Erica De Mane

Dom DeLuise was a person I became infatuated with at an early age. I loved his ability to give himself up to the free form, Italian style humor that was so creepy, but so familiar to all Italian-Americans, and I loved his attachment to Southern Italian cooking. That was his heritage, as it was  mine.  I loved the movie Fatso. He wasn’t even all that fat then. I wish he could have grown up in a time when he  could have been more free with his sexuality, but so be it (maybe it would have ruined his comic timing. Who knows).  He made my family happy, and he was a great cook. This recipe is dedicated to you, Mr. De Luise.

Duck Pizzaiola with Sweet Vermouth, Marjoram, and Black Olives

Pizzaiola is a sauce of tomatoes, oregano, garlic, and olive oil designed to taste like Neapolitan pizza sauce. I’ve been working on updating the heavy, garlicky pizzaiola dishes of my Long Island childhood, and I’ve come up with ways to make the sauce (and the meats it goes on) fresher, juicier, and less cooked-down. I’ve omitted  the traditional musty dried oregano and replaced it not with fresh oregano, which can be harsh, but with  its cousin fresh marjoram, with its bold but sweet floral taste.

(Makes 4 main-course servings)

2 split duck breasts (Long Island variety), with the skin
½ cup sweet red vermouth
1 bay leaf, fresh if possible
2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 28-ounce can chopped Italian plum tomatoes, lightly drained (San Marzano are ideal)
About ½ cup pitted black Niçoise olives, cut in half
4 large sprigs fresh marjoram, the leaves chopped, plus a few whole sprigs for garnish
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A generous pinch of ground, dried red chilies (such as Aleppo)

Using a sharp knife, score the duck breasts  lightly through the skin in a crisscross pattern. Place them  in a shallow bowl, and add the bay leaf, and pour on the sweet vermouth. Let marinate, unrefrigerated, for about ½ hour.

Remove the duck from the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Reserve the marinade. Season the breasts liberally with salt, black pepper, and a dried chili.

In a large, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat the  olive oil over medium-high flame. When it’s almost smoking, add the duck breasts, skin side down. Sear without moving them until they are just starting to brown around the edges. Turn the heat  to medium, and continue cooking until the skin is well-browned  and crisp and much of the fat has cooked out, about 6 minutes.  Turn the breasts, and brown the other side, about 3 or 4 minutes longer. Remove the duck from the skillet, and set aside on a plate to rest. Cover them with aluminum foil. Pour all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat from the skillet.

Turn the heat to medium low, add the garlic,  and sauté until it just starts to turn very lightly golden, about a minute. Turn the heat to medium high, and add the  marinade, and let it boil down to a few tablespoons. Add the  tomatoes, and season with salt,  black pepper, and a pinch more red chili. Cook, uncovered, over a lively heat for about 3 or 4 minutes, just until the sauce thickens. Add the chopped marjoram and the olives. Taste for seasoning. Cut the duck on an angle into thin, wide slices (it should be medium rare). Arrange it on a warmed serving plate and pour on the sauce. Garnish with marjoram sprigs. Serve hot. This dish is excellent with a side of polenta.