Duck Breasts with Fresh Peaches #French Fridays with Dorie

Duck Breasts with Fresh Peaches: Simple Living and Eating

When I was about 12 years old my parents went on a vacation together. I think it was their 25th wedding anniversary. They left me with my oldest sister and enough money for a week's worth of groceries. My oldest sister is not particularly domestic, and I'm guessing that the thought of cooking dinner for herself and her little sister for a week did not truly appeal to her... so she came up with a brilliant idea!

"Diane, wouldn't it be cool to get dress up and go out to a fancy restaurant."

"I guess so."

"Well, we can. Mommy left us enough money to pay for a really great dinner in a French restaurant. We can go... have a great time, and then eat peanut butter and jelly for the rest of the week."

Well, she must have really sold it to me as a great adventure, because I agreed to go... and to this day 36 years later, I remember the restaurant was ironically named, Poor Lads, and I had the Duck with a Cherry Sauce and Chocolate Mousse for dessert. It was truly worth eating peanut butter and jelly for a week.

Now here I am all grown up and cooking duck for the first time (We did have it a few times before, but my husband the hunter cooked it.) Even though the procedure was simple for cooking, pan searing.. I was still nervous...I mean it's duck, not chicken, it is a special occasion fowl.. and here I was cooking it casually on a week night... I feel so French (not really).

The duck was thoroughly enjoyed...especially by my husband and my son. My daughter and I liked it but we were more into the cooked peaches. I ignored Dorie's direction to discard the garlic and thyme (I'm from New England: we don't discard anything.) I just scooped it on to the peaches and they were heaven.

Will I make this dish again... yes, for company or maybe when my kids get a little older my husband and I will leave them with enough money to make the dish and fly off to Paris and eat duck there...

Here is a similar recipe Barbary Duck with Glazed Peaches... but if you want the real recipe I highly suggest getting the cookbook: Around My French Table. You won't regret it.

Note: As a member of French Friday's with Dorie I am not allowed to print the recipe. I invite you to take a look at this wonderful cookbook "Around My French Table" if you are interested in this or any other recipe I review.