pekin and Muscovy ducks. The name is a play on words between Mallard and mule, as the ducks are sterile. These ducks have leaner meat than either parent, although ironically they are also used more and more for foie gras production. (thank you Wikipedia!)
I must have looked very hungry because Mel at the Market Poultry started chatting with me about ducks and how best to prepare them. I was under the impression that duck was hard to cook and very fatty, but Mel assured me that while it is true that ducks are fatty, using their fat to cook them is the way to make them easier to cook and delicious. For the bargain hunters, the Moulard duck breasts not only are a good deal if you’re into duck (at around $12 per pound, you will not find such a good deal at a restaurant, for sure), but they make for a versatile ingredient that you can use as an entrée or as an appetizer if you’re on a budget. And, to boot, they are relatively easy to cook: the trick is to score the skin and the fatty layer and then place the duck, skin side down, on a skillet. You add nothing but salt and peppercorns and let the duck fat cook one side. Afterward, you place the duck breasts skin side up on a baking sheet and place them on the broiler until all that delicious duck fat cooks the other side of the breast and you’re left with crispy skin and duck deliciousness awaiting you.
Check with Mel about exact cooking times — he says that the duck comes packaged with very precise instructions for those of us who can’t bring ourselves to just eyeball it with things as precious as duck breast. And just in case you’re interested, here is a recipe from the Washington Post if you want some reference. But there you go; I am thinking you need to have duck for dinner tonight!