Plum season is over. Looooonnnggg over and done with.
But, do you know what isn’t done? The plum purée I froze this past summer when I knew I might be craving this dish on a chilly evening in February. Unlike many stone fruits that discolor over time, plums are one of the exceptions. They retain their gorgeous color and flavor, as long as they are tightly sealed in the freezer.
Today’s dish is my take on one Mark had at our favorite French restaurant in Ensenada, Baja, México. Yes, we have a favorite French restaurant in Baja. It’s one of our favorites anywhere!
El Rey Sol was opened in 1947 after World War II by Virginia Geffroy de Bitterlin, also known as “Doña Pepita.” She was the daughter of a French mining engineer and a Mexican woman, and they lived in Santa Rosalia, a small mining town on the Gulf of México. When malaria broke out in Santa Rosalia, she and her siblings were sent to France to live. While there, Virginia studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris. More than 30 years ago, she was still overseeing daily operations of El Rey Sol when I first went with my friend David. My recipe for Mussels in Saffron-Chardonnay Cream came from there.
Many years later, Mark and I returned; the restaurant was still there but Doña Pepita had passed, and her son Jean-Loup was at the stove. There were not many changes in those years; it looked much the same as it had – decorated with sepia photos of Paris – but there was one major change. The menu.
Jean-Loup kept the wonderful French flair of the food, but started adding local ingredients to give the food a French-Mexican flair. Out of this world!
Mark will tell you that my version of the Duck with Plum-Chipotle Sauce isn’t quite the way he remembers it but, I assure you, he didn’t suffer much eating it!
Très Olé!
~ David
Duck Breast with Plum-Chipotle Sauce
2 duck breast halves, about 8 ounces each
1 pound Italian or other purple plums
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup prepared demiglace
1 tablespoon puréed chipotles in adobo
1 tablespoon cream
pinch salt
Halve the plums and remove the pits. Coarsely chop the flesh with the skin and place it in a non-reactive saucepan with 2 tablespoons water and 1 tablespoon sugar. (If your plums are really sweet, omit the sugar.) Cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes until the plums are very soft. Place them in a fine-mesh sieve and, using a spoon or a large pestle (my preference), press the pulp through into a small saucepan. If you are making this for another time, this is the point to cool, seal, and freeze it. Otherwise…
Add the prepared demiglace and chipotle purée to the warm plum pulp. Mix well and keep warm.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Score the skin of the duck breasts in a diamond pattern. Season both sides with salt and pepper. When the pan is very hot, add the duck breasts, skin-side down. They will sizzle and jump as they hit the skillet. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crisp. Turn the breasts and allow them to cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 5 minutes (for medium rare). Let rest for a minute before carving, while you heat your plates
While the duck is resting, reheat the sauce and add the cream and season with salt. Cut duck into 1/4-inch slices.
To serve, either pool some sauce on a plate and fan out slices on the sauce, or fan the duck slices on the plate and drizzle with the sauce. I like to serve this with mashed potatoes and green beans, but the options for sides are nearly unlimited!
Serves 4.
Labels: chipotle, duck, el rey sol, ensenada, jean-loup bitterlin, mexico, méxico, plum chipotle sauce, plums, virginia geffroy de bitterlin
