Duck with Red Cabbage

AT HIS RENOWNED RESTAURANT ON PAWLEYS ISLAND, South Carolina, Louis Osteen serves as many highly creative dishes as Southern classics, and none has impressed me more than his succulent seared duck breasts with buttery Savoy cabbage. If you can find Savoy cabbage, fine; if not, I’ve learned that the more common red cabbage works just as well—or perhaps even better—for the dish. Louis rubs the duck breasts with olive oil and black pepper and lets them “cure” overnight before cooking, but, frankly, I can’t detect any difference in flavor this extra step makes. Today, more and more markets carry boneless duck breasts (at a hefty price), but if you can’t find them, any good butcher should be able to fill the order. The other option is to buy whole ducks and cut away the breasts yourself. Whatever you do, remember that the breasts should be seared no more than medium-rare, and that overcooking only toughens them.

MAKES: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 whole boneless duck breasts, split, skinned, and trimmed of excess fat and membrane
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
• 1 large head red cabbage (discolored outer leaves discarded), cored and roughly diced

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the oil until very hot but not smoking.
2. Season the duck breasts with salt and pepper.
3. Add the seasoned duck breasts to the hot oil and sear for 1 minute on each side.
4. Reduce the heat to moderate and continue to cook the duck breasts for 5 minutes on each side.
5. Transfer the cooked duck breasts to a platter and keep them warm in the oven.
6. Add the butter to the skillet and stir, scraping the bottom to collect any bits of debris.
7. Add the diced red cabbage to the skillet and cook until slightly browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Turn over the cabbage and cook until lightly browned on the other side, about 2 minutes more.
9. Add any juices collected on the platter of duck breasts to the skillet, toss the cabbage well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
10. To serve, divide the cabbage evenly among 6 serving plates.
11. Cut the duck breasts into 4 slices each and place them on top of the cabbage.
12. Spoon the juices from the pan over the duck and cabbage.
13. Serve immediately.