Paris bistro sparks a lifelong affair with duck recipes

From Guest Blogger Liza Bennett Gyllenhaal:

On one of our first trips to Paris many years ago, my husband and I managed to track down a tiny restaurant on an obscure side street near Les Halles — the old market district — that had been highly recommended by friends. It was called La Fermette du Sud Ouest, and it specialized in the cooking of Southwest France, especially all things canard. That first dinner was a revelation to me, a small town girl whose only exposure to duck up until that point had been the tough, stringy, candy-coated varieties served up in Chinese restaurants. That first night I ordered the magret — duck breast as tender as filet mignon, sauteed with garlic, thinly sliced on a diagonal, and served with crusty potatoes and fresh cepes, the succulent and fleshy French mushroom.

That dinner, honestly, seemed too good to be true. And, in retrospect, it only seemed to get better. But the next time we were in Paris, we seriously considered not going back, fearing that our first visit was simply the result of the inflationary tendencies of so many happy memories. But, in the end, hunger won out — we broke down, and made our way back down the tiny street to the welcoming little restaurant. And it was all just as wonderful as before. We returned again and again over the years. We became friendly with the owners — the short blond Monsieur who smoked too much and the taller, blonde Madame with a terrific figure she enjoyed showing off. We were treated as regulars after a while — greeted with smiles and offered a complimentary Cognac at the end of the evening.

In the meantime, duck breasts began to make an appearance in specialty butchers in this country, and I started to discover many delicious, easy, and mostly very quick recipes for preparing them myself. If you can’t find duck breasts in your grocery, they are available for purchase from many sites online. Though more expensive than some, I highly recommend D’Artagnan, which supplies many of the top-rated restaurants in New York City. In general, a single large breast, sliced thin, will serve two, but I usually make an extra and serve it in a salad for lunch the next day. Baby spinach, walnuts, and dates are great accompaniments.

The rich taste of duck pairs well with fruit, especially fresh figs and cherries — both fresh and dried. I’ve tried many recipes for duck breasts and fresh figs, but my favorite remains this one I clipped out of The New York Times a few years back (click here for the recipe). I love the Five Spice rub used here, though if you’re rushed, it’s not really necessary to marinate the breasts first — just sprinkle and sear. A grill pan works just great for this.

Here’s another wonderfully fast and easy recipe, this one using fresh (or frozen) cherries (click here). I’ve substituted the much less expensive Marsala for the Port wine with equal success.

Perhaps my favorite duck recipe is this slightly more complicated one that also incorporates Five Spice rub. You can substitute any sweet wine —Marsala or Madeira — for the plum wine and forego the bacon if you don’t eat meat. But the salty and sweet, soft and crunchy combinations in this dinner are well worth the extra time and work. (Click here for that recipe.)

Last fall, my husband and I returned to Paris. We couldn’t wait to go back to La Fermette du Sud Ouest and, though a little jet-lagged, decided to visit the first night after we arrived. There was the sign hanging from the second floor! There were the half-timbered walls, the yellow glass windows! The door was open, we walked right in — and were greeted by two eager strangers. Monsieur and Madame had retired, sold the restaurant, and disappeared from our lives forever. The new restaurant specialized in couscous. We did not stay.

Liza Bennett Gyllenhaal is a novelist who divides her time between New York City and The Berkshires. Read about her novel Local Knowledge at www.lizagyllenhaal.com.